The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1874-10-07
COLUMBIA; s. g.
Wednes u lay Morning. October z. 1874.
To tho Grand Jury.

o report OF the proceedings OF Court
the charge of Judge Carpenter to the
grand jury, directing their attention
TO allegations Of bribery and corrup
tion. contained in the Union Heralt
newspaper, Of the 2l inst, against T.
A. BowleY, member OF the Legiela
tnre from Georgetown, and Chairman
of the Committee of Ways and Means
in the House of Representatives The
Judge referred the jury to his exposi.
tion OF the laws concerning this
offence, delivered to them at the frst
term of the Court and the beginning
OF their service. Directing their no.
tice specifically to this particular case,
and requiring of them full; fearless
and honest Investigation concerning it,
he also urged them to give their attcn-
tion to all similar cases that mny be
brought to their notice. We trust that
the grand jury will not conane their
inquiry to this case of Bowley alone.
There are many more persons against
whom just as strong charges have
been made, and the grand Jury. now
that it is directed upon the right road
at last. should endeavor to retrieve its
character, as the grand inquest of the
County, from imputations of neglect,
which Justly rest upon it, in the dis
charge of it's grave and important
duties, for the last half dozen years.
1t should invite disclosures OF informa-
tion concerning public abuses, and
protect those who have it and are
ready to divulge it by committing it
into their hands. We take leave to
call their attention to law said to
have been f.grantly violated, time and
again, i'll the General Assembly, to be
found in the 131st chapter OF the Re-
vised Statutes: 1T any person shall,
directly or indirectly, offsr, give or
engage TO pay any sum of money, or
other valuable consideration, to an
other, in order to induce such other
person to procure for him, by his in
terest. influence, or any other means
whatsoever, any Office or place of trust
within this State" go. (Then follows
the punishment.) Again: "If, at any
election for members of the Congress
OF the United States, aud at other epe-
Gifted elections, any person shull. by
the payment, delivery or promise of
money. or other article of value, pro-
cure another to vote for or against any
particular candidate or measure, the
person 30 promising and the person so
voting shall each be guilty of misde-
meanor," &s., &c. Let the grand
jury, while upon such inquiries, fail
not to push their investigations in this
direction.
We can discern in the article of the
Union Herald. which is made the basis
of charge against Bowley, that it was
prepared and made specific for pur-
pose. In the shape in which it np-
peared. the Judge could not omit to
notice it. The prosecution, which is
to be based upon it, is to serve as the
main-spriDg to effect political object.
Bowley's sin is not alone that he is
gnilty or charged with being guilty of
corrupt practice as legislator, to the
great damage and scandal of the pure
Republican party. That might have
been forgiven in his case, as in hun.
dreds OF others just as bad or worse
But Bowley has been gnilty of an
other sin, that of joining the new
party, and it has tended to make all
his old sins desperately aagrant and
intolerable. Charges that might other
wise have slept, are now all alive and
bristling. But even in these charges
there are two sides shown and Two
parties involved. II Bowley levied
'blnck mail from the contingent funds,
and from the penal aud charitable in
stitutiOns, there must be other parties
implicated, who also come under the
punishments Of the statute. "He re.
ceived," it is said, can order upon the
Governors contingent fnnd for 50 5OO