The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1878-03-13
Wednesday, March 13, 1878
w. X. Bradley IN the Bond Debate

" GU
w. X. Bradley IN the Bond Debate.
The speeches Cyl tlr Bona question
have iecn kerry numerous m very
varied. Some of them have been wise
and somc foolish. they that wore so"ilSh
bcirr chic6v on Tie side Of tie Rcpndla-
tionistS. Some wondrouS theories % po-
aitical economy lmve been brought for
ward. This vas to he expected Bui orr
peorlc were not prepared torthc StaN'ang
theories Of pul!ic morals Inst found III
the General Assembly unhluShlng pro
FOUNDERS. With zeal all the lnoEe violent
because it was not according to knowl-
cdro the advocates and apostles Of the
new mora! code haze arisen in their seats
in the House aud proclaimed the mutlilty
and futility of Keeping our word, and
this they have done without shame or
confusion of face. Granting that the
Wallace House of which they formed a
part made a deliberate anG solemn pledge
to ..stand hi the legal, valid ana now
recognized settlement of the bond debt,
= member from Anderson-W. {. Brown
boldly asserts that the pledge is not
binding. ave would have been justiiia-
BILE" saws he, 1'in making any promises
in order to get out Of their chamberlain
and compsnv'sl clutches. ! would have
voted for anytllingto defeat Chamberlain.
But were these promises binding? Every
thing was in confusion and commotl"n.
Nobody knew what Il day would bring
forth. At that time in the rays of the
morning sun Offering bcyonets were
shining, upheld by Grant and his
minions. Can Won tell me that anything
we did then can bind us now? Why, VIC
would nave lone anything To relieve our
beloved STATE
sIc expresses surprise that 'thosc who
have spoken ON the opposite side have
placed great stress upon the Wallace
House resolutions. He evidently con-
sidcrs the sanctitv of u public word OF
honor as something ou~t-of-datc and
strange, our pledge a temporary make
shift. our promise made only to be
broken.
We had kindly supposed. that Mr..
Brown. ns the apostle of the revised codc
of morals, was left in unenviahle loncli-
Hess even among the RcpudiationistS.
Eut Abbcvillc has furnished him with a
jealous prosclytc. Our representative
W. X. Bradley breaches the gospel ac-
corIiug to Brown with the fervor and
daring of q neophyte. His Bond dcbt
speech iu tho Honsr last week was fear
fully and wonderfully made. We pass
by his violent, unsupported assertions
shout the rcpudiationist's bug-a-boo, 1.-The
bloated bondholdcr;" we allow him to
prerare his star and feathers for the
ConsolidationiStS; we say not q word
about his warning the House against
these yer lawyers"-thcy can take care
of themselves and Mr.. Bradley too but
We must protest against his taking Mr..
Brown us his guide, counsellor, and
friend, in matters of public morality.
When he SAYS that "thc Wallace House
pledge was nothing but q political
dodge" We earnestly protest, for we do
not wish our Mr.. Bradley to prove him.
self to be q political dodger. He could
not appear before his constituents in Il
more humilitating plight. Abberille
county places "grcat stress on morality
both public and private, and she expects
t{,,.a, IL, ,,nl.n ,n pr,n,ISnS
and rive no pledges which they will not
keep sacred and faithfully fulfill. She
can hardly believe that one of her sons
has in her capitol openly and for sake of
argument pronounced his W solemn
pledge to have been a mere political
dodge straw that was 'clutchcd at
when his party was ''ovcrboard.'
Bradley and Brown make a great mis-
take when they suppose that because our
people are poor they cannot afford to be
honost,-that their lack of money is a
good reason for a commensurate lack OF
morals. Silver and gold they have not
much to give to the b~ondholder, but this
thew have given and will not rctract-
their word of honor. And he Will not
deserve well at their hands who by
sophistry and spccious demagogism
strives to induce them to falS!fy their
sacred word or break their solemn
pledge.
In welcome contrast TO the words of
Bradley and Brown are those of another
of our Abbeville Representatives,. \.
Conner. While speaking on the same
subject Mr.. Conner said
81 have heard members on this floor
announce the monstrous proposition that
they were not bound by pledges made
when we were in Strengthened circum-
stances. am surprised TO hear it said
that we are not bound by resolutions
passed in the Wallace House, and that We
were so hard pressed that we would vote
for anything. ! for II consider myself
bound by these pledges, deliberately and
solemply made, that tive would stand by
the legal. valid and now recognized settle