University of South Carolina Libraries
BY E. B. MURRAY & CO. ANDERSON, S. C, THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 1877. VOL. XIII-NO. 10. R.iTES'DF SUBSCRIPTION.?Two Dollars per annum, and One Dollar for six months. Subscriptions are not taken for a less period than six months. Liberal deductions made to clubs of ten or more subscribers. RATES OF ADVERTISING.?One Dollar per square ai one inch for the first inser?on.and Fifty Cents per square for subsequent insortionslessthan three months. No advertisements counte less than a square. Liberal contracts will be made with those wishing to advertise for three, six or twelve months. Ad? vertising by contract must be confined to the im? mediate business of the firm or individual contrac? ting. Obituary Notices exceeding five lines, Tributes of Respect, and all personal communications or matters of individual interest, will be charged for at advertising rates. Announcements of marriages a n d -deaths, and notices of a religious character, are respectfully solicited, and will be inserted gratis CHAMBERLAIN UNMASKED. NILES G. PARKER'S STORY OF THE SOUTH CAROLINA RING. ' Ten Years of Rascality?An Expose of the Crimes of the Carpet-bag Government from the Reconstruction Convention to its Final Overthrow?D. H. Chamberlain and H. H. Kimpton, the Arch Conspira? tors?Parker Didn't Intend to Steal at First, but Chamberlain Tempted him with Golden Fruit?Me Repents and Be? lieves in Hampton. From the Netc York World of Monday. The World reporter called upon Mr. Niles G. Parker, at his house in Jersey City, and obtained from him a very full statement, which was taken down phono graphically. The statement was made without previous preparation, and this may account in great measure for some looseness noticeable in the arrangement, and also for any slight inaccuracies of dates and figures. Yesterday afternoon Mr. Parker was engaged in conducting a large temperance meeting in Jersey City, and on returning home made the follow? ing statement: PARKER'S RECORD AND ELECTION. I settled in Charleston in February, 1866, engaging in planting and the mer? cantile supply business. In 1867 Gen. Canby appointed me alderman in the city of Charleston. Gaillard was Mayor at the time and there was a place in the Council made vacant by death. A few months later I was appointed chairman of the committee of legislation under the Reconstruction acts. After the discharge of that duty, I devoted myself again to private business. I was soon, however, elected a member of the Con? stitutional Convention from Barnwell County, though I made no effort to secure my nomination or election. In that con? vention I was chairman of the committee on finance, and succeeded in raising the amount necessary for the expenses of the convention. In the discharge of my du? ties I had the co-operation and good will of Governor Orr. As a member of the convention I opposed the passage of the law authorizing the State to issue bonds. I took the ground that the State indebt? edness and the current expenses could be provided for by taxation, and that any . further issue of bonds was unnecessary. As in previous years the State expenses had not exceeded $400,000, I did not believe that more than ?600,000 would be needed to cover them. The surplus amount paid into the treasury as collected taxes would be enough to meet the pay? ment of interest on the State debts, con? solidated and floating, and settle in the course of a few years all outstanding claims not represented already by State bonds. The act was incorporated in the Constitution, however, in spite of my op? position. At the first election under the new Constitution I was put in nomination for State treasurer and was elected. This nomination grew wholly out of the suc? cess which I had achieved in raising the expenses of the convention. I went into office in July, 1868. Scott was Governor, Chamberlain was attorney general, Car dozo was Secretary of State, Frank Moses was adjutant general and Neagle was comptroller general. The constitution of the Legislature was entirely Republican, I think without an exception. The Dem? ocrats refused to take part in the election. Naturally both Senate and House were composed very largely of colored mem? bers. Frank Moses was the speaker of the House, and undoubtedly the most in? fluential member of it during his four year's term of office. ONLY FORTY-TWO DOLLARS IN THE STATE TREASURY. When I took charge of the State treas? ury there was only forty-two dollars in it. By the comptroller general's report for 1867 the bonded and stock debt was nearly $6,000,000, and there was consid? erable interest outstanding as well as other unadjusted debts amounting ap? proximately to $3,000,000. The tax of the first year was 8? mills upon the as? sessed valuation of the property in the State. This tax was expected to yield $1,200,000 or $1,300,000. The fiscal year of the State closed on October 31st, 1868. We went into office in July, and a spe? cial session of the Legislature was called immediately. Instead of imposing a tax to cover the expenses of the current year as well as the year ending October 31, 1869, we only imposed one tax, as we had then an honest intention to relieve the people of the State of all but neces? sary burdens. So we made a tax for one year only, intending to provide for out? standing claims by the issue of bonds.? Of this tax imposed we collected about three-fourths, and the balance was left outstanding. No extraordinary meas? ures were resorted to enforce its collec? tion, and I think that judgment was never obtained against the delinquents in the courts. CHAMBERLAIN'S PECULIAR BILLS. Under the Provisional Government a law had been passed anthorizing the funding of all outstanding debts, interest and principal, up to July 1, 1867. The Legislature, in July, 1868, passed a bill to pay all interest due from July 1,1867, in gold. This bill was engineered by the State financial agent H. H. Kimpton. He was a friend and classmate of Cham? berlain's, and was. introduced by him to rae as the proper man to be the financial agent of the State. He was appointed^ by the financial board?Scott, Cham? berlain and myself. The bill was regarded by us as Kimpton's measure, and he represented that it would raise the value of the bonds materially, and enhance the credit of the State. In this view he was supported by Chamberlain. Here I may say that I never knew a financial act to pass the Legislature which was not proposed as a bill by Kimpton and sanctioned by Chamber? lain. His bills were always passed as presented. In regard to this particular bill, it should be added that the interest demanded was paid in gold until the winter of 1869-70, when the law was changed, so that thereafter the interest was payable in currency. Kimpton was himself obliged to obtain the change of the