The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1874-10-15
Senator Dunn's Reply to Judge Melton.

In simple justice to senator Dunn, tne orlgl-
nator of the boter's movement, we extract the
following statements from his speech at the
Charleston ratification meeting last week, in
reply to allegations made by Attorney-General
Melton here and elsewhere, regarding his con-
nection with the bond frauds, which it is i'm:
portant should be known to the people. Sena'
tor Dunn was on a committee of investigation
last summer, and had access to sources of infor-
nation in New York and elsewhere that let in
food of light upon the dark transactions con-
nected with them:
He says that he found out that, in addition
to the SC, ,000, 900 fraudulent conversation bonds
now out, there are 81 $50 900 of the bonds which
the last Legislature declared legal and valid
that are Just as fraudulent as the conversion
bonds. When [ returned to Columbia last
June I informed to Attorney General and the
honest State Treasurer of this Having laid
the proofs before them, asked the Attorney
General to take out a mandamus to prevent
Cardozo from receiving and funding these
bonds He told me that he couldn't and
wouldn't do it; that it was his duty to support
the executive officers Of the State and not to
interfere with them. I then went to Treasurer
Cardozo and told him that he would have to
bear the responsibility of receiving these bonds,
and he said he reckoned he would have to do
it. This was all the report that Legislature
authorized me to make before its meeting, and
the State Treasurer decided to receive these
bonds, although [ laid the evidence of their
illegality before him. I then forgot my party
and went to Democratic lawyer, in Columbia,
Mr.. Youmans, and in placing the evidence in
his hands, asked him to lay it before the Exec
utive Committee of the Taxpayers Union. I
also told the Attorney General that the law
validating these bonds was, in my opinion, un-
constitutional, and that thought the Supreme
Court would so decide. 1t was unconsttution-
al because it increased the public debt, by ma
king good the bonds which had no legal exist
ence, and I wanted mandanus, so as to pre-
vent the holders of these bonds from coming
before the Legislature again. The ring, how
ever were afraid to have a decision from the
Supreme Court, which would invalidate the il
legal claims, and they refused to take any no.
tice ofmy report.
Senator Dunn also paid his respects to At
torney-General Melton, who has made some ac-
cusations about him in the up country.
'I have heard" he said, "that Attorney-Gen-
eral Melton, in a speech in the up-country, has
charged me with proposing to Chamberlain a
plan to recognize the conversion bonds. / here
publicly say that ifit be true that Melton dared
to say such a thing, he is liar, and the truth
is not in him. I have found that whenever a
man chooses to stand up against these rascals,
and they can't do anything else, they begin to
lie about him. hope they will get the liars
reward on the Sd of next November. What I
say here I want reported, and / also want At
torney- General Melton to fully understand, that
when he next meets me he has got to retract
that charge, or it will be the last word that one
of us will speak Here the speaker wished to
conclude his remarks, but the crowd insisted
on his going on, and he proceeded: Who is it
that is trying to keep up this war of races !?
Not any honest man from the North or East
1 believe, as stand here that onl by the in
auguration of this movement was it possible to
fend off the impending conflict between the two
races. In two months time the land would
have been drenched in blood if there had not
been found some men with the manhood to
come out and invite the people to help sweep
out the rascals and unite in an effort for honest
government believe the property owners of
the State, if they had the courage think they
have, would never have permitted the ring to
be fastened upon them for two years longer,
and 1 believe that the people of the United
States would have bid them Gcd-speed in the
work. If this movement is success, there
will be such shout of joy in South Carolina
as was never heard before, and may God speed
the day and God protect the right.