The Orangeburg news. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1867-1875, 1874-08-29
VOLUME 8.
Letter from Mr.. Chamberlain.
TO the PubIic:

ceaseu 10 DC state. 0fnccr. l)urinS
this interval have closely followed my
profession, taking no part whatever in
public or political affairs, and seeking
no return to official position. No man
living has ever heard me, directly or
indirectly, solicit office; nor can n single
net of mine during the last two years b.
pointed out which could reasonably
indicate that sought any Office in this
State. Notwithstanding my con -tant
and studious avoidance ofpoli,ics, many
friends have, from time to time, cx.
pressed their desire that I should be
candidate for the Office of Governor.
Within the last few monthr large
number IF prominent gentlemen Of the
Repu blicun party have urged tina,
candidacy upon me as II matter c9graye.
and urgent duty which ITO the
State as we'll us to my political party.
have laid before them my reasons for
not wishing to share in p litical affairs
Mt the present time, and have carnes ly
endeavored to show them that others
could serve the public better then in
the Office of Governor.
Their judgement has apparently
remained unchanged, and have, up to
the present time, simply maintained
this position: that if the Republican
rarty should, when. duly assembled in
State Convention, tender me its nomina-
tion Tor Governor, should not decline
In that sense, and to that cntent only,
l am a candidate now. I have not
sought or desired the Office 1t is a
burden from which ! shrink, and which
shall take up only at the unsolicited
call of the best men of my party as ex
pressed in the coming State Convcn
$tion. s.:
Such being my unvarying attitudel
towards this question, have, as think
reasonably, felt no solicitulc to rcpel
adverse criticisms, or to deny or dis
prove charges made against me for the
purpose OF defeating my nomination. |
have now lived in this State for nine
years, and for the last six years this
community has had full pportu,ity to
note my personal character and to csti
mate my worth as man aud citizen
l am one of those who still believe,
amidst the fiercest storm Of detrac,ion
that an honorable and correct personal
life is the best answer to all such
charges as are now hurled ut me. Or
this have constant and touching
evidence i'll the nunberless assurances
which come to me from those who are
in strenuous political opposition to me-
that tho charges now made against me
and the attempt to drag me down to the
level of others whom might name, are
regarded by all who know nc as
temporary expedient to accomplish a
political end. Personally, l am wholly
Indifferent to the charges recently made
against me. Those who care to ex ,miuc
them will find them to be baseless, and
those whodo not care to examine them
are not objects Of anxiety to me. am
sufficiently an egotist to firmly believe
that no man who knows me believes
that am, in public or private affairs, a
dishonest man.
| have yielded to the wishes of my
friends in this case, however, to the ex
tent of now setting forth, briefly an I'd
cmphatically, my answer to tho charges
which have recently been put forth
against me as a candidate.
The charges, so far rs they hive
taken an answerable shape, concern my
motions Us member of various public
boards or commissions from 1868 to
1872. During that period l was, cr
Q6icio, member Of the financial board
Of the board known as the commission.
ers Of the sinking fund, of the advisory
board of the land commission, and OF
the board to take charge of the con
grcssional land scrip for an agricultural
college.
In connection with the first named
board, one Of the charges most constant