The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1875-07-16
Gov. Chamberlain Csuse,


lately appeared in number Of our State ex-
changes, that certain Conservative journals are
opposing the action of the Governor in his ef-
forts to give the people of South Carolina tpo
years of fair government so far as we have
read our exchanges we have not found u line or
word in any one of them that warrants such
conclusion. On the contrary, au--without any
cxccption-bave cordially endorsed his course,
80 far as that course affected the State at large;
but some of us have not fallen down and wor-
shipped him; we have not filled the columns of
our papers every week with fusone adulations
of the Governor and those conservative journals
that assume the championship Of his admins
trotion. We have dared to speak and write of
AHornry- Gr"erat Chamberlain calmly AMI ac-
cording TO own convictions of what is due
to the people and MIR. Chamberlain himself.
Some of our exchanges tell us Governor
Chamberlain is necessity We do not en-
dorsc that, in full. Gov. Chamberlan's course
we grant, was necessity, not merely for the good
of the taxpayers of this State, but more espe-
cially for the perpetuation of the Republican
party in the country. The wires were worked
in Washington, and he responded. The condi.
ton of South Carolina began te open the eyes of
tho people all over the couniSs corrrption
OF the Republican party, and weitfounded fears
were entertained that unless n change made
even n temporary onc--in this State, that par
ty would surely lose the next Presidential cleo
tion, and perhaps South Carolina also. We have
no idea it was any love for the people of this
State that prompted the leaders Of the Republi-
can party to demand the reform, although we
acknowledge that we are greatly benefited by it,
and arc pleased with it -eyen IL it'should prove
to be but respite from thcformer Infamous rule.
We would not place straw in Gov. Chamber
lains path so long as he continues In tho course
he has marked out.
Other journals say the time selected for speak.
ing Of Attorney General Chamberlain's errors
was inopportunc. There we differ widely. We
thought then, and still ink thctffbe was most
propitious for reminding him and his friends
that the odium of Lis former associations was
still clnging to him; and as arrests of some of
those associates were about to commence, an op-
portunity would be offered him to prove bis as
sertion that he was innocent Of any of the knud'
and corruption imputed to him while he waS At
torney General. For our part, we We're sincere
ly desirous that he should prove hiiaself guilt
less of actual participation in those frauds, and
his champions said he could do so. But how
stands the case now. Parker, one of his assoc-
atcs, has been in Jail for some weeks. awaiting
trial. Ai&5aAl commenced last week; the evil
;dencd 1tAet Nm has been closed; in that evil
dence IT'S found that in the division of the re-
suit Of what is very evidently ffau6,len, spec
ulatiOn in bond Coupons. $50 200 was ''set
aside for Attorney General Chamberlain. 1t
is true that the same witness says, .yhe was not
aware that Mr. Chamberlain knew anything
about the Transaction. or whether tbc received
the $50 oQa;.. but sYIhasA. yssrA asr,-.satf,
rRsw q II. nnS snn.t ssz7s aA e9psaA fis
name would be mixed up with IT, By the fol
lowing. which we take hpm the Charleston
Ne,rs and Courier of ne 12tl,, we are,> informed
that Mr.. Chamberfslh vas, and is still absen.
from the State: and We arc led to infer that he
cares but little aboatthe trial and the effect it
will have upon his official character, or the
interests Of the State;
Governor Chamberlain is not here to speak for
himself, and we feel warranted, therefore, in
printing an extract from private letter, Idatcd
May III, 1875, when the charge that Governor
Chamberlain was mixed up with the coupon
frauds had not been made. In tho letter in
question, Governor Chamberlain said : "The
whoic coupon business, for which Parker is now
held, ,cas ner 10 me 'HH last FrbruarE-I ncuer
heard Of such a Transaction MI then. Who were
in it, | cannot tell, but do hnow vb> is not.
Now, we would like 70 .atc Cov. Chamber
lain's statement ms truth hut il does seem
strange that he should abscn. himself from the
State, just at the time when he knew his name
would be 'miAcd up with the coupon frauds
under the solcmnity Of oath.
When we consider the utter indifference dis
played by the whole Radical gang when charges
Of fraud and corruption made against them,
Mr.. Chnmbcran's indifference to the case now
on trial and hrs apparent dont'care style of
treating all notices of his conneNion with those
who we mus, believe did comm';t fra,ils natural
ly compes us to place him in ehc same schedule
Of crime with them.
Like Leslie, Whittemorc Crews, Hurley. et I'd
omne genus, he appears not to care whit for
the accusations made against him, and while he
may not, like them, smile with childlike bland
ness at the frauds they have been accessory TO,
and claim prrise for their sharp praaices, he
certainly does not seem the least disturbed al
his name being placed in the same category.-
He evidently aims to have two years Of good re-
.eord, m Gqyernor in the belisf f4hak Hnfill wipe
out all tra1es of the many previous 4of bad
record, and VIC don't object to that.
What we complain of most is the Msty--wc