Year: 1874

war, have abandoned their white friends and
gone over to the robbers, is larger than you
would suppose. But they are weak in prin-
ciple, wanting in honesty, and are only actu'
ated in their conduct by the hope or promise
of spoil. The carpet-baggers, themselves a
hard set, know this, and they will not trust
native South Carolina white Radical further
than they can see him. One Of the most
prominent Northern men connected with
South Carolina politics told me that he had
never known a native South Carolinian to
come into the Radical party unless he was
rotten at the heart and "on the m Ike" His
experience with all of them was the same.


On the other hand, the native white Radi-
Gals have just as poor opinion of the carpet
baggers. They are both correct in their estl-
mates. It is dog steal from dog all around.
The negroes are losing confidence IN the
whites of their party, whether native or I'M
ported, which is the first CLEAN of intelligence
they have manifested since emancipation.
But there is one white man whom they still
cling to that is Moses. They believe in him
as devoutly as the children of Israel believed
ia the ether Moses.


Why the colored people should cling so
closely to this man cannot tell. VI course
those whom he has pardoned out Of the penl-
tentiary and those whom he has kept from
going there have reason for the love which
abides within them, but why the masses should
regard this Moses as the only man who can
lead them to the promised land, l am at
loss to determine.


Moses was an original rebel, and hauled
down the stars and stripes when Fort Sumter
surrendered He was for a long time spea ker
of the Senate, ard was one Of that distinguish
ed den of thieves who passed the law compell-


ing the treasurer to pay warrants signed by
the speakers of the Senate and of the House.
Under this law, in one session, they drew from
the treasury, in cash and by certificates, over
fourteen hundred thousand dollars for legis-
lative expenses! Such corruption in govern
ment affairs has never been seen since the
world was hung in its orbit. And such steal.
ing, too, from the poverty stricken people Of
South Carolina, who had so little left from
the wreck and ruin of the war. 1t is shock
ing, monstrous, inhuman. Such corruption
as exists here could not exist in Ohio week;
the whole gang Of government officials would
be swept out Of the capitol ard into the river.
Yet the State of Ohio is just zen times more
able to support corrupt government than
South Carolina. This State lost in the war,
actual cash value, three hundred and fifty
millions of dollars, having left only one hun.
dred and eighty millions And that, from
this remnant of their property they should be
compelled to support the horde Of thieves that
has been fastened upon them, is just little
too much for human endurance.


Moses lives in style here in the old Preston
mansion. He is spendthrift, and manages
to spend about forty thousand dollars off of
a salary of thirty-fve hundred dollars. The
town is full. of scandals about him, but he
does not seem to care. Neither does he care
what the newspapers have to say, and is as
content to be abused as praised. He says
that not one in ten of his constituents can
read, so he is quite Indifferent to newspaper
criticism. And even should the negroes get
hold of an evil report concerning their adored
chief they Immediately set it down as rebel
lie, and keep firm their allegiance to the mod
ern Moses. Il. V. Il.