The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-08-15
SOUTH CAROLINA.

SOUTH CAROLINA
THE INVESTIGATION OF THE FRAUDS or Tu1
cARpET-BAa REGIME-NEMEsIs or RECON-
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS OF THE coMMIs-
sIoN-sILENT, BUT DREADFUL CHALLENGE
FROM EX-GOVERNOR MOSES
COLUMBIA, August II, 1871
The commission appointed to investigate South
Carolina finances endowed with powers COM
petent OF tho aborious duties assigned
IT, Representing as IL does the spirit Of reform,
which tho Grst characteristic OF the body which
called 1t into existence q committee, and being
moreover kind Of connecting link between the two
eras which lie before and behind It, the committee
has, Byron like suddenly awakened to find itself
famous, and works to-day with many ANXIOUS Dyes
turned upon the very Nemesis Of reconstruction.
PERSONNEL THE COMMISSION
word as to the personnel oil this historic body may
not be inappropriate. The commission consists OF five
members OF tho General Assembly, two of whom were
appointed by the Senate and three by the House OF
Representatives Tho chairman is Senator J. r. Coch.
ran, Tor many years past member OF ono or the
other OF the Legislature and who has managed
throughout his long experience TO preserve fair char.
independence respect OF both political
ties. Ho Is in other words, indcpeudent Ia poll
tics and has never aligned himself with either the
democratic republican factions. Ho was solicited
TO I'LL his present important position both on account
oil his long experience and consequent familiarity
with affairs Of State and for the sake
OF tho impartial character thus bestowed upon
the proceedings OF tie commission. Tho choice. II
may be SAID, has been fully justified in both particu-
lars, he has shown great ability in finding ana
tracing old ciews unknown to his colleague, while the
fact OF his presence and presidency has relieved the
commission small measure of the charge Of
craftsmanship frequently preferred against It both at
home and abroad.
His colleague Senator Mutze (democrat), Is lawyer
OF Lexington county, In this State, and bears good
reputation IN hts profession aud unimpeachabls
IN tho General Assembly, where ne has also
long served a member IN or other Of the two
houses. The remaining three are, of COURSE all
democrats and ali are gentlemen against whom no
public private fault has been alleged. even by
their enemies. They are respectively Mcssra Shop
pard Muller and Dibbe Mr.. Sheppard rising young
lawyer of Edgcled county, Mr. Dibble lawyer from
Orangburg, AMI Muller an intelligent and well 10 do
farmer of Lexington. All young men with the
exception of Mute and Muller both Of whom what
is known vaguely as middle aged men.
LABoRs The COMMISSION
The committee above constituted assembled TIVE
months ago and began its labors by passing a
luton that proceedings should be conducted with
the utmost secrecy, for the sufficient reason, al.
leged that any undue publicity would certainly lead to
inevitable failure in the prosecution of the work 1t
had view. similar ground had been taken by smi-
lar committees before, aud had proved unteDa6e
in each instance, by some means or Other all that
done in secret was invariably obtained and
proclaimed from the house tops as u
cesslve day WITHIN twenty-four hours OF tho
doing The history Of this commission has how
ever presented notable exception to this rule as
II had enforced It's determination In tho most con.
elusive manner. The members themselves were
sworn TO secrecy and every clerk and every witness
been brought before them has been subjected
tho rigorous requirement. so well have they
followed out their programme thus far that NO
one mas been informed OF any contemplated arrest
until such arrest been actually effected and
tho arrested party his way, In charge OF con-
stable TO the committee room, where no was required
TO answer 10 the unknown charges preferred against
bafed IN tho presence of the barred doors. behind
which the committee ever holds ts sessions, ana the
nquisitive or interested outsider has ever been re-
| ceived with only the blandcst and most childke
smiles In answer 10 his most eager or most cunningv
devised heterogeneous
As tho committee is thus icterminedly reticent
and the witnesses are always bound by the mos
solemn oath to the observance OF The most uncom .
promising secrecy what they have been called
upon to testify, and the majority Of tie witnesses
have been themselves the accused parties, and have
had this additional keeping silence, 1t is
difficult to understand upon what grounds ambitious
thor socaed revelations other than upon tho igpor-
Of their distant readers. All such developments
| may be dismissed with the single comment that they
are utterly worthless US matters of fact The single
case OF the testimony given by Ex-Governor +. j.
| Moses be taken ILLUSTRATION An enterpris-
ing correspondent OF New York paper, writing
from Charleston gave GU the 5th INST, what purported
to be detailed account Of what had TRANSFERRED the
committee room ut his examination. The Tact Is that
Moses examined by subcommittee In private,
with no one present but the two committeeman and
tho Witness and the evidence then and there taken
was sealed up Moses presence ana so remains sub
ject to the future action OF the committees as whole
The subject with natare OF tue evidence gwen in
any instance, Is wholly unknown and equally unob-
tainable by any person whatsoever Nor Is II even
known who is likely TO be- Affected by the 'revcla-
|
of the policy heretofore observed by the committee
viii DO affected at any time or on any OCCASION.
have been informed by committeeman that they
have accomplished all, and more tnan all, that was
expected OF them. and that the publication OF tho
dence would be, In his own words, "hell and damna
tion TO many men who now fatter themselves with
ihusory dreams OF their immunity from notice aud
prosecuon but TINS evidence, he concluded, will not
be made public IN whole or In part, IL tact or sugges
ton, until has been used Tor ITS proper purpose and
submitted TO the General Assembly
| xGovERNoR NOSES
The following letter, addressed by Ex-Governor
Moses TO tho Chairman OF The committee VIII be de-
hvercd Tomorrow, and promises 10 result IN something
OF interest If his challenge is accepted
To the Hon. JOHN r. COCHRAN, Chairman Joint Special
sIR-ln puolic mapner ask leave call
lowing language which is to be found in comm nncaton
dated Charleston g. o. August s. aud addressed to tho
II calculated BY republicans who ought to know that
$4,000 raud9enty passed in his possession from ths
In interests tho patriotic purposes involved
appointment OF your committees ana In order that the op
portuhty may ne o,ucu 10 repuoiicaus VINO
70 know'' TO prove tho perp traffic Of frauds on the
Treasury and to ong forward the testimony by which tho
guilty authors thereof be discovered would
spectny request that the writer OF the article above
ferred (whose be doubtless easily ascertaued
together with those from whom he derived his
be summoned before your committee to establish If they
either in whole part truth OF the accusation
which Is contained in the words above quoted
The time for and unsupported dcnuncati0n has
by What the people ispoo, the idle words
OF embittered. trembling culpr who sought IN the
enwap themselves in the robes OF and purity,
aud with Willy those who have pointed
their with guilt
and crime
Let all forward with their proof They win
such another opportunity. An authorized
sponsiblc tribunal waits to hear themto examine into
their testimony and to determine WHO have the crmt
|
The State Treasury and other public officers furnish
records aud the vouchers Let them be examined and
thereirom let IL be decided Who all the republicans
has worked state injury rendered her
/ Nerx Ilx xau lien