The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1874-07-02
Governor Moses on the Defensive Line.

l.
written from South Carolina, have had the
effect to bring Gov Moses out in his own de-
fence. He writes an explanatory letter, which
is a very lame attempt to excuse his shortcom-
ings. Indeed, the style is not equal to the
annual messages over his signature, aud we
must conclude that the gentleman upon whom
he relies for assistance in such matters was
absent from Columbia when Moses concluded
to rush into print on this occasion. 1t is pos
sible the gentleman does not reside in Colum-
bfa, and it may be that he is off on summer
tour, or at least not within easy call. At any
rate, he would make a stronger defence, over
the signature of the Governor, if called upon
to write such an epistle.
Gov. Moses takes exception to statements
contained in certain letters of the corrcspon-
dent neither of which have appeared in our
columns. But we published scathing letter
from the correspondent last week, and on the
principle of "giving even the devil his DUE"
we admit the reply of the Governor, which is
as follows:
EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT,
Columbia, June "a, 1874.
To the Editor ofthe Union-Hcrald
For the last two years I have been quietly
devoting myselfto the discharge of the varied
duties Of NV Office amid the most reckless and
extravagant attacks directed against my person.
al and official character.
I have been silent, because, up to this time,
the charges and accusation against me have
referred to acts done or omitted to be done by
me. and because I believed that the accusations
themselves would fail in the accomplishment
of their purpose-frst, by reason of their own
improbabilty and recklessness, and, secondly,
because the mass of the people of South Caro-
lima are sufficiently just and generous not to
believe in the statements of political or personal
enemies, unless they supportedby the plain
est and most indubtable proof.
Now, however, a sense Of official proprety
will no longer silence my voice when views and
statements are presented to the public as COM
ing from myself by which [ am sought to be
condemned "out of my own mouth"
Ny attention has been called to two letters
written from South Carolina to the New York
Times, one of date of Sunday, the 2lst, and the
other of Monday, the 22d, to which desire in
brief to refer
In these letters I have been most grievously
misrepresented in the remarks attributed to
myself
The story told of what occurred between SEN
ator Mcintyre and myself during the campaign
of 1872, although not being exactly what was
intended by me to be understood, still it is not
sufficiently erroneous as to be declared entirely
false
But the structure built upon my words does
grave injustice both to Senator Mcintyre and
myself.
I did not accuse myself of having made to
Senator Mcintyre promise which | intended
should be broken, nor could anything l said
have been construed into any wish or intention
on the part Ex-senator Mcintyre to have misled
his constituents.
The personal and official intercourse between
Senator Mcintyre and myself has been ever
since have known him, with the exception of
short interval such as not to lessen the self
respect of either of us.
In tn campaign of 1872 Senator Mcintyre
mistakenly, as know, but justly, as he be-
Iieyed9 conceived that / had treated him un-
fairly. and did what he believed the circum-
stances warranted him in doing.
Since that time the misconception Ex-senator
Mcintyre has been removed by subsequent de-
velopments, and the terms of our intercourse
have been such as they were before the misun-
derstanding
In his last letter the correspondent states
that admitted to him that my "private char
acter was bad, very bad" This assertion is
totally essentially false. Knowing the utter
falsity of such an admission, of course [ could
not have made it, What I did admit was this
That of all the mass of accusations against me,
the only one which is true is that which
charges upon me personal extravaganza, and an
incautious expenditure of my private means,
which had involved me in financial difficulties.
This is matter with which, however, las the
correspondent himself said) the public have no
concern so long as it does not interfere with a
faithful discharge of my official duties.
The correspondent writes that [ told him
was sure of denomination. This is not true.
He asked me ifI believed would be renom-
mated, and I answered him Eyes," and gave
him as reason for that opinion that the Re-
publicans who will make the nomination know
me thoroughly, and that they also know that the
charges of official dereiction made against me
are groundess and untrue, and for that reason
would stand by and defend me by nomination
against political persecution and personal
malice.
l did not say that newspaper charges would
not injure me- as my constituents cannot read.
This is an old quotation, and has been at dit
ferent times attributed to various Republicans.
1t has never been used by me-
1 did not say that the Hon. Mr.. Chamber
lain would probably be the boting candidate,
I said that if there acre a boiling candidate,
the Conservatives, between the two Republl-
cans. might win the field.
I regret thus to intrude upon your columns
that which will be of no interest to most OF
vour readers but T propose to enjoy myself
hereafter the same privilege you accord to ev-
cry man-that of being properly represented
before the public.
Ihave always recognized my full response
bility to the people Of my State and my party
for an honest and faithful discharge OF the
duties which attend my official position: In a
very short time propose to talk with the peo-
pie of the State, in full and comprehensive
form, in defense and vindication of the present
State Government. BY its acts it must be
,,,oocurod on6 h1, them must it, stand or 1all.