The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1878-01-24
THRi CASE OF Cll,lIsBrN..
What Lo says abeslt Gaatas' Galiolihe 4llua-
,sflt its sgs< PftRteE-t,fl .LslfF l q
isom shs washington IlES:t. /

Hon. ID. r. Corbin, Of sonth Calolina
contestant Tor the, seat sn' Che United
States Senate now occupieS by the Hon
NJ. O. Butler, has prfised In Washinpton
and Is now aieying with Ills friend, Col
Lowe, at No. 1856 Corcorani Street ,Nr
Corbin says he Is. here to stayl ;lnsil Ilis
caae ie settled, and expresses every hope
of ultimate victory. - Ia ,,s.e... ..i IN
a reporter Of the Post last night called
upon the Distinguished gentleman fol
tho purpose Of interrogating him col.
cerning Certain points contained In re.
cent articles In this paper touching hil
alleged connection with corrupt legiaia.
sion concerning the fhmons phosphate
beds OF South Carolina. ThotiYeporteI
having been courteously FecsiYod made
known tho object of his esAI, and pro.
sceeded to businaas by handing Mr. Cor.
bin copy Of the, paper containing the
charges, and asking him what he had to
cay about Il. ~ ifAal
Mr.. Corbin Eeplied As 10 the aileRa.
tion in this paper that I am troctriHiIie
proof 70 exonerato myself from tho
charge of having chanpioned the pkoa.
lpbate swindle in the South Carolina
Senate, there 10 no foundation, forsthe
statement, I have never known Of q
charge, Of that. kind before, / know oi
no phosphate swindle passed by the
South Carolina Legislature, or auy lay
pertaining TO phosphates that has ever
been or is now regarded as q swindle by
the people Of the State. s.i.ss al ., sAts'
The Interview then proceeded us fol.
lows: ,iat3 IN ~ .EF9
Reporter-Well, what was the nature
Of the bill passed3 l,aias.44 eaJ
Mr.. Corbiu--In 1870 there YES bill
passed. by the Legislature authorizing
certain persons named 10 the bill, and
such other persons as they might aBsn.
ciate' with thom, 10 mins and remove
from, the beds Of the navigahls streams
of the State the phosphato rock and
phosphatic deposits. Theee persons
were required 10 pay the State fog this
privilege OF mining 81 per ton for every
ton of phosphate SOCK mined and re-.
moved. I favored this bill % q .nemter
OF the Senate at that time. believed It
to no wise measure aud Sor the interests
OF the State, and it has so proved ri Tho
State hss made moro money dutr Of the
measureo than any Of the ETanteest> t>JJ1r o.
BtockhOldersi Iikuowl nothing vof 5apy
mcGey being used TO secute fheipassago
of thia aat. have heaed ischagea.l sisat
money was used, but If iti was done II
was done by tho parties interested, and
wholly Without my knowledge, h y The
]pafsies Interested, by the way, wore tile
most respected business men of CHARLES.
ton. and their naines appear in the act
R.-Weto the Eames of the gentlemen
uamed ia che Post article, Williams and
Adper in tho act9 5.y7f.s .ri;g! az, I
2 MIR. C.--Williame' name appeargi In the
act. but I don't remember yghethet aAi.
ger'6 does or not. He, however. subsa.
quently became interested In the associa.
ton. iei = sss4ai6gs1l sf{,ibssl,4J
R.-You were not then an agene Of
these parties as charged in this article?
Mr.. C.-No, sir. never sustained
ouch q relation to that Or any otiief bill.
All / know about the origin Of this bill d
that Dir. Jos: 81. Taylor, then OF the
firm of Geo. w. Williams g. Co., came
to Columbia during the session 'of the
Legislature and explained IN ins The ns.
lhte Of the phosphate beds ia. tiie IIavt.
gable streams, and suggested that they
coaid be made available as means oi
revenue to the State. after. full discus
sion with him of the subject, I drew The
bill in his presence, which Subsequently,
became law. Efr. Taylor II now dend,
but Yves, ut that, time, considered ono 1di
the most honorable And hiRh.niinded
men Of Charleston, and I believe he Wab.
R.--Were there any charges of cnt.
rupiion made OF the time7 . sias.s, Y
Mr.. CT think that Eooti after Che
bill passed there were such charges made.
R.-Was there, any foundation fox
Mr:. CT do not know. @t
h.-Had yon any reason 10 euspec!
that money was being Used to secure tihsa5
passage Of the bill9 's4a
Mr.. C.--When the bill first passed j
was present, and II passed without much
difficulty, and L had no reason to sib.
pect that any money was used to secure
Its passage. Tho Governor. yetosd It. 4
was called home by q Sesth ia my family
and the bill during my absencs Wi
passed over the Gnyarnnr'a veto. Ta.
newspapers charged at the time-ls5ifls 3.
themTthat money was used in the fhAl
passage OF the bill, but / know nothing
about II, and was ia no nositi0n to kIiof
anything about II. I, I have been toIt
since In q general way that money We
used, but ! don't know thas ! cbuIdf eeeDr
name the perSons who told me-. 2
R.@Did you subsequently, or at.. .aay
time, become interested In these grants
Mr. C.--I did, i became stggSkbcld
er in, the company formed to work eli,
phosphate beds under The provisions ,
this act. s'' = - - -, I5''.s
R.--Hew long subsequently, ~, gnn'3
&t don't tii tiis..@. 81. = 5s - ven
long. / purchased my, stock and pait
up my assessment just like ihe ifeak slt , ,
| ment2 80 s'tss5f'e A'ss'-
Mr, C..-Not at all. ! paid $4,000 70
my stock, and psid afi the aBsessiiaersss
| upon 1t, amounting TO about $40, 600; wa
connected with the company abbustei,
years, and dpally sold my, interest 70
| about $4,000. All this time the Stat
Was receiyihg its royalty, amounting +
from $50, GOO 10 $4,000 per year. Sfh
company to which belonged has ere
Gently suspended operations and Is ih
eolySat.
R.-Yoa do nos then stand in fear 3
tlIA threatened Investigation of tho nina
| phase business a. Ii y n
Mr. C.---Not in the slighteat; On th
| contrary, ]; court tho fullest investiga
tion that the ingenuity of my most bittb
enemies can devise. All Of my action
| while in public ofice have beeh opel
and above board. i have held mysal
responsible to my conscince and n
country, and now. feel perfectly conf
dent Of my ability 70 pass through ID
furnace of investigation and come oh
without evetl tho smell of IRE upon 70
erttFr1entRsl.tf rs ~ IL s