The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1874-08-21
Chamberlain, against whom we have
occasionally directed some structures,
and whom wA have found hollow in bia

and whom We have found hollow in his
pretensions as a reformet. 1t oon-
firms, US in our previous Impressions.
II is aNlame and feeble document. It
travels over the most limited area and
fails signally to clear up even tho few
points upon which it touches. Look
Ing back at those huge financial
swIndles, which, like the chimneys
left in the track of Sherman's march,
testify to desolation and robbery, Mr.
O. can find no words of censure for his
accomplices and avoids all confessions
for himself. He cannot now, any more
than he could to the New York Times
correspondent, account for the issue of
the bonds and the disastrous increase
OF the debt. He still, we suppose,
does not "think it was the fault of any
one man or Of any set OF men," It
came no one knew why or wherefore.
It was o strange, mysterious and nm.
fortunate occurrence, which happened
nobody knows how, for which nobody
is accountable and nobody to blame.
The several acts to which MIR. G. refers
SO vaguely and indefinitely, by which
the State credit was destroyed and the
peoples prosperity wrecked, look, no
doubt. picturesque. if not lovely, in
the distant backward view which be
now gets of them from his standpoint
Of candidate for Governor. Such
seems to be his attitude and counte.
nance. He does not look forward at
all, except to say that he desires the
mistakes he has made to be corrected
and the evil consequences of his official
career to be repaired. How, he does
not say; but, of course, he means by
improving the opportunities which, if
elected Governor, will be thrown into
his hands. BE asks the people to give
him these opportunities. But burnt
ohild breads tbs fire. MIR. G. care.
fully avoids saying whether he will
advocate the revalidation of the six
million conversion bonds and the con-
tinued reputation of portion of the
valid, and recognition of the fraudu.
lent debt OF the State. He is silent
upon the Blue Ridge scrip. AS to the
conversion bonds, 80 far as anything
appears to the contrary, Mr.. @. is of
the same opinion now that he was
when he said to the Louisville Courier
Journal correspondent, namely, that
they ''may not be frauds" although
the Legislature has so declared them.
As man Of thought and observation,
Mr.. Q. cannot be blind to the neces.
sity which exists to take in view the
people of property. intelligence and
character in the State. He cannot but
know that they are kept under the heel
of most vulgar and despicable
tyranny through diabolical machina-
tions, and the concurrence of q set of
peculiar circumstances which cannot
much longer continue. He utters no
kindly word, he sends no friendly
glance in this direction. He omits
any reference to his promise made
thirty months ago, of proportional rep
resentation to the Conservative mino.
rity of the State. There is not the
slightest tendency in all this address
"to the public" towards the concilia-
ton of all those great interests and
rights which have been trampled upon
80 sathies5ly by Mr.. C.'s political
associates. he sees nothing anoma-
lous or threatening in the situation.
He measures it strictly by party and
ring rule and by its bearing on his
personal fortunes. There is no en-
larged and statesman-like view, no ex-
position of the truth which it would
we'll befit him to employ in the circum.
stances by which he is surrounded.
He is no doubt good lawyer, but is
wanting in the qualities Of a statesman.
He has not been just and firm as
public officer. He has not set his face
like flint against corruption. He is to
be distrusted in the future, as he has
been condemned in the past.