The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1882-03-30
4 BLAST FROM BREWSTER.
The Programme for the Political Prose
cuti0ns In South Carolina.
WAsHINGTOS. March

W AAHlNIlO-'i AldICD ~.
\ long letter from Attorney General
Brewster /, Dallas Saunders, special
United States Attorney employed in
the election cases in South Carolina, j.
published, with Mr. Saunders reply
The first paragraph commcnds Mr. Saun.
dcrs for the part he has SO far taken in
the cases on which he was sent froni
Philadelphia. The remaining portion is
as follows:
"By the by. was upon the point OF
writing you letter this very day upon n
subject that concerns me very much, and
! desire you to convey what now write
to Mr.. Melton and Mr. Read, every word.
If were not about TO write TO you |
would write 10 Mr.. Melton.
"tn investigation has been recently
had here in Washington in the contes,
between Smalls and Tillman in the
House. send you now forthwith BY
this mail printed copy of The proceed.
ings and testimony ard argument that
was sent TO me only yestcrd y. | desire
your attention 10 ii, and Mr.. Meltons at
ton to it, and Asly request you TO
say to Dir. Melton that it is my determ.
nation 10 have these matters thoroughly
investigated and closely pursued. The
righ. Of suffrage must be protected. no
matter who suffers. wish Mr. Melton
to be told by you that expect that he
will prosecute forthwith the most impor-
tant persons who have been concerned in
these attempts to defeat honest elections
By fraud or forcible means. say the
highest and most responsible people are
those whom | desire 10 be first prosecuted
and first pursued. There will be no ex-
ample if merely Insignificant persons arc
taken hold Of Those who stand high in
the community and have thus ycnturcd
to violate and encourage others to do il
are the very persons 10 be first prose.
cuted, and if convicted punished in a
signal way. Then things will begin 10
change and voters will be encouraged to
vote according to their conviction, and
those who do vote will feel satisfied tha.
their votes have been duly counted and
surrender checrfully 10 an honest result
am very much in earnest about this, fol
have heard, what cannot credit, that
it is currently said in South Carolina that
the only persons who will be prosecuted
will be few insignificant and obscure
persons. Such prosecutions | will no,
consider as being those that justice re
quires 10 be instituted and pursued. The
criminal court house should not be useC
only for the punishment Of the obscure
1t must not be poor mans court house
All who violate the law, aud especially {
fundamental law, such as the right o
suffrage, must be made TO feel the terror.
Of that law. The abuse Of the right O
suffrage, such as is charged 10 have beer
perpetratcd in South Carolina, is practi
cal treason against the dignity of the
people and the Fundamental! principle o
their power, and it must be signally pun
ishcd. AT this point have paused ant
reread my letter. l was about to send i
off to you, and ~ | read it over | snw
| that through it ran pretty Sharp tone
of Reproduction of this supposed attempt
to pursue the poor and obscure, and tt
permit the prosperous and important Il
escape persecution when they meritet
prosecution for the offences they were
charged with having committed, sec
nothing in my letter that ought to bt
modified, for am deeply in earnest
about all this. You are Democrat, and
very properly sympathize with youl
party, and l talk to you with II little more
vigor because you are Democrat anC
because we enjoy such close personal anC
friendly relations. / wish to express my
Republican convictions upon this subject
intend more emphatically to indicate
how important all this is to both side.
that there should be fair play all around
There is no just judgment of popular
will in any election that is controlled OF
biased by force or fraud, anu l do insist
that both Democrats and Republican,
should have their faces set rs flint acains,
any abuses against the free and fair use
of the ballot box. l would not in any
way impeach Mr. Melton, and, therefore
l will not write even n letter, in the
kindcst spirit, that might be construed n,
giving color to such imputations, for
believe, as the public believe and hope
that he will do his duty.
II am, with great respect, your friend
BENJAMIN HARRIS BREWSTER.
"Dallas Saunders, Esq, Assistant Dis
trict Attorney United States, Charleston
s. c."
Tho letter is dated March Is. In hi.
reply, dated Charleston, March p, Mr.
Saunders says: l enclose you list OF tho
election cases so far selected for trial, thu
| extract being selectcd from the Ne,cs ant
C5uTisT Of yesterday. When reached
Columbia last month Judge Melton in
structed me in visits to various countie.
to select the strongest cases against Tho
most important and influential men, no
to take little fellows. You will see BY
the list enclosed that the men we propose
TO try Except from Barnwell county, are
managers OF elections-that is, election
officers who carry on the election on day
of election like judges and inspectors o
elections in Pennsylvania Then We
have case from Sumter county against
the Board of County Canvassers. They
are men who count the returns from the
various precincts Of their respective
counties and forward it to the Board o,
State canvassers. =
A Pilgrims Return.