The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1876-04-20


He said: General Chamberlain; congratu-
late you personally, but, Understand ME;
nothing more. I can't make myself party
to the election Of any man who is stffSurl:
ded by such men as you have around you. !"
was surrounded by my friends Mr.. Bowen,
Mr.. Patterson and others. I suppose 1t is
an open secret, fellow Republicans, that the
gentleman from Edgefield is now training
with the gentleman from Charleston. And
he has been put forward with that sharp
tongue and that recklessness of statement
which would spoil the profoundest argu-
ment in the world. He has been put for
ward by the band that is now attacking my
party fealty. Well, my friends, took up
those surroundings.
Mr.. Patterson-We took you up.
Mr.. Chamberlain-Well, if you got me
up, took you along with me. lam not
referring to you. My duty Is with the gen.
tleman from Edgefeld.
was nominated. But let me go back to
the moment when was standing where you
now sit, and what was my language? Ap-
plauded to the echo, as shall not be ap-
plauded tonight; applauded by every man,
woman and child I said first, last and oil
the time, that the steps of the Republican
party must be steadily forward and upward
towards reform and better government.
You put that banner in my hand. Igrasped
II with an arm though all too weak, and
bore it In the conflict where one side was
headed by the gentleman from Charleston,
who had rendered me his support at the foot
of those steps. bore it at last to victory.
Under that banner, and the glorious banner
r. f<,x ysofn An
plause.] When that victory was won, l
stood again, on the threshold of my admin
istration, where you now sit, and spoke
again the words that met the approval Of the
united Republican party Of South Carolina.
1 was pledged in character, pledged in Ian
guage, deep, sacred and irrevocable, to lift
up the Republican party above the calum-
nfes of the campaign Of 1870, or the calum-
nies of the campaign of 1874, led by the gen.
tleman from Charleston. [Applause.]
Well, it is said that have used the whip
and the spur from that time on. wish
was as brave as julius Cesar. The gentle
man from Edgefeld says I am. I know
that I am a child compared with him.
There have been moments in my admins
tration that, but for one who Is dearer to
me than this hearts blood, the wife Of my
bosom, should have faltered. would
Law down my life sooner than tarnish the
character which would injure the dear wife
and children asleep at home. Yet, poor
coward asVEam, must come here tonight,
force my weary steps to come here, take up
this new cross of crucif1ion, to hear my
self assailed and taunted by one who covers
with the gloss of praise the dagger that he
would plunge to my heart. Here may
say tonight that I have lacked wisdom.
Oh how often have done things that have
seemed to others to be done in wantonness
of power towards them. I know that in
kinder moments, in kinder phases Of his
life, before he was led astray, in his calmer
and better moments, the gentleman from
Edgefeld has said to me, Chamberlain,
you are right; am with you; wish you
would be little more communicative to
your friends" and have accepted 1t as the
true advice Of friend. I have tried, but I
am ready to face any Republican who shall
bring that charge against me. That have
sometimes failed to talk over matters with
my friends as fully as ] might, admit. l
could wish that my nature was different in
utmost sincerity of my heart, that if a
lighted window could be placed in this
bosom, and you could see the purposes
and desires towards the Republican party
which have entertained in this long and
painful struggle, you would know there
was not moment when kind word or
look would not have strengthened this arm
and warmed this heart and made gladder
and better man than have been. Zap
plause.1
But, going beyond this paltry matter, let
me analyze the attack on my administra-
ton, when it is said that the reform of my
administration is all sham reform. /
come to that point now to which ! referred
when had the gentleman from Edge6eld
in nv eye when ! said he was so characteris-
ticaliy guilty of recklessness in his state
ments as to utterly, paralyze the force OF
his argument: He says $27, 900 have been
saved from the contingent fund, and chal-
lenges me to show any other reform. am
not here to claim the credit Of any good act
which the Legislature has already worked.
have tried to do my work. 1t is not my
glory or my fame but it is the fame Of the
Republican party Of the State of South Car
olina.
appeal individually TO those around me,
to every gentleman here, whether the ad.
ministration in South Carolina since 1874
has not in the eyes of the whole world
lifted South Carolina above nine-tenths OF
her old reproach. $4,000 contingent fund
saved That is the basis of the argument.
Why, look with me for one moment. | re-
fer to it with the utmost kindness to those
who differ with me. The Legislature that
adjourned in the spring of 1875 levied o
tax bill of no less than fourteen mills.
The Governor declined to sign it, differing,
of course, with the General Assembly.
The result was that the General Assembly
reconsidered its action at the regular ses-
sion of 1856, and reduced the tax three
whole mills, including the entire taI of
what is known as the little and big bo-
nanza. Do you know how much it saves
to the people of South Carolina7 Not the
paltry sum of S27, 900 contingent fund, but
$375, 600 of the hard-earned money of the
people at home, whom you represent
around me tonight. Big bonanza and
little bonanza! I wonder at the temerity OF
the gentleman from Edgefeld when he
spoke of the little bonanza" and big boz
nanza."
felt, when I heard those words. that if
the gentleman from Edgefield had been
seeking with his spear to find all entrance
between the Joints of the harness, he would
have used that spear, and that, instead Of
striking me, he would have plunged it into
the hearts of those who had passed the
act. The little and big bonanzas, as the
gentleman knows, were no bantlings OF
mine. Where is my friend from Barnwell
G,eslie) who spent days and nights pleading
with me to allow the big bonanza bill to go
through in such shape chat could possibly
sign the bill? Where is he now? Fighting
Under the plume of the gentleman from
Edeeheld. Well, my friends, this is thrice
told tale. That bill was PASSED and went
to the Governor. The Governor felt that
the conditions upon which that bill had
passed, upon which he had given assurances
that it would command his approval, had
not been observed; that the State was not
properly protected; and the General As
sembly reconsidered its action and passed it
in another form.
1 say tonight that that bonanza bill is a
good bill. But the gentleman from Edge
field says it adds $675, 900 to the debt of the
State. I say it does not add twentieth
part of one farthing to the debt Of che State.
Every gentleman knows that the big bonan-
"a at one fell swoop took away one-half OF
that floating debt and stretched the remain
ing half over period of four years. Is the
little bonanza "a sham reform?" The little
bonanza in every feature of it, did not conf