The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1876-01-06

Canby's military government of South
Carolina did not cost the State more than
four or five hundred thousand dollars,
and no public debt was incurred. But
the Radical government of the State has
annually cost four times that amount,
and in six years created State debt of
fifteen or twenty millions! The offices
of the State have likewise all been filled,
with few exceptions, by rogues, swindlers
and ignorant and corrupt men. If we
had remained under military rule our
masters would have been Federal officers,
who are generally gentlemen, and not
disposed to steal and oppress us.
am sorry to say that thousands of
high minded and patriotic gentlemen
spurned my advice and refused to 60 to
the polls and vote against the convention
or vote for good and wise men to repre-
sent them in that convention. The con-
sequences was that the Radical party
carried the elections in almost every dis
trict in the State! The Democrats then
acted as you now propose for us to con-
tinue to act-form no alliance with and
give no countenance to colored men,
arpet-baggers and scallawags!
Second. You say: "The first election
after the adoption of the present consti-
tuition was conducted under the policy OF
Gov. Perry, which was to stand aloof
from politics and let the fabric of repub-
licanism fall by its own weight" So far
from this being true, my policy was to
have as many able men in the Legisla.
ture as possible. had ticket formed
in Greenville, headed by DR.. Boyce and
other Democrats, which I tried very hard
to have elected. But the white people
of Greenville refused again to turn oui
and vote. They thought then as you
now think, that they would not sully
their skirts by any contract with negroes
or radicals!
did oppose with great earnestness tht
acceptance of Office by Democrats at the
hands of the Radicals. I thought it VA
dishonoring a gentleman to do so, and
would be regarded by the State as 8
sacrifice of principle. 1t did not appear
to me to be in good taste to denounce the
Legislature as rogues and scoundrels and
then accept Office at the hands of these
rogues and scoundrels.
Third. You err greatly again, my deal
sirs, in saying: "And Governor Perry
himself, if our memory IS correct, was by
no means hearty in his support Of Car
penter." was the chairman of com
mittee who presented Judge Carpente,
to very large meeting of the citizens o.
GreenYille when he was candidate fol
Governor, and most warmly espoused hil
election. The Democrats took the same
ground again that you now stand on, and
refused to turn out and vote for him an6
Gen. M. G. Butler! I voted again fol
Mr.. Tomlinson for Governor in opposi
ton to Moses, when he was put forward
by the disafected Republicans under the
direction of Gov. Orr. likewise sus
tained Judge Green when brought for
ward as a compromise Republican candi
date for Governor.
You will see, gentlemen, from thi:
statement, that / have been consistent
in all our elections in trying to gair
strength from our political opponents, te
reform the State government and purge
it of corrupt men. If the Democratic
party had done their duty, and turned
out e, masse at the elections, we might
perchance have defeated Scott and Moses
and saved the honor of the State. But
whilst we pursue the policy you and
others recommendation of running 6
straight Democratic ticket when there
is a majority of forty thousand voters
against us-we never can succeed, unless
we adopt the plan I suggested three
years since, that of employing no one
and renting our lands to no one except
he will promise to vote with us.
Fourth. You do me injustice in init
mating that am opposed to re-organiz
ing the Democratic party. l am not and
never have been. I only opposed the
separate action of the Democratic parry
in our State elections. Since the recent
infamous election of Judges, I think we
should hasten our organization, and
earnestly call to our aid all the honest
Republicans in the State. l think
Chamberlain, Corbin, Tomlinson, Mel.
ton, Cardozo, Delany, Carpenter and
many other prominent leaders of the
Republican party will zealously cooper,
ate with us in our attempt to redeem the
State. Let public meetings be called al
all the Court Houses in the State, and
have delegates appointed to meet il
Columbia, to take into consideration the
condition of the Commonwealth.
B. F. PERRY.