The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1874-06-18
massn Moses.

present Governor Of South Carolina
appears to be known in his own State.
Those OF our readers who made them
selves acquainted with the facts pub
| iishsd lately in letter from our spe-
cial correspondent will know what
manner OF man he is. The evidence
seems to be overwhelming that he is
| about as At to be Governor Of State
as any burglar who prowls about the
streets of New York at id.night. He
has helped himself to the public funds,
and he has handed over the key of the
treasury to anybody else who happened
to be short Of money. His private
character appears to bo simply detesta-
BILE. We were obliged to strike ont of
our correspondents letter several
passages which might have been Of
fensive II dclicacy, but which truth
fully describe notorious events in this
precious Governors life. We sent
our correspondent to South Clroiiua,
in order that NE might get at the facts
from MI unprejudiced source The
only instructions we gave to this cor.
respondent were to tell the truth, aud
to spare no pnins TO arrive ut the truth.
Aud. thus far, tho results Of his inuni-
ries fully Justify the statements which
have been made relative to the shock
ing misgovernment of South Carolina.
We apprehend that there can be no
doubt as to the facts laid before Us.
ln 1866, the expenditures OF the
State Government wore estimated ut
S260.66S The appropriations for
lS73-74 amount to 81, S9,27O-an in
crease OF over 81, 500. UUU. The greater
part of the money represented by this
Increase seems to be treated US lawful
pinnder by the ofliciaIs of the State.
ihe Governor In charged with rob.
bsry. Enormous tracts of land have
been contiscated Tor unpaid taxes.
County Treasnrers aid County COM
mlss,oners have t-rn actually con
victed of theft. W. need m". so eve.
every detnil of the long story, for we
have zepeat-rily published it IN These
columns. The question which We
wish to press home to the minds Of our
Republican, friends is, is it the duty Of
tue great party to which we belong to
defend aud perpetuato these frauds, or
to condemn and put an end TO them?
20 TILL. question, We have received
answers from many sovlc ces. In Il large
lumber OF cases. we nre told, rs we
hoped and expected to bp told, that
the RepGAlcan party wsii not stand by
the reckless misgovernmento of Moses
and his gang. Iu IA snail number nj
instances. we have been begged aud
warmed y say no more about 1t, for
fear of injrripg the Republican party
Inat Is to say, when enormous frauds
are brought TO our knowledge, we are
to suppress .he evidcuce Of them. und
this course. it Is thought. would .help
the party" Lu the first place, we have
to say, IN answer to- thls, that we
should decline to take the course sug-
geated. even if it would help the party !;
~ the second place, that we do not be-
lieve it would help the party. The
plan Was tried by the Democrats in
lS7l-72. The Herald. Worlu aud other
Democratic papers suppressed the evi.
deuce OF the Tammany frauds. Tho
Herdld, now so noisy in its talk about
''honest government" 1ever uttered
Que world against Tweed and his
frends-neyeu even published one Of
she figures which brought their guilt
home to them. What was tue conse.
luence? Did the Heraa.I save the
Democrats from defeat? No! 1t only
liscredited itself aud the party it mt
tempted to protect. When newspa-
POI lpius IN an effort to cheat the pub
lie, that newspaper suffers a. wdIi AS
tue author ot the frauds. But in thi.
case, the Republicans are not rc.pousi-
Bile for the crimes of Massa Moses.
Why should they undertake to defend
them? They cannot be- concealed. A
voice, however. comas to us from
Troy. saying. You iujure our party"
Gratitude IL ;o uncummon 4 virtue,
that we are hulf inclined to look with
luduigenca even on II diseased maniies.
tntioa OF it. IL this CASE. gratitude
for u foreign mission seems to have
par"lvzed The Judgment. Speak in a
becoming manner. says our friend
that Is, do not speak above IL whisper.
He IL SO amazed ut the condesccnsion
which picked him ont for foreign
mission. that, as they say in tue East,
he Is pcrpetuaily raising the eyebrows
OF establishment and bending the
knees OF submission. All this seems
to us very foolish. The Republican
party lives by virtue Of its services to
the nation. 1t has never defended
frand--never attempted to conceal it
when discovered. We were much
praised by these very Journals when
we were unearthing the Tweed robbie
ries, bnt now-It Is IL horse of another
color.