The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1874-09-01
COLUMBIA, S. G..
Tuesday Morning. September l, 1874
Leaves from q Damaging Record.

Leaves from . Damaging Record.
In these degenerate and corrup
times, when the worst of men rule
there are many who are ready to main
tain that lie is as good as the truth
If only it be we'll stuck to. The reoort
and history OF Mr.. Chamberlain as
puhsio man. filling important and re
eponsible public positions in Soutt
Carolina, have been sufficiently veni
lated for the satisfaction OF all honest
inquirers and of all who are capable
OF appreciating and willing to appre
eiate evidence aud argument. But ne
IL the rings man, and his election IS
job which must be put through, in or
der to subserve the bond-holders' pur'
poses. to give the ring new hold
upon the public Offices, and thus to
strengthen their grip upon the emoin'
ments and plunder which they can
Wr1ng from the State. So they stiokle
ut nothing. They attempt to inhame
the passions of the ignorant and vi
cious by inoendiary language. in order
70 drive them huddling together. in.
acensed either by rage or possessed by
Gear. helpless in their hands and pre-
pared to do their bidding. In another
direction and through other means.
they impose upon the weak By their
publications, hide from them the
trnth, cram them with falsehoods and
mould them to their will. They pre-.
tend to think that Mr.. Chamberlain is
clad i'm the invinoible armor of honesty
of purpose, of integrity of character.
aud of reputation for truth and veracity.
Unter show of forwardness and
prompsnsss, they ask, (see the Union.
of week ago. that if there is any.
thing known tending to implicate him,
&c. "we ask, in his name, that it be
laid .bsfore the world at onoe." This
is decidedly cool and impudent. In
view OF what has been published for
the lust three months, OF the records
which ara accessible TO the curious, Of.
the living fact that, with others. and
mure than others, Mr.. @. has. in a
brief time. brought the State to ruin
and forever beiouled its name. Un-
necessary as it would be in any we'll
ordered community, superauous as it
may seem and really is to those who
think and sift truth from falsehood,
and Who can detect the fallaoies which
iark in specious statements and al
fected franknees. it is indispensable
mere to give line upon line, precept
upon precept AZ enc head OF misrep-
resentsbion falls another rises. The
sword which cuts them down can have
no rest. Opportunely for our purpose,
. friend has been indulging his habit
Of research. in examining that very ex'
araordinary and instructive record Of
the Radical party of this State. known
as "The Report OF the Joint Special
Financial Investigating Committee
at the two Houses q the General AS
semudy. Tor the session Of 1901, and
hAs made some extracts which, with
brief and telling comments, he has
placed at our disposal. We proceed to
day them "before the world at once. -
They are of decidedly "speciic cha.
naeser." are wholly Radical or Republi.
can. aud show the very contrary of the
claims set up for Mr.. @. g character as
q public man. We begin with the
LAND Commission. This Conn
aion was designed. ostensibly, to boy
lands for the freedmen, and. when
organized, consisted of two parts: /.
The advisory Board" composed of
the Governor, Comptroller General,
Secretary OF State and Attorney. Gene
raj ID. Fl. Chamberlain and, 2, of a
Commissioner. All discretionary func-
lions were vested in the Advisory
Board. The Commissioners WAS an
executive officer, appointed at their
will. and wholly subject to the control
of the Board. Now for the report:
After introducing the Commission as
ga gigantic folly" whose Office had
been made "to subserve certain or
ganized result, viz: the primary bene-
at Of members of tho Advisory Board
and the Land Commissioner and their
subservient allies" the result of the
Investigation is summed up on page Is