New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1877-04-05
A LOOK AT SOUTH CAROLINA.
FRUITS OF EIGHT YEARS OF MISRULE.


YoRMs-THE SYMPATHY HE DISQUALIFICATION
AND HIS NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. IN CHARLESTON
THE FUTURE.
IRON STAFF CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRIBUNE.
CHARLESTON, March 21.-It is impossible not to
feel some sympathy for Gov. Chamberlain There Is
no denying that for two years he kept the wolves
and vultures off the PROSTATE State. For the men
whose interests he had defended and whose property
he had saved from further spoliation to turn upon
him with ferociOus hate, as they did last FALL was
certainly cruelty unjust Gov. Chamberlain is the
most clever aud cultivated Of all the carpetb
of the South. As lawyer he compelled the respect OF
the Charleston bar. As orator. he has superior
here. where oratory is cultivated the essential
accomplishment for public life. Few men WELD
more vigorous pen. as the readers Of The TRIBUNE
who remember his dispatches and letters to this
paper during the late campaign can testify. In
general culture doubt if he has his equal in South
Carolina. His ambition, after the ruinous tendencies
of negro rule became evident, to build up
reform party by breaking down the color line, 10
save the State from the utter wreck which threat
ened her industry and society, and identifying him.
self wholly with her interests to become one OF the
chosen political leaders of the best elements Of her
population. If the Presidential campaign had not
come off last year believe he would have succeeded.
But there was 10 getting ont of the conflicting
currents that sweeping the country.
The Conservatives were coaXed into falling IN with
the Tilden procession, and Chamberlain was lot
available as their candidate. His popularity among
them and the confidence they reposed in him were
shown in striking way by the heavy vote he got in
their convention. change Of three votes wonid
have given him their nomination. Failing in the
purpose he had SGT his heart upon the politician in
Chamberlain came uppermost, and he fell back to
his old party of blacks and carpet baggers, got their
Endorsement and organized fight on the old color
line OF course he was encouraged to do this by the
Northern Republicans, to whom il WAS vital that
the electoral vote Cf this State should be secured FOR
Hayes.
He was forced to fraternizc with the very men he
had lately denounccd-with Elliott, tie unprinciped
negro leader; with the disrepuiablc crowd Of
Charleston radicals; with Patterson, the Senator
who bought his place with the proceeds OF the
scheme for despoiling tie state of her railroad
stock; and with Others of like feather. All men
know the result. The walls OF wrath were poured
on. upon him. and the men who Lad late.y been ms
friends, believing in the heat of the canvass that
they had been dupad By clever tr,clstcr into Civ
ing him their support turned upon HIM with savage
abuse.
On the other hand no one at all familiar with the
wretchcd history OF this State for the past eight
wears can fail 10 feel that her white population are IN
the right in longing and striving utterly to wipe out
all vestircs OF the shocking mIsruc they nave SUI
fc;ed from. A horrible black nightmare has set
unon their breasts since reconstruction, GepiiVIhg
them OF all energy and hope. At last they saw IN
tie election OF Wade Hampton \ chance Tor rclci
they made a hero OF him-a very demigod. To Their
excited in,aginaions he seemed chioftan Amounted
of Heaven TO guide them ont of the wilderness and
to s.,ntc their enemies hip ard thigh.
Now thar Gc.werance is 10 hand, people begin to
scan the ruin wrought by these long eight years oil
uispnycrnmcnt. The State debt. which was about
hat. a million when the carpct-bag=crs cane IN, Is
now over six millions, aud there are foainG oOiiga-
items amounting to over a million more. Clcc tle
debt Was a, high "A i;ltc9n Millions but the very
men who made il cried reform few years ago AID
rcrul;ated about three millions fraudniehty issued
by the old financial ring. Then they consolidated
The remainder at fifty cents the dollar. For these
six millions aud over left legacy BY the Out
going regime there ~ notling TO sliow-not stick
or a stoue-savc the haf-fuiShed pcnitcntiary il
Columbia And all thoSc years the State tax was
double the amount il need have been il honesty
had prevailed in the State Government. Ali"gct !cr
think zen millions not an cXtrayaPant estimate OF
the stenlngs oi the negroes and carpa-5aegerS who
ran the STATE. How much they STOKE i'll the county
and city governments | cannos guess. This IL tie
penalty paid directly by South Carolina as The cost
OF the experiment % universal suffrage forced upon
her. The indirect loss mast be much more, for all
enterprise has been asphyxlated by the political
miasrna There has been industrial progress
since lsGS. Some districts have refrigerated, and
all Others have stood still. The ordinary, necessary
industries of the community went on, but AZ II
painfully carrying clog. The whole state, like al
old house much OIL of repair, got S!laDoier an"
sabhier every year Except two short lines OF ii'ii-
road bult with Northern capital and the establish
neut OF the business of Idlnmg pnosphates III
the rivers near Charleston, can think OF no new
undertaking OF the least Importance begun since
reconstruction.
Are there any compensating advantages TO Tighten
this weight of misfortune' Only one: the negro
has learned to think and act for himself to some eX-
tent and as he is to be citizen hcnceforth through
all changes of politics. that must be considered
gain 70 the community. The whole c0lored popula-
ton has had its wits frightened up wonderfully by
thc habit Of discussing public affairs Al TIE same
time. however, the blacks have been put into an
attitude OF hostility TO TIE whites which they must
get out of before the State can settle down and
make real industrial and social progress ii there Is
anv further development III store Tor the
black race / believe it must come from
the coGpe.ation and leadership of the whites.
Perhaps the training the negroes nave gone
through in the troublesome times slncc they OBJ
taiued the suffrage will help them 20 make rapid
proe;ress under such leadership but nothing is more
certain to NV mind than that il left TO themselves
they will retrograde toward barbarsm. proof ot
this NAV be seen in the Sea Islands near this city
Which the failure of the cotton crop III successive
wears has caused to be abandoned by the white
planters The blacks, left without the influence 0f
the superior race lapsng into the African ways
of their ancestors and said to be actually prac-
ticing fetch worship.