The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1877-09-27
Letter from Gen. n. C. Butler...An
Emphatic Denial.
From d, cbiun.;ia 11;sg s.::ss.

PtoniuctlSe 20 tue annexed letter iron
Genera. Il. Q. Butler, Senator elecs from
South Carolina, in reference to the Sian
derous allegations concerning his sup
posed interference with the prosecutions
Of ex-officlals in this State. In the mos
emphatic language, General Butler ha
set the seal Of condemnation upon tn,
base insinuations Of the New York S:.,
correspondent whose sole aim and pur
pose is to discre dit every prominent mar
in South Catoliua. i is lamentablt
feature of the times that so many persons
who at heart are true to the cause OF De
mocracy, seem ready To believe the sian
ders and misrepresentation against pub
lie men. But the occasion which has
called forth this letter, and many othcl
instances which have come to our knowl
edge, convince us that there is G. large
element of our population too ready anc
willing to accept irresponsible statements
as to the motives and actions of Their
public servants. Doubtless this is true
OF other communities. The growth and
continuance of such unworthy and un.
just suspicious deserve the reprobation o
all honest men, who would restore the
pubic eoEvice to the purity aud rectitudc
of our fathers. A persistence in this
course will drive away from official sta.
ton men who are best calculated to serve
the State, and will tend to bring to the
surface class Of politicians who car
only thrive upon the downfall of others
The manly indepe" dence of General But
lcr,. in rebuking this improper spirit and
maintaining the right to his own opin.
ions, is quite refreshing, although charac.
teristic of the man. His devotion and
iealty to the State cannot be questioned
by any one, and the exalted service >oi
the past-no less than the Just expccta.
tlons of the future-entitle him to the
unreserved confidence of every true and
loyal citizen of South Caroline. The
letter is as follows:
EDGEFIELD, S. c., Sept. 13, 1917.
Capt: James ~ Lipscou6, GappcWs De-
pot, S. c.:
MY DEAR SIR-Your letter of the 10th
instant was received last night on my re-
turn from Aiken Court.
You enclose letter of September 9
from Charleston tc the New York Sun,
written, l presume, by tho correspondent
of that paper from Charleston, in which
it is made to appear that advised the
Os the prosecutions
against the Radical cx- officials, with sun
dry other charges which l cannot repeat
In detail. You say that the reading of
this letter produced feeling of horror
and dread throughout the State, and
many of your (my] most devoted political
and personal friends are deeply exercised
over it." and beg me to "brand it in the
most public and decided manner" '
| proceed to brand it by saying that
whoever says, or intimates, or hints that
have advised the disconiinuance Of the
said prosecutions il q liar, and whoever
believes it Is simpleton. Now, 1 think,
the ordndtng part has been done, and for
the publicity, l will have to depend upon
This letter to tho .San is written, as
am informed, by Radical cx-official of
South Carolina, now living in Charles
ton, who got his position by treachery,
sustained himself while there by duplic.
ity, and having been ousted on account
OF his imbecility and venality, now seeks
to tt60, make q living by lying and alander.
The letter which you enclose is a speci-
men. of his capacity in that line, and one
copied in the Journal Of Commerce, of the
18th instant, wherein he refers to my
having purchased estate warrant" il
another. l never before heard of such a
paper as "Stase warrant" such as he
describes, and the statement is, therefore,
g lie made Of whclc cloth.
1t Is bad enough to be villified and ira
duced by Radical political traders, but
when one who has tried to DO the best he
could for the State and the restoration OF
good government, and who feels that
while he does not pretend to have been
entirely unselfish, yet he made some per-
sonal sacrifices for the public good, has
to be subjected to the suspicion of his
friends, who ought to knoip that such
statements are false, is somewhat dis.
couraging.
| do not deny that I have exertcd nv.
self earnestly to secure my scat in the
United States Senate. 1 have felt thai
1t was my duty to do so, but have made
no bargaics to secure my election, as no,
know, and shall make none to get m,
seat. My being seated me- not help tho
state in the estimation of some, but tbe
seating of my competitor would no doub
be regarded by all as a public calamity
II am to succeed, must be allowed t
do so IN my own way, and not turned asid,
by every lying scribbler, who sees fit t.
slander me; If not, had better abandon
the field, and either let Corbin take tn,
seat or some other Richmond eater tn,
field. ''''
l do not mean by this that am be
yond or above criticism, but do meal
to say that suspicious and "dreads.
based upIn such stuffs as that contained
III the enclosed letter to the Sun, which
is false in every essential particular 30 ia
as It relates 70 me, is disgusting aud no
surd. have had ncGhing to do with tn
prosecutions of the Radical ex-officials
1t is not my business, and have pur
posely avoided all connection with them
l have expressed my opinion to member
of the committee and t. General Conner
the Attorney General, as 20 the n,anne
OF conducting those prosecutions, an,
shall exercise that privilege again when
ever my Judgment leads me to do so an,
those gentlemen are willing to hear me
think the committee Of investigation
and the Attorney General have don
well, and are entitled to the highest com
mendations for their service, but Ger
tainly have right to an opinion. M
being Senator elect, surely does not de
prive me of this Ifit does, the Senate
elect NAV go. and | will maintain m
right, and if scurvy scribblers misreprt
sent my opinions and actions, and friend
suspect or doubt them, why can onI
despise the one and pity the other.
You need not have apologized for hay
ing written mo as you have. / shoul
have felt 'tIrt had you not donesso wit
the information in your possession.
beg that You will give this letter what
ever publicity you think the occasion re
| quiTcs. Thanking YOU for your kindnes,
am, very truly, your friend,