The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1874-04-16


I e=sSIsatIve EnGerference-
An interesting Intervlew occurred to-day
f.. between the delegation representing the
South Carolina taxpayers, the Chamber
Of Commerce Of Charleston and PRESIDENT
Grant. The delegation embraces some
81 cuc most distin Gished men ~ The state
Jour or five ex Governors and Sena-
tors. members of Congress and others
more or less identified with public affairs.
The party, some twenty-five IN number,
We're introduced by the Secretary OF State,
whereup0n Governor Porter proceeded 10
set forth the cause or complaint. lie
said that the delegation represented 10
partisanship, because 1t comprised re-
publicans and democrats, and the chief
object of the application to the Execu-
tive was TO procure relief from the lnta-
nous attemp t by the ruling powers Of
the State, TO enforce demands to which
the people could not respond. The de-
mands IF the Governor of the State were
described, the manner n which he draws
upon Ais various app0lntees for money to
support himself and The general dlabol-
ism of Legislature, which allows itself
to be bought end sold at viii, individual
lv ana publicly, in order to effect the
passage Of certain public acts all these
entered into an eloquent review Of the po-
litical situation to which the attention of
the President was directed. Col Lath-
ers alsomade an address, rs the repfesen-
tative of the Charleston Chamber of
Commerce, in which he set forth many of
the financial evils Of the State, resulting
from the ignorant legislation OF the mass
OF negroes who constitute the majority of
the General Assembly. The President,
who listened apparently with great inter
est 10 the respective statements, respond
ed with more than usual force. lie said
that he deploued the condition of South
Carolina Just as he did that Of Louisiana,
but the committee must remember that,
that WAS complete sovereign and indie
pendent State, with which it was impossi-
bic for either the executive or the legisla-
tive department Of the general govern
ment to interfere. The fault of the ex
listing condition was possibly due to the
class represented by the present delegates,
for they We're unwilling at the close of
the war to accept the condition which
war had forced upon them. Hence it was
necessary that culored men should take
the place ofwhte men in filling various
governmental positions. He was glad,
however, to see these extreme views
modified by events, and to recognize the
presence 81 50 many gentlemen as repre-
sentatives Of a brighter and better future.
The President added cannot allow
the occasion to pass without calling your
attention to a speech delivered in South |
Carolina, although [ DO not know the !
author, which has done me more personal |
Injustice than | ever suffered from any
other source, and cannot refrain fom +.
the remark that It abstracts somewhat |
from sympathy which would naturally ex- |
tend in behalf of your purpose" At this
junctnre several members of the delega-
tiun made the explanation that no such
speech had been delivered on the floor Of
the Convention, and that purely politi-
cal address by an antagonist Of the admin
istration had been garbled by the repub-
lican press Of the State for the purpose
Of bringing into disrepute the action of
the entire body. The President rejoined
that he was glad TO hear the eXplana-
lion made by those who were present
on the floor OF the body, and that. be-
tween Congress and himself he hoped
some measure Of redress might be effect
ed which would afford the desired relief
n. Y. Herald.
The South Carolinians above referred to
we're Ex-Govs. Bonham, Manning, and
Aiken; Gems. Chestnut, Elk Speaker Sim
mons and others. High spirited rep
'esentatives Of a proud and generous
people, their condition is certainly to
DC commiserated Nothing short OF des-
)eration could have brought them to
tumble themselves at the footstool of
power. It would have been fair reply
o the President that he had found au-
hority and pretext for using it, to put
n the place of q legally elected Governor
# Georgia, military subordinate; and
0 set aside the legally elected officers
f the State government of Louisiana,
-et it Is not to be denied that he had
10 constitutional authority for these 4
cts, nor has he for overthrowing
he existing government of South
jaroIina and transferring it TO the
arty Of the petitioners. It was chosen by
he majority Of the legal voters of the
tate, and is therefore her legitimate
overnment. Besides such action on the
art Of the Executive. or Of the Execu-
We and Congress combined, would be in
collation. of the fundamental doctrine of
tates rights and local selfgovernment I
earnestly advocated by the party rep
scented by these gentlemen in all the
tates outside Of their own PROSTATE a
f
1t may be well said, the rule of setting :
side State governments, once established,
Ill have no limit and its applicatioRI
i'll depend on the caprice Of the party
hch happens to be in the ascendant at {
Washington.
Unfortunately there was too much
nth in the answer of the President to Y
he Committee that the misfortune of
leir condition is due, in great measure, :
their wilful folly and madness in ac- a
spting the leadership of Andy johnson
ID the fossils whom he set up to be tn cir 0
aders a the close of the war. t
While Mr. Davis was yet in chains at
ortress Monroe, a vicarious sufferer for
le alleged offences of an entire people {
Y the bloody orders of this same John t
N, who owed his elevation to the be-
ayal Of his own people, set Of South !
u officials were shouting his praises and t
-eing the people OF the South to look tt
the bsfravar as their daIivarar IT, q