The tribune. [volume] (Beaufort, S.C.) 1874-1876, 1876-03-08

TnE Washington Republican recen tIy
published what purports to have been the
result of au interview between a GLIB
tongued reporter and Mr. ..Purvis one of
the Freedman's Bank commissioners.
The whole article is an lily disguised
piece of villainy, designed to- attack
Governor Chamberlain under pretence of
showing that the editor of the Union
Herald, which is the exponent of the
present State administration, had obtain
cd money in a..raudulent,,m amer from the
Beaufort branch of the Frcedman's Saw.
ings and Trust Co. The statements made
Wy Mr.. Purvis in the alleged interview
are 80 strangely at variance with what
Mr.. Purvls must know to be facts, that
we arc led to consider the whole affair Ms
cmanating from the corruptionists who
mlsreprcsent this State at Washiuptos
in striving to clog the wheels of reform
in Columbia.
1t IS well known in this community.
and h& been made evident to Mr.. Puryis
In the oSursc this investigation into the
affairs of the Bank, that it was common
thing for loans to be made at the Beau
fort branch to business and professional
men, without a bond secured by mort
gage being required as the charter pro-
vidcs, and In some instances the use of
money was obtained without any security
at oil being given, and such loans were
effected without taint of dishonesty
being attached to tho transaction. The
loan made to the editor of the Union.
4erdtd under such circumstances cannot
be deemed an exceptional one, for the
securities given by him were at the time
consideredn sound Investment and their
subsequent depreciation was due to the
scandalous practices of that class of so
called republicans which it seems to be the
aim of the Washington Republican to con-
tinue i'll power in this state, to the
imminent peril of the party in the rest
nj the country. In this instance the
withdrawal of the securities at first given
and the substitution of others considered
more valuable, certainly does not look
like an attempt to act dishonorably or
dishonesty, and from present appearances
is hkely to prove more fortunate trans
dctlon for the Bank than the releasing by
MIR. Sperry ofthe responsible party in the
Sea Island Hotel loan, by which course
the Bank was made the loser irretriev-
ably of several thousands of dollars, and
tor which blunder we have never vet
heard Mr.. Sperry intolerably abused.
The cause OF this gentleman's tnmity to
the editor of the Uni0n-Hcruld is easily
accounted for, since the same pen which
is now doing good service in the cause of
decent government at Columbia, was the
nrst to direct attention to the rottenness
of The Ffeedman.s Bank, and by laying
bare the false statements of inspector
SPery, succeeded in preventing some of
iae duped deposisors from being misled
oy misrepresentation as to the sound
ness OF the concern, which were rcsorted
Ito prevent the withdrawal of funds
up to the very eve Of its suspension.
The republican party has been place d
jeopardy by just such characters as
tbe concoeters of the interview with Mr..
Pnrvis, and thesooner it is purged of
t',em the brighter will become the pros
pct OF its continuing to control the
policy of the National government.
Nothing but the triumph of Governor
Chamberlain over the venal hosts that
are marsnailed 10y these men can main
tain republjcanism in South Carolina,
and the nation at large, with no uncer
tain voice has proclaimed that the cause
of good government demands their with
dlawat from participation in public
affair."
TEE administration of President Grant
has received another stunning blow in