The New York herald., 1876-10-15
Governor Chamberlain.

The attempt now making in South Caro-
lima by the federal administration to re-
elect Governor Chamberlain by intimida-
is so dangerous as an example for the future,
as we'll as Of such pernicious effect upon the
peace and welfare Of the State and of the
colored people, who are there, as in Louisi-
ana and Mississippi, made the football of un-
scrupulous political gamblers, that it ought
to be understood by the Northern people.
1t is not safe to vote for party whose
leaders not only countenance but command
such dangerous and unconstitutional inter-
ference by the party in power to perpetuate
its power and elect its favorites.
It is commonly said that South Carolina
would certainly show republican majority,
because it has majority of colored voters,
and that, consequently, the democrats can
not expect to elect General Hampton with
out intimidation of voters This is funda-
mental error. The truth is that after long
course of corruption that has happened to
which happened to the city democratic
party here 1t has split. Governor Cham
berlain is at the head of one fragment of his
party; the other fragment is strongly op-
posed to him and supports General Hamp-
ton. This anti Chamberlain wing has in it
many honest and many very influential
republicans, who are using all their power
and influence to defeat Mr.. Chamberlain.
They have, in fact, persuaded considerable
part Of the colored population to oppose
Chamberlain, whose defeat, on fair vote.
is very probable
In this emergency Chamberlain raises the
cry Of lawlessness, and the Northern repub-
lican leaders ut once persuade the President
and his too convenient Attorney General to
send down troops and begin a general sys-
tenn of arrests. Why? For what purpose?
To any one who knows the Southern colored
voter the motive is clear. Mr. Chamberlain
knows that the negroes, ignorant, easily led
by show of power, and devoted to the
name of General Grant, will see in this
ready use of federal troops in favor of
Chamberlain only an indication that he is
the Presidents favorite, and that their duty
to General Grant is, in spite of all argu-
ments, to support Chamberlain. Even if
he we're most fit and proper person to be
reelected this unscrupulous use Of the fed
eral power for his own ends ought to procure
his defeat, and would in any community
where the majority of voters possessed aver
age intelligence.
There are at this moment three parties in
South Carolina-one supporting Tilden and
Hampton, one supporting Hayes and Cham
berlain, and third supporting Hayes and
Hampton. Chamberlain's object in using
troops and making arrests by federal deputy
marshals is to disperse the last named party
and drive the colored voters now in it back
to his support He is, in fact, intimidating
voters on q large scale by his use of federal
troops. That is the plain truth about South
Carolina, and any Northern citizen can see
that to reinstate the republicans in power
for four years when such is their course
toward the South is to hand the country over
for four years more to a very INSCRIPTIONS
and dangerous policy and to men whom
such a success will lead to extreme measures.
sure to cause prolonged civil disorders in a
large part of the Union, and pregnant with
still greater dangers for 1880.