The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1878-02-14

IN which tne ep0llS were ulstrluuteu.
The colored men insisted that they did
not get their proper share, and that the
white men were gradually monopolizing
all the positions of profit. This was no.
tably the case in the matter of the Land
Commission. It seemed to be a close
corporation into which its members were
afraid to admit new comers. The colored
men, under the lead of Whipper, Elliott
and DeLarge, at that time the most prom
inent members of the House of Repre-
sentatives, resolved to break down this
combination, and to take to themselves
and men of their own color the admins
tration and the spoils of the Land Com
mission.
To effect their object, they chose a
most favorable moment. 1t was in the
spring of 1870, when one of those period
ical outbursts Of public indignation over
the fraudulent issue of State bonds by
the Financial Board was at its very
height, and the members of the Finan-
ciaT Board iScott, Chamberlain and
Parker, who were also members of the
Advisory Board of the Land Commis-
sion) were trembling in their seats over
threats of investigation and exposure by
the Republican Legislature, which was
then in session. They were anxious that
the General Assembly should adjourn,
and, after hard work to that end and a
liberal expenditure Of money, had at last
succeeded in inducing the two houses to
adopt a concurrent resolution providing
| for their adjournment sine die within q
day or two.
Just at this time the colored men made
their strike: The rest of the story ! will
tell in almost the very words which are
contained in the testimony given before
the investigating committee.
| F. J. Moses was at. that time the
Speaker of the House of Representatives,
and possessed considerable popularity
among the colored men of the party, as
he had often exerted himself to preserve
harmony and unity between the two ele.
ments composing the party. Two days
before the General Assembly was to ad-
iourn, Moses was sent for, and requested
to attend o meeting held at the room OF
Robert G. DeLarge. He .testifies that,
on reaching the place, he found DeLarge,
Elliott and Whipper in q great state oi
excitement and Indignation over some
special fraud committed by the Land
| Commission, in which a great deal Of
money had been divided, the chief recip-
tents of which we're white men. Moses
was informed by the colored politicians
that they had deliberated on the matter
and had positively determined to demand
that the Advisory Board should at once
dismiss or remove Leslie from his posi-
ton as Land Commissioner and custodian
of the funds appertaining to its admins
tration, and that they should appoint in
his stead one of their own number. r.
G. DeLarge, very prominent colored
man, was the person named by them fol
the Office. They asked Moses, as a man
of influence with the members of the
Advisory Board, to convey to the board
this determination, and also to state tc
them that were their demands not ac'
ceeded to at once, they would get the
Legislature to rescind the concurrent res
olution providing for immediate adjourn
ment, and would Immediately enter upon
legislative investigation into the frauds
committed by the Financial Board. This
would inevitably lead to the prompt i'm
parchment of Scott, Chamberlain ano
Parker.
Recognizing in this state of affair
great danger to the existence of the par
ty, Moses says that he undertook the
mission, and at once went in search o
the Advisory Board. The first of these
whom he met was Neagle, the Comp
troller General, to whom he communica
| ted his apprehensions. Neagle immedi
| ately suggested that Moses should 60 with
| him to Scott. He did so, and they founc
the latter at the Executive mansion
When their story was told, Scott became
evidently very much disturbed in mind
and said that the demand made by the
colo-ed men must be complied with
promptly, or it would lead to great disas
Ter, political as well as personal. A
meeting was thereupon appointed to be
held that night at the house of Miles g.
Parker, and accordingly Scott, Chamber
lain, Parker, Moses and Neagle Assem-,
bled there, and discussed at length the
peril involved in the situation.
It was unanimously determined that
Leslie must be got rid of and DeLarge
appointed in his place. Moses was re-
quested to go and bring Leslie to the
meeting. After he bad returned with
the latter, Chamberlain las the specia!
friend and supporter of Leslie) unfolded
to him what was proposed, and asked
that, in view of the danger which stared
them in the face, he (Leslie) should con-
sent to hand in his resignation. But, to