The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1878-02-06
Sunlight for South Carolina.
From the .NeW York Sun.


In attacking the thieves who plundrrcd the
people OF South Carolina for so nianE years,
The Sun has never drc.llnntcd between Re
publicans and Democrats. The Ring itself, at
the time of its greatest uudacltS, consisted OF
Scott. Chamberlain. Parker, kimpton, Car
doz, Patterson and NcaglC-all OF them Re.
pubiicanS. The ablc.t and most dangerous
OF these linen was Chamberlain, who Is one OF
the most polished raScilS between the two
oceans. \! large part OF the subsidiary work
was, of course. done by the Republicans, for
the State was then controllc6bS II Republican
majority. and the lesser thieves and agents
and Instruments of the Ring naturally took
to that cast OF politics. 1t is undciiiab!r,
however, that there were many prominent
Democrats who like the proprietors OF the
Democratic .Ne,cs and CJurler, loudly called
for reform and honest government. While ac-
tually participating in the proceeds o! the
gigantic operations engineered by Scott.
Cnumnerlain aud kimpton.
When the Democratic party came into pow
er under the leadership OF ado Hampton
ton and his friend NJ. Z. Butler, now Il Sclal-
or of the United States, there swept through
the Statea cry for the conviction and punisi.
n!cnt Of the robbers who had piled up a debt
OF nearly thirty millions and ruined the i'll
dustrIes and property interests of the tax
payers. Hampton and Butler made good po-
liti"al use OF tilis popular demand. one Of
them made himself Governor, while the 9TH
CT mounted the wave and rode on its crest III
TO the United States Senate. An lnrcStiGa-
ton committee WAS appointed. important
CIV iuCIlCS WIS lthS.nI uCU! pililS 'NSlS "'t w
the principal thieves, and s~ubpenaS and war
rants were ISSUED without stint. One or TWO
of the smaller ScOundrclS were convicted and
sentenced To prison, 4 feeble show OF an at
tempt TO bring Patterson 20 trial was made,
and that WIS all. Not olic-tenlh the &c lhaldS
Of justice has been satisfied and the Demo
crutic politicians Of South Carolina, notably
Hampton and Butler, are already buSily ell
gagged in promuiSatins the idea that the state
should bury its past Of shameful corruption
and consider the escape Of the robbers as part
OF the ransom paid for its emancipation.
The failure Of justice Is partly due to the
fact That this simple question of Furnishing
crime has been mixed up with politics, to
further the designs OF pol ticianS. 1t Is part
~ due to the fact that Il full exposure oI tie
INSIDE history of the Scott. Moses and Chnni-
bcriain administrations would involve u good
many prominent Democrats in lasting cm-
barrasSment.
Progress In this city, shows how Intimately
Democrats like senator Butler and his former
friend Gary were concerned with the Itcpub-
lican thieves in the plundcr OF the people.
The following agreement, signed by Butler
and Gary has been produced as part oi the
testimony:
OFFICE OF C~oURTENAY. EVERETT & Co..,
h3 Pearl Street, New York.
Whereas, the undersigned, being DESTROYS
TO take action to rcinStNtc the value vi the
bonded debt Of the State Of South Carolina:
1t is hereby agreed the undersigned agree to
pay TO VI. c. Butler and NJ. W. Gary ~ per
cent. of the net gains that may arise from the
purchase aud sale OF at least S5UO, 900 Of said
State bonds, the increase TO be measured by
the advance due 10 an endorsement of the
public meeting TO be held on or about the. I'd
day Of May next, at Columbia, approving the
payment in full OF all the present bonded
debt OF the State. aud agree to uso their best
efforts TO that effect in consideration OF said
10 per centum aforesaid mentioned.
". f.. EVERETT,
/. D. CIIILDS,
]. B. PALMER.
DIV l.. ID. childS,O
Now York, April II, 1871.
We accept the terms Of the above agree
ment. NJ. {. BUTLER. Attorney, &c.
NJ. w. GARY, Attorney-ut-Law.
The diSgraceful character of this writing
will be apparent when it is added that Butler
and Gary were both delegates To the TaSpay-
ers' Convention, which they proposed to In
1uence To certain action In the interest OF Il
bond speculation. All OF the parties who
brihed Butler and Gary with a promise of a
share in the profits were bolders OF south
Carolina bonds. Everett Was Il New York
SPECTATOR: Childs, Palmer, and Southern
were Presidents Of three Columbia banks. II
had been determined by the Chamberlain
Ring and the bondholdcrs to appreciate the
value OF the bonds by inducing the TaNpav-
ers' Convention to pass a reSolutihn dcclur-
ing the validity Of the debt; and Attorney
Butler, now senator Butler, sold in advance
his official influence rs 4 delegate to the Con
vention in consideration Of Il percentage on
the profits of the job.
1uIS III thllSCllltil ttlio"S lsuI oH ~ VI
lowing confidential letter from Chamberlain
to kimpton, Financial Agent in New York O.
the State OF South Carolina. Tn original
copy OF this document, which has never be-
fore been printed, Is in our possession:
COLUMBIA, :. {. Apr. Is, 1911.
DEAR KIMrToN. Your two letters OF the
Goth and your official letter are received. ant
l am delighted to know that you are in ;
may be OF use in the future.
1 WiH cooperate Wih Butter aud Gary IN an,
possible Day. I have not heard of their arriva
here rs yet.
The Governor has been to Charleston, ant
fooled about with LathcrS & Co., as you vii
see by the Neus. He said when he earn
back that he was going immediately to !:
but yesterday he said he had postponed hi
; visit. ] rather think Joe Crews telegram ha
scared him.. do not know what he Is doin:
exactly, but he went to Gary, Parker's clerk
and gave him orders to pay out no money q
all-that he was going to send it ~ to \. 7
{. What he is going to do | can't say yet. l vii
see Bush and have him do al he can;
!, Yours truly: D; H: GHAMbEHLA "A {,
, Gary was written six days after they, hat
: made and signed he agreement printc'
: above. 1t lisa matter OF record that Iiain
bcrlain did cooperate with his Democratic a.
lies. The bull resolutions were put through
: the Taxpayers Convention by the unite!
I agency Of these precious statesmen, and al
!. though the rise In bonds was less than the,
5 had hoped, 1t was sufficient to pay Butte
- ttllu 'tlS a SOOt sllit Ill
This specimen of the relations maintainc.'
between prominent Democrats and proml
t nent Republicans during the latest days q
: stealing in South Carolina helps to explain
t Buffers motive in trying to save Chamber
! lain and Patterson. Why has no honest ef!or
been made TO bring Patterson to trial? Judg
Humphreys extraordinary decision coth
: have been overturned by a breath: Why ,ha
! no requisition been issued tor Chamberlai1
and Kimptonc Chamberlain is practisin
= law In the courts Of this city. and his frien'
"a kimpton Is not far off. What Is the natur
Of the evidence against Chamberlain held b.
the Columbia Investigating Committee an
v thus far suppressed? One word from lihnr
! ton and Butler would bring Chamberlain t
. Justice. Why is that word withheld?
In the interest of justice and not In the n
terest OF any Republican or Democratic poll
tician. The SIN proposes to answer some {
e these important questions.
Rev. w. s. Wightmnn, the new pastor
. Marion Street charge, received q warm We
n come; and on Tuesday evening Of last wee
" cayorfy fl Va or moro IF his ron vPppofiOn viSi