New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1878-09-07
THE SoUTH CAROLINA rsLEGRAMS.

THE SOUTH CAhOLINA IhLEuHdMo'
We have already published a number OF
telegrams which passed between South Caro-
lima Democrats at the beginning OF Decem-
| ber 1876, when Hampton was getting ready
to assert his claim TO the Governorship'
These related to purely domestic scheme
of violence. But some weeks before that
time South Carolina was the theatre OF
an enterprise OF a different sort, respecting
which also we have a number of interesting
dispatches. In the month of November, while
| the State Board of Canvassers was at work on
the returns Mr.. Tilden was represented at
Columbia by his particular friend, Smith NJ.
Weed of this State. His interests were also
watched by Mr.. A. C. Haskell, chairman of the
Democratic State Committee, and by V. f..
McBee, whose name is familiar to us
in connection with the kilograms urging
some of the best boys to come to L" the
"Fair," " well heeled =" and with rifles; we
also find great number of highly confidential
dispatches signed Pope and Spain" These
agents had to keep an eye at once on the
electoral vote and the vote for Governor and
Legislature on the transactions OF the Board
OF Canyassers, aud the proceedings in the Su-
preme Court of South Carolina, where an
application for mandamus on the Board
of Cauvassers was then pending. OF course
code of cipher WAS employed, and the manipu-
lators in New-YOrk were Colonel Pelton and
Mr.. Henry Havemeyer. During the latter part
of the month Mr. Smith NJ. Weed returned
from South Carolina and took his place at tins
end of the line.
Although the Interpretation Of the cipher
messages is still incomplete enough is appa-
rent of their purport TO make it nearly GER
tain that the payment of money was one of
tho principal topics of the correspondence.
Indeed, it cannot be supposed that the Tilden
managers who bargained so industriously for
the roundabout purchase of ono doubtful
electoral vote IN Oregon. would neglect
an obvious chance Of acquiring the whole
State of South Carolina. We prefer TO offer
no Interpretation of the ciphcrs until they
have been more thoroughly studied, but mean
while there are a few messages not in cipher
which seem to demand attention. Near the
close of the contest Mr.. Hewitt sent certain
suggestions to Haskell by mail; 1t is not known
what they were; but, as we remarked on another
occasion, Mr.. Hewitt never appears in these
dispatches in connection with dlshOnorable
transactions, and there is not the slightest
reason to suppose that he was priyy to any
attempt at bribery. Indeed, Mr.. Haskell seems
to complain that Mr.. Hewitt did not talk
business Haskell replied by telegraph:
COLUMBIA, Nov. 81.
To ADRIAN 8. HEWITT. Nele. York:
Your letter OF the Gath Instant received. Your sugges
tons will be observed. upon which
depends ia not be Effected unless ad Is gireH See SEN
ator win and by telegraph to-day. Every hour
is important, II you concur, telegraph me at once az
hrmatively. A. q. HASKELL.
There is no trace of any answer to this de.
mand from Mr.. Hewitt. But after some days
"F sent long cipher dispatch from Column
bia TO Colonel w. Il. PetOn. aud the follow
ing response quickly sped to that:
HEw-YoRK, Dec 4
To Colonel f. W. MCLEAN or A. c. HASKELL Columbia
Yours Of last night answered immediately, In
affirmative. Get 1t and act upon II Immediately. An
swer in full
The following looks as il it might be the
rejOinder of the disappointed Haskell, though
it was probably not exactly what Colonel Pei
ton wanted:
| To W. T. PELTos Nelo- York
Double yoi. mention peruse twenty three socnlan she
| consolidated research you leave distance
1t is quite true that the extracts we have cited
may be susceptible of an innocent explanation
which is not now apparent. 1t Is also true
that the unpublished ciphers, far more suspi-
cious in appearance than the messages in more
or less plain English may bear an interpreta-
ton which has not yet occurred to anybody.
| If this is the case, we presume that Colonel
Peton and the other gentlemen who are now
laboring under painful load of suspicion
will lose no time in stepping forward with
the missing key. If the ciphers do not mean
bribery. they can surely prove that by show
ing what they do mean.