Year: 1875

ruled the republican party up 10 tne tiine VI
his election, and that upon him would be
poured out the seventy and seven walls OF
their wrath. 1t would have been supreme
folly to provoke their hate, if there was any
thing in his previous conduct that could ex-
pose him to ignominy and public shame. And
he knew also that if the conservatives did not
stand by him, be would be ground to dust
between the upper and neither stones Of con-
servatism and rascality. This, to him, was
terrible risk for he could not have under
stood, as he now understands, the liberality
and good faith and downright hard sense Of
the Conservative masses. By and with the
aid of conservatives, Gov. Chamberlain and
the small band of honest republicans defeated
the thieves in every engagement. But the
men whom he has thrust down, and who did
not want or expect reform, are wild with rage
and despair. They feel that only the first
shock has been felt-that legislative session
in which there was no considerable stealing
will be followed by sessions in which economic
and intelligent legislation will prevail that
the condemnation of crime will be followed
by the prosecution and conviction of criml-
nails. Knowing that Governor Chamberlain
stands we'll with the nation, and not with this
State alone, they strive now to break him
down by casting doubts upon his candor and
integrity. Senator Patterson undertakes to
disabuse the President of the idea that Mr..
Chamberlain, in comparison with Scott and
Moses, is as Hyperion to Satyr, and vaga-
bond correspondents fill such newspapers as
will accept their letters with injurious un-
truths about the Governor and his supporters.
One of these correspondents We have already
exposed another has sprung up in Charles
ton, to aid in the congenial work. The New
York Sun believes what these correspondents
say, and the Washington Star boldly asserts
that ex-Treasurer Parker will never be prose
cuted to conviction if Governor Chamberlain's
influence can save him. The plain meaning
of this is that Governor Chamberlain was
party to the frauds of 1868 s-72, and therefore,
dare not prosecute any of the officers who are
accused of committing them.


We have endeavored to show that appear
ances were against Mr.. Chamberlain up to
the time of his election as Governor, and that
the opposition to him, in the light we then
had, was proper and necessary. We have
weighed his conduct since November last with
the care with which we weighed what we
knew of his conduct in the first four years at-
ter reconstruction and against any positive
or negative fault as Attorney General we set
the grand work he has done as Governor.
We would be willing to condone anything in
his past conduct that fell short of actual GRIM
inality. But this is not necessary! 1t is our
fixed belief that Mr.. Chamberlain has never,
in great things or little, consented to, or aided
in, any fraud upon this people. We are con-
fident that whenever all the facts shall be
known, the record of Attorney. General Cham
berlain will be found to be every whit as
clean as the record of Governor Chamberlain.
And there is only one way in which the facts
can be made manifest. We say to the cor
respondents of the New York Sun and the
whole tribe of slanderers that, if they will
make their charges under their own name
and prove themselves to be trustworthy and
unprejudiced, if they will give to their charges
shape in which they can be met, we will de-
mand that the accusations be squarely met,
as we know that Governor Chamberlain can
meet them. This is challenge to the anony-
nous crew who cringe to Gov. Chamberlain
to-day and lie about him tomorrow. 1t is
challenge that, if they are honest themselves,
they must accept. And until the challenge
is accepted, and the truth of the charges is
proved, we have right to expect that the
press of the country will not, any of them,
stab South Carolina in the back by lending
their aid and influence to the persons who ma
lign the only republican officer of eminent
ability, eminent culture and eminent integrity
that the North has given to this people,