The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1876-07-20

DC proven WOrtnleSs. NE las eltuel
failed 10 perform his pledges or he ha;
exhibited so little influence as to render
him unavailable to the Democrats or Re-
publicans if they wish refbrmer.
Upon the fourth ground, which relates
to pardons, we will admit that Governor
Chamberlain is an improvement upon
Moses, although this is saying very little
for him. His conduct relative to pardons
has not been satisfactory to men who
have very exalted ideas of the exercise Of
judicial clemency, for he has exercised il
to suit his political purposes. There has
not been politician convicted of crime
that the Governor has not either par
doned or attempted to pardon. The
cases of Dublin j. Walker and John
Lilley are enough to satisfy every one
that he looks to his political interests in
this matter. 1t is in our opinion as rep
rehensible in governor to pardon man
for some political party reason as to grant
pardon for money. Either is subyer-
siye ofjustce.
Upon the score of Executive appoint
ments the Governor has no claim to
praise, for some of his appointees are as
bad as any ever commissioned by Moses.
We have but to instance the appointment
of the defaulting treasurer of Edgefeld,
McDevitt; of James III. Runion, treasu-
rer of Greenville, while an Indictment
for malfeasance in Office as auditor was
pending; of Cullen Lark, in Laurens !;
of P. G. Fludd, treasurer of Darlington !;
of Prince Rivers, trial justice, in Ham
burg; and many others whom we do not
now call to mind. He cannot plead ig-
norance of the characters of these men,
for they were so notorious as TO allow of
no such justification. In at least one of
these cases he has acknowledged that he
knew it to be bad appointment, and
to justify his course in giving
it to an incompetent and improper per-
son, instead of competent and unobjec-
tionable man, by saying he was COM
PEELED to do it to retain the friendship Of
a man he regarded as influential, thus
acknowledging that he makes appoint
ments to strengthen himself politically,
without reference to the question of fit
ness! This is such course in reference
to appointments as will not satisfy an
intelligent and honorable public senti-
ment.
The Necs and Courier lauds the action
Of the Governor upon the consolidation
act, in vetoing a measure looking to
change in the date of interest upon ex-
changed bonds. This action is only full
filling the pledges he made to his party
70 obtain the nomination, but Governor
Chamberlain deserves no credit whatever
'or the consolidation act. Four years
lgo he was the candidate of the bond
holders for the Republican nomination
.or governor in this State, and then
favored the payment of the whole State
iebt. He was beaten by Ex-Governor
Noses, who favored the reduction of the
State debt and secured the passage of the
act, by which the State
lebt was reduced to one-half, and the
IS, ,965, 900 ofconversion bonds were de-
,lared null and void. When Governor
Chamberlain found that he could not
successfully attack this settlement of the
lebt, he came over and pledged himself
o support it, thereby pledging himself
% rerudiate debt which he, as Attorney
General and one of the advisory board,
lad helped to create. In doing this he
ook the opposite ground to that which
lie had occupied two years previous to
lis nomination for governor. He has
;hus, for the sake of the Office, placed
himself where he has to sustain an act
which declares the bonds known as con-
7ersion bonds, issued by his counsel and
appreciation, ''were put upon the market
without any authority of law, and are
hereby declared to be absolutely null and
7oid." The act which he vetoed changed
he date Of interest on the funded bonds
rom January l, 1874, to the date of their
ssue, and as money bonds had not then
,een exchanged at fifty cents on the dol
ar for principal and interest as provided
~ the consolidation act, this amendment
would have saved the State several thou
and dollars in the way of difference in
interest. Hence, there is nothing par
;icularly admirable in this act of the
Governor, for he only secured more
money from the people Of the State to
he bondholders, whom he represented as
/ candidate for nomination for governor
IN 1872. Mr.. Chamberlain is not en-
titled to credit upon this matter, and the
Neacs and Courier has very ably shown
how culpable he is for the State debt in
articles published two years ago. Upon
ihe subject of the conversion bonds, this
paper, in an article of October 19, 1874,
says:
1t is true that it was made the duty of
;he Treasurer to issue Conversion bondsin
exchange for State stock surrendered to
aim. But the Conversion bonds were
worthless, unless sealed by the Secretary
Of State. The Secretary of State, in those
days, was Mr.. Cardozo, the present Treas
lrer, who nominated Mr.. Chamberlain
for Governor in the State Convention.
Mr.. Cardozo was confident that bonds
we're sent to him to be sealed, as Conver-
sion bonds, which did not represent any
stock or hnnds surrendered for conyer.