The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1878-02-13
GENERAL GARY.
lie Rises to a Question Of Privilege
he Defends Butler and Gary.
They Signed the Everett Agreement
us Attorneys at Law.

They Signed the Everett Agreement
as Attorneys at Law.
They Entered the Tax Payers Con-
vention as Citizens.
From the Register.l
SENATOR GARY's EXPLANATION.
His Version of tho Agreement to Exer-
else influence on the Tax Payers
Convention of 1871.
Mr.. PRESIDENT: I ask yopr indulgence for
n few moments while / avail myself of the
privilege accorded me as q member OF this
honorable body OF rcpcllinS charges preferred
against me hy some base traducer. In the
columns of the .NeW York Times there recently
appeared an ingenious but mcndaclouS al.d
SlandcrullS attack upon the :ll0n. NJ. &. Iiut-
Ter, United States senator from South titrO!l-
ma, and myself. 1t is not my custom to en-
gage IN newspaper controversy, nor under or.
. binary circumstance would | avail lnyscii
OF my privilege as Il senator 10 meet on THIS
floor accusations made against me by cores
ponGentS of the Northern press; but the arll-
Gle referred to has been reproduced in the Ma
ttvnut Republican. Of the city of " ashilSton,
and Systematically distributed among the
members of this general assembly by the III
Strumentaiity of its author, or by some one
equally unfricndly and malicious. The same
charges were, during the memorable cam
raign of 1876. with evil intent, published IN
the columns of the Uaion-IIcruid, OF Colum-
bia. $. c, then edited by the notorious carpet
bagser, j. G. Thompson, and owned III part
by Daniei II. chamberlain: This paper was
the acknowledged organ OF the ltadlcAl parry
| Of South Carolina and the mouth-piccc OF that
| aprrphf lplnrr The authorship OIL tnlS vile
Islander no one then doubted, nor could the
motive and spirit that prompted It's puhlic1r
ton be questioned. That this henctllnan OF
ID. IL. Chamberlain, encouraged by other evil
designing persons, is the author OF this ~,
newcd attack, | am crcdibly informed ana
fully tciicvc. In reply to the malicious SIAN
der, ! beg To make the following statement OF
facts:
In the month OF April, A. D. 1871, the Hon.
NJ. G.. Butler and l were In the city OF New
York. shortly after our arrival nc was re-
=. southern, j. B. Palmer, +. W. McMaster,
of South Carolina, and VIM. +. Everett, of the
city OF New York, the three first named gen
~ticnlcn being at that time prcSldenlS OF pa''hS
in the city OF Columbia, :. =. On the day ;f-
ter employing General N. G. Butler. MeSSrs.
Childs and Southern in behalf OF themselves.
and others, also retained me as associate
counsel. The enterprise III which these zen
tlemen were about TO engage, AS We were then
informed. was the purchase o; q large amount
OF bonds of the state of south carolina, tue
| market value ol viz WIS III i'iaG NhAf> w
pressed. Their purpose in employing coun-
Sci was to secure our advice in selecting the
class OF bonds for investment, and 10 have MS
represent them IN or oni OF court IN mii ue na
tcSSional services. At this time the credit OF
the State was greatly impaired, her bonds uc-
pressed in market, and Widespread distruSt IN
All her securities prevailed among capitalists,
North and South. To such an extent had
fraud and corruption prevailed in the man
:t.cmcntu OF the finance Of the state that capt.
ta!lSts everywhere We're tlrnid ana CAUTIOUS ~
/ investing in South Carolina bonds and stocks:
The records OF the courts OF the state showed
that these investments were to capitalists
fruitful sources OF litigation, Snd they were
not untrcqUent!y driven, AT great ShcrlilceS, 10
resort to the supreme Court to enforce their
! rights. Reputation was openly advocated
and generally apprchendcd, and Widespread
dissatisfaction and distruSt perraded the
mind OF the public. TO distinguish between
the valid and fraudulent debt OF tiic State was
next to inn oSSlbie. and AS Il consequences,
men with funds 20 invest found 1t necessary
to employ attorneys 10 advise and protect
them in their dealings In South Carolina ST.
c%urities. We were, at this j%uncture and UNI
der these circumstances, employed by THESE
gentlemen.
