The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1879-01-23

yet mean a little business, if you are
confident of being equal to the task"
Governor-"I don't think it will hurt
me bit, and whatever my humble opin.
ions are worth, feel the country is en-
titled to them just as they are"
CorrespondeDt--."Well, then, Cover
nor. what have you to say touching the
Blainc-Teller investigation
THE BOTTOM FACTS WANTED.
Governor-"I have no earthly obiec-
tion to the investigation itself, If the
right to make it is conceded. OF course,
under the present circumstances, we
could not lodge an objection touching
unwarrantable espionage involved in this
measure without being misconstrued,
and think Thurman, Larmaf and But.
Ter and others with them received this
measure with most becoming spirit.
Now that it has been undertaken, | wish
to see it go to the bottom. Whatever we
here have done amiss, let it be shown.
However it may expose any possible
dereliction Of ours, it must do US good in
the end. No good citizen, no wise man,
no good patriot can afford to CLOAK and
cover up fraud or corruption in elections.
1t goes to the root of our institutions,
and it destroys the fruition Of liberty it.
self. But we have right to ask that the
Teller committee shall tell the whole
story and not the half of it. Whatever
comfort there is in it, and confess it is
very poor one, due and honest investiga-
ton will discover as much irregnlarity
on the Republican side of our household
may say, that 80 far as intimidation in
concerned, there was literally none what
ever on our side, whilst on the Republi.
can side there are the most unquestion.
able evidences of gross intimidation.
Two cases of this kind happened with
two of the employees of my son-in- law.
Col. Haskell. Two Of his ''harsls" were
sadly beaten for voting the Democratic
ticket. So, too, thero were instances of
unquestionable intimidation on the part
of the Republicans all over the State.
This was more or less to be looked for.
We had all the surrounding influences of
superior wealth, social and political pow
er on our side, which, naturally, without
actual or undue cOnstraint, exercises a
great control over the average voters of
the country. When, then, the Republi-
can party saw power slipping from their
| hands like water from the broken vessels
at the well, they first denied it and then
put the thumb-screws on their colored
partisans to hold them to their old politi-
Cal reckonings whether or no. Every
sensible man, North or South, will at
once recognize this condition of things.
and the unvarnished truth of the relation
thereof. Hence, though have been per-
mitted 70 exercise the executive functions
of my office since the election, owing to
the unhappy accident which befell me,
the executive of the State, in the worthy
hands into which it has fallen, will be
found, doubt not, recognizing facts as
! they are, opposed lending itself to use
| less and unworthy recfiminations on the
colored Republicans in this matter. Our
courts are fully open to all parties, and
our State laws will be found amply PROV
ident and sufficiently penal touching this
whole matter. Our judges are gentlemen
| above reproach, and will know neither
Republicans or Democrats in the dis
! charge oftheir duties, and whatever fault
| might be found with juries on the score
of partisan bias, either Oh one side or the
| other, there would be the evidence taken
under tue control of bipartisan jude os
| and sent to the jury under charges when
could not and would not squint at fraud
or Intimidation. How happens it, then,
that no complaint touching the elections
are lodged with our courtsf Why, plain
ly because the Republicans know that
those who live in glass houses should
not throw stones"
Correspondent =" "Governor, do YOU
frankly acknowledge, then, that there
were irregularities in our Democratic
household?"
Governor-"I do unquestionably. 1t
seemed impossible to prevent it in view
OF the terrible moral obiquity vi, ted on
our people by. the Radical rule under
which they have lived since the war.
| This is far greater curse to us than all
the thefts that have been perpetrated on
us bare catalogue of which filled COL
umns OF our newspapers. No one can
regret this more than DO, and no one
could have striven harder to impress its
wrongiulness and absolute impolicy upon
our people than have. And now hold
as ever its utter impoiicy." e
TIE DEMOCRATS IN FULL CoLTROL OF
THE STATE.
Correspondent-"Governor what have
you to say as to the ACTUAL Democratic
strength Of the State?"
| Governor-"lt is un9uestionably and
overwhelmingly in the control of the
State. Hence, even the poor excuse of
being necessary to the preservation of
civilized rule is wanting to any Irregular
tiles put afOot on our side. l have no
disposition to shirk investigation, and I
want it, as have said, to 60 to the bot
tom of the matter If We can have such
an honest investigation rs shall keep its
eyes wide open to election Irregularities,
in all parties, III all parts of the Union,
1t is we'll and more than well. So far as
the practicability of such an investiga-
ton is concerned, is another question.
Yet, without this, what of the fairness of
an investigation III n corner when the
hustlngs everywhere else are "full OF
dead mems bones?" Why investigate
elections in the Southern States. where
Irregularities have sprung like thistles
from kadical sowing, when the govern
ment departments ut Washington and
Federal officials all over the Union are
openly and shamelessly taxed for Repub-
lican campaign funds? If the amann.
taxed on these officials is not necessary
to their support, then it is so much OF
the peoples money taxed for the main
tenance oT party rule, which: could moi
be otherwise maintained, and if it could
be otherwise maintained, then it Ia 90
much squandered to satisfy partisan
greed. All we want is a fair and square
effort before the people of tho country ia
purify the political atmosphere, and VIC
are content and more than content tc
take all the i'll consequences arising ia
us Immediately, in view of our own ulti.
mate good, and the great good to the
whole country, which is no less oul
country because we are Southerners and
Democrats" .4las.