National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1876-05-11
deeds which startle and appall, and denies the
assertion of Conway, that there is no devil.
SOUTH CAROLINA.


''btter" and the latter 'crushing." If you
were right, the bitterness was simply that of
facts that cannot be denied, and if, for a tenn
porary purpose, anything was crushed, it was
the truth. As you did not publish my re-
joinder, must ask as an act of justice to my
selfthat you publish this letter. My general
charge against the Governor was that he had
not only deserted the friends who had elected
him, but had persistently, with personal taunt
and Executive lash, tried to drive and keep
them in the wrong, with view to their de-
struction and his exaltation. That charge was
supported by the most ample and conclusive
proof. How was 1t answered? By the state
ment that he had met me at Chester, In 1870,
as the chosen leader of the Democracy, and
that 1 had made a vulgar, yituperative and
profane speech. This, in whole and in part,
is simply untrue. We met there on the occa-
sion referred to for joint debate. The late
Mr.. Jonas Byrd opened the discussion, and
Governor Chamberlain followed in a carefully
prepared speech, and when rose to reply his
crowd began to throw boulders, raised mob,
fired pistols and broke up the meeting, and
did not speak. The speech referred toll by the
i
ton. The truth of this statement will be found
in your paper of August q, 1870, and the tes-
timony of every person then present. But Mr..
Chamberlain did deliver a speech, which was
subsequently published, and is before me. He
asserted in that speech that only 800, 900 had
been added to the State debt since the inaugu-
ration of Governor Scott; that the funded
debt of the State, when Governor Scott came
into office, was only 81 1884 ,S49.17 that his ad
minstration was wise, prudent and honest
that 1t was Endorsed by New York, the brokers'
board and the bankers desk, as solvent,
trustworthy, and honest, and characterized a
statement of Mr.. Byrd's that the bonded debt
was then S14, SOC, 900, as absolutely false.
He said he was giving an account of his stew
ardship, spoke as State officer holding q
high public trust, and proposed If any fraudu-
lent act, an instance of misma nagement, or
Misrepresentation Of public funds could be
proved, he would agree 10 be driven from Of
fee and from the State. Pages l, 3, 5, 4 and
81 What were the then existing facts. The
State debt had at that time been increased
81, 54 GOO without any reference TO the past
pretended indebtedness of the State in any
shape, and every bond making up that in
crease had been issued. The items are as fol-
lows For the relief of the treasury, $3.50, 700
conversion bonds fraudulently issued, S., 1885,
600; land commission, 100000. The State
paid commission on all these bonds from JAN
uary l, 1869, to 1S11-except S5OO,000, which
were issued October /, 1869, and
$780, 1000, issued March l, 1870, and
the coupons since 1871 are held as de-
mand against the State. The records of the
treasury show that two years interest was paid
upon this enormous issue Of conversion bonds,
as well as the others. These facts were for
the first time to my knowledge clearly estab-
lished by the evidence in the case of the State
against Parker. By law the financial board,
of which he was member, had absolute con-
troll over these bonds, and it was his duty to
have known the facts. Whether he did know,
or neglect plain duty, is for the public to de-
eide. In that speech he ridiculed and scoffed
at reform, and his eyes blazed with as lurid
light then as when he was making his IN
founded charges against me In the convention.
The Governor denied my statement IN regard
to the contingent fund. If am wrong, l am
misled by the laws as published. The whole
amount of contingent funds the Last year of
Governor Moses's administration was $47, 100,
and In that is included s. 600 not properly
charged to it. (See acts and joint resolutions
1ST3-74, page 609.) / am wholly unable to
find the S35,O 900 additional in any appropria-
tion bill. He claims that by vetoing tine tax
bill passed by the Legislature in the spring of
1875 he saved the people 1876 900, that being
the estimated difference between the proceeds
of that bill and the one he approved. Now it
is notorious fact that there will be large def
ciencies under the bill he approved in every
branch of the public service; that the salaried
officers of the State cannot receive more than
oBe-half of their salaries, and the penal and
charitable institutions cannot receive much
more than half the sum necessary for their
support.
Where is the merit of leaving these officers
and these institutions without funds in mid
summer? And where is the saving to the
State when these funds must be supplied by
deficiency tax. next winter! The Governor
charges that sowed in the campaign of 1870
"those dragon teeth that afterward sprung up
into the masked Ku Klux at night, )" and that
Subsequently came here and gayStestimony
to shield them from Justice
The first Of these charges duplicates all who
were acting with me, including the NepS and
Courier. Is 1t possible that any man in South
Carolina can believe that such men as Cover
nor Perry, Generals kershaw, Conner, Ken
needy, MCGOWAN, Butler, Colonel Rutledge,
Judge Aldridge, the late Chancellor Dunkin,
Colonel Simpson and other distinguished lead
eFs, and the whole mass of their followers.
were melting the people to the commission OF
such crimes. If true, it must have been SO,
for they gave me generous and continued
support to the end Of the canvass. 1t is true,
| obeyed the process of the court, and was
examined as witness, not to prove any par
ticular fact, but to give as my opinion the
primary cause of those horrible crimes, name
ly, the administration whose honesty and ca
pscity Governor Chamberlain had youched for
at Chester. give to both charges the most
unqualified denial. There is not shadow of
truth in either. call as witnesses the columns
of your able journal, the hundreds of thou
sands who heard me, and the records of the
case in which was witness.
No one ever heard me advocate violence as
remedy for any evil. have always relied,
and advised others to rely, upon peaceful aud
legal means, and defy proof to the contrary
No answer was vouchsafed to the other charges
brought against his administration but in
stead we were told that there had been times
in his administration when, had it not been
for the tender counsels and support of the
wife Of his love and his bosom, he would have
faltered on the way and stained the record.
Was that q sufficient answer! What is neces-
sary to be reformed except the administration
of which Governor Chamberlain was so con-
spicuous and able a member The charges
against Governor Moses were not that the
Legislature had been venal or corrupt, but on
account Of the officers he appointed and his
personal conduct.
Reform in all departments until honesty
and economy prevail in each is the demand of
the press and the people of all parti es and
both races, and no matter who is Governor,
public opinion must and will be potential
enough to carry on the good work to perfec-
ton. have labored for It, and shall continue
to do 60 until nothing is left to be reformed.
do not complain of Governor Chamber
lain's reforms. complain that by abandon
ing his friends he has accomplished scarcely
anything, and that, If he had stood by them
and worked with them, we would have been
much farther on the right road. am actu-
ated neither by interest nor ambition, but by
sincere desire to subserye the best interests of
the whole people.
Why does the Governor denounce me. NV
attack was not upon him, but his admiuistra-
ton of public affairs. How can that be de-
Tended by personal abuse! have no defense
to make. If my sacrifices of time, money,
health and feelings; if the manner in which
have discharged the duties of the RESPONSE
Bile positions have held do not constitute a
complete defense for me, then words are use
less and unavailing.
Very truly, your friend,
April II, 1876. r. B. CARPENTER.
-INHE MOST DELICIOUS ICE nREhn1S