taiIer, but were prevailed upon to accept a
contingent fee out OF the net profits OF the
contemplated investment, should IL prove
successful, and otherwise notnipg. Before
employing us these gentlemen ascertaincd
our views as to the true policy of The people
Of the State touching The question of the pub,
lie debt. Then as now we entertained a!u
freely expressed thc opinion that the valid
debt of the State Ought 10 he paid. y public
declaration 10 this effect by tne tax payers OF
the State and an asccrtalnlnen;, rs i;TaH cousd
be. OF the valid and fraudulent debt OF the
State was demanded by her best citizens. All
felt tba, no Efforts would be spared to diSSi-
pate the cloud that enveioped the condition
OF her finances. and 10 restore credit 10 The
State. several days after being retained us
! ,,t,rpnrs General EltlDr and l. naDDonlIJ TO
| meet McsSrS. CllildS, southern and Everett
upon Nassau street, the latter gentleman,
whom until then l had never seen, was intro
uuccd to me for the lirSt time; a memoItn-
dunn of agreement cInOodying, us Mr.. Everett
said, our contract OF service, was presented TO
US BY him, aud our approval and signature re-
uueSted. To questions plOpOunded by us, az
ter a haSty examination OF the paper and III
exclamation OF its contents, Mir. Everett
! stated That General i,utier and /, though rep
resented AS prominent citizens oi SCUM Liiio-
lima. were pcrso:la!!y strangers 70 linn, and
that, before cInb:.rkIIS IN an enterprise OF
such magnitude, he would like TO have some
assurance that We wound not use our llluclicc
TO break down the credit OF The State ny ;tdvo-
eating the reputation of the public debt. but
would use our cndcaNOrS 10 restore TO It's prop
! cr value her awful bonded debt. Without be-
slowing upon The Paper much thought, VIC as
slrcd him tina; we Favored the payment of
the honest dcbto oil the State, were opposed Oh
principle TO Reputation, and did not object TO
do III uur professional cap:tcity as attorneys,
what accorded fully with the views OF pubic
po,cy whlC!i VI entertained as citizens OF tho
Static. referred tlcin to the public meet
ing mentioned in The written agreement,
and informed Mr.. Evclct. that could not at
tend sucu 4 mcCiIEg in Columbia, ;, e., on the
third day OF May. i>7I, as private business OF
a pressing natulc required me TO he then in
ARKANSAS. IN that year General Butter and |
were engaged in the business OF life insur-
ance In this state. and 1t was then General
buffers purpose 70 become a resident OF this
| ,ity Tlp ,npp,lnp nS We understood. referred
/ TO in the memorandum WAS one 10 he Ee!d by
| the citizens OF Columbia with reference TO the
pubic affairs of the state, and possibly but
% this | have no distinct recollection for the
purpose OF appointing delegates to the tax pay
rs'convention afterwards held in this city.
At tina time ] was not IN political life, and
was giving exclusive attention TO my private
affairs anu professional business, and not OH
~ had no agency In bringing about the meet
Ing oil this convention, but did not expect TO
take part in its proceedings. McsSrs. Childs
and southern said they dlu not suggest the
written memorandum or insist on its eNecu-
ton, but Mr.. Everett said he desired 1t rs II
check to any action on our part rs citizens
which, by stimulating q spirit OF reputation,
would render his heavy investments dlSaS-
trous, and stated that he cared nothing about
the contemplated public meeting In Columbia,
and absence tlIcrcirom was u matter OF lndlt-
/ ference 10 him. With this explanation we
signed the agreement rs attorneys at law. AT
this time April Il. ISL, neither General But.
Ter nor | had been chosen To attend the tax
payers convention, which met Oh the 9Th OF
May following. nor did we attach any lmpor-
ance 10 SO much OF the agreement as referred
to q public meeting 10 be held in Columbia.
Leaving New York, / proceeded directly to
Arkansas, and ha wing finished my business,
l returned, reaching home on The night OF
May ), ISL. On the following day, which was
salcsday, our citizens met and chose as dele
gates 10 the Convention Gen. NJ. e. Butter,
Jas. IL. Giles, Y. Sheppard, Esq, Col. a. L.
Butler. Gov. NJ. l.. Bollluni and myself. On
The assembling OF the convention, l was NOM
mated for President, us was also the Hon.
! ". u. Porter. 1 declined the nomination IN
the following words:
~ am here not us an aspirilnt for any office
within the right Of this convcntiun, but as u
representative OF the people OF Edge1leld.
Since the rcsultSOf the war have been so dis
astrous to us, ! must confess that whatever
ambition | might have had previous TO-! that
time | have none now l am therefore, UNI
willing that, by the use of my maine, the har-
muny of this convention should be disturbed.
I do think that at a time like the present,