The Orangeburg news. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1867-1875, 1874-08-22
ME-. Chamberlain Speaks.

and the clear and manly way in which he
answers the charges made against him by
The Moses organ Of Charleston, should put
TO blush the elastic conscicnccs of the
editors of that journal 1t would seem that
the manner of attack employed by the Ncms
and Courier, against Mr.. Chamberlain, in the
interest of Moses, would have brought forth
some bitterness from the peoples candidate
for Governor; but we find him. instead, the
same cool and dignificd gentleman That he
has ever been. lie deals with the issues of
The day, and the charges of his lefamcrs,
with that calmncss which no one could MAIN
thin under such circumstances, except il c be
conscious of his own absolute innocence II
denies, in emphatic and manly words, any
responsibility in the Land Commissio II,
Sinking Fund Commission or Agricultural
Land Scrip frauds; and yet lie has the
courage to acknowledge some mistakes in
his official life, unlike Moses who cndcavors,
at every hands turn, 10 saddle the blundcrs
Of Lis administration upon some one else.
In summing up his statement Mr..
s Chamberlain speaks with so much frank
ntss and honest pride that VIC give his own
words:
"Not only have ] not received pccuniary
prcft from any transactions in which have
had an official duty to perform and not only
have never been interested in any scheme
which was hostile TO public interests, but
can sny, with honest pride, that no man
ever yet i'll South Carolina approached me
with bribc in any form or solicitc my
cficirl or personal consent or cooperation
in any dishonest measure OF action Such
degree of respect has at least been shown
me. While dcnouncing me i'll public us
coriu upt official, my dcfnmcrs have never
rentured TO solicit the aid which they would
now convince the public have been swift
10 extend TO ull corrupt and fraudulent
measures. The little property which now
possess 1 have acquired ncthcrby corrup-
tion nor speculation, but l have earned il by
honest and honorable labor, and defy the
world to produce evidence sufficient to
excite shadow of presumption to The
contrary. l acknowledge mistakes, and
regret the consequences of some acts in my
official career. desire to see those consc-
quenccs repaired, and l desire it all the
more because they have resulted in part
from my acts; but to every specific and
every general charge involving moral
delinquency or conscious wrong in my
official action i'll this State, ! give my abso-
Lutte and solemn denial"
No one but an honest and upright man
would speak in such plain terms to the
people. Mr.. Chamberlain is before them
for their suffrngcs, and hctakcs the right
view Of the situation and leaves nothing un-
said which properly they should know.
Moses took different course entirely. With
the aid of his father, he prepared for tho
public long and ingenious speech, full Of
sophistry and with rlausibility enough to
deceive the uneducatcd mind. Behind that
stupcndous Sun ter Grafton he intends to
fall whenever attacked. Replctc with mis-
takes, and denounced by Judge Andrews rs
being base tissue Of lies, it is yet the six
months work and digrstcd defense of The
present Governor of the State. Mr..
Chamberlain does not resort to fine rhcto-
ric and obscure allusions to history to cover
up or apologize for his record. lie comes
down like man, speaks in plain and in
telligible language TO the people, and tells
them what he has and what he has not
done.
But 10 draw u comparison any further bc-
tween Chamberlain and Moses, would make
the contrast SO unfavorable to the latter as
20 render dose of stomach bittcrs neccs-
sary. One is open, honest md intelligent,
thoroughly endowed with the finer traits
of life, while the other is n shrcwd, un-
scrupulous man,-a type Of the worst pos
sible phase Of degraded humanity,
and treats we'll nigh with equal dcrision the
most pure of virtues, and the most odious
Of viccs-dead alike to tho beaut, of the onc
and the dcformity Of tho other. And yet he
wants to be reelected. Get thee into
obscurity Moses, with your young blood