act, as it was seen to be impossible to nieet the deuiands upon the treasury for gold. In the course of 1868 and 1869 the Legislature passed acts to provide for the redemption, at par, of all floating debts outstanding. AH these financial meas? ures authorizing the issue of bonds were susceptible of two interpretations. The wording of one act will sufficiently illus? trate this point: "The Governor is here? by authorized and directed to borrow $1,000,000 upon bonds of the State of South Carolina, said bonds to be signed by the Governor and treasurer, and sealed by the secretary of State, to be payable in South Carolina and at the New York financial agency." The de? batable point is whether bonds repre? senting $1,000,000 were to be put on the market, or whether $1,000,000 was to be obtained by the sale of bonds at any price. This point I will take up pres? ently. In round numbers the financial board was authorized to raise $3,200,000 in the years 1868-69 by the issue of bonds of the State of South Carolina; $1,000, 000 for the payment of interest on the public debt at 6 per cent., $1,000,000 for the relief of the treasury at 7 per cent., $500,000 for the redemption of Governor Orr's currency, and $700,000 for the pur? chase of lands under the land commis? sion. Ohe million two hundred thou? sand dollars was called for in addition to provide for the redemption of the bills of the State bank. These bills have not ! vet been redeemed, but are floating about I in considerable quantities, though I do not believe any one knows how many are in existence. In this session also the famous Con? version act was passed. This act author? ized the issue of bonds to take up all out? standing bonded and stock indebtedness of every kind, and authorized, further? more, all holders of stock or any kind of government securities to convert them into these bonds. The object of this act was declared to be to give uniformity and consolidation to all classes of securities. All these acts, I repeat, were presented by the financial agent, Kimpton, and urged upon the financial board by him as a necessity. They were never pre? pared by Scott or myself, but always by Chamberlain and Kimpton. Chamber? lain used to say to me that Kimpton de? clared these measures to be necessary, and he supposed that they were so. Under the act authorizing the Governor to borrow $1,000,000 to pay the interest upon the public debts, $2,000,000 of bonds were issued. Five hundred thousand dollars of these bonds were returned and bonded in the presence of the financial board and others, $250,000 were ex? changed by the financial agent for con? version bonds, and $1,250,000 remained out. The $500,000 bonds that were re? turned had passed through the hands of the financial agent. While in his pos? session coupons might have been taken off, or they might have been applied for the payment of the interest, ana so got into the hands of the .public. In this last way they might have been presented to the State treasury honestly for fund? ing. I was sued upon a civil process for $450,000 in 1874, the allegation being that I bad funded that amount illegally in the treasury. A judgment was ren? dered against me for $75,000; but this, you will bear in mind, was the judgment on a technical wrong in a civil suit. As soon as the conversion act was passed, a very large number of these bonds were printed. Of these bonds $1,200,000 were issued strictly in accordance with the provision of the act, but all others issued were put on the market in an arbitrary manner. For all that, the money ob? tained by the State on these bonds by Frank Moses was issued by me, as treas? urer, in accordance with law. ENORMOUS ISSUES OF BONDS. Now the $3,200,000 which the Legisla? ture authorized the Governor to raise by the sale of bonds had to be obtained at a sacrifice. The bonds of the State would not sell at anything like par. In fact, when first issued, we were obliged to dis? pose of them for twenty cents on a dollar. When the acts passed the Legislature, I understood, and I think it was generally understood by all members of the Legis? lature except those let into the secret, that $3,200,000 in bonds at par was the total sum authorized by the acts. When the acts were passed, however, Chamber Iain and Kimpton pointed out what was the literal interpretation of the acts. They contended that bonds could be sold at any sacrifice to obtain the sum in cash of $3,200,000. Belying on Chamberlain as the legal adviser of the board, Scott and I consented to the issue of the amount of bonds necessary to raise the authorized sum. He found, however, that the ordinary bonds of the State were not taken readily when nut on the mar? ket. Bankers require the best security possible, before , they will invest their money in the purchase of bonds, that the bonds are legally issued. This point was involved in some doubt, and when they discovered that there were more than a million of bonds issued under the act to provide for the payment of the public debt, they refused to deal in these bonds, or rather to take them in any way. In this exigency recourse was had to the act authorizing the issue of conversion bonds. The act provides that these bonds shall be issued for the redemption of other State securities, but it was con? tended by Chamberlain and Kimpton that these bonds could also be issued di? rectly, that is they could be put on the market and sold like ordinary bonds, and the proceeds devoted to the redemption of outstanding claims and to meet other State expenses. Scott and 1 were pre? vailed upon by Chamberlain and Kimp? ton to countenance this issue of bonds.? When, therefore, these conversion bonds were put directly on the market they were sold quite readily, for brokers had no means of knowing how many were issued, or could be issued, in one year. , So they secured these bonds as collateral ! security, and purchased them in prefer? ence to the others. Perhaps this was not exactly fair, but we went on the princi? ple that outsiders were bound to look out for themselves.. The object of the finan? cial board in this was to secure money at the least cost to the State, and there was no intention to defraud the State there by. DEBT INCREASED $10,000,000 IN FOUR YEARS. During the four years in which we were in office the bonded debt was in? creased about $10,000,000. All outstand? ing claims were provided for and wiped out, so that at the end of the four years the only outstanding debt was for the current expenses of the State during 1872. This board has been censured for causing these acts to be passed. Who drew up and presented the acts? Chamberlain drew up every one of them, and Kimpton presented them. The proposition for the issue of conversion bonds directly was made by Chamberlain. ,1 looked upon this issue as a necessity. I look upon it now as I did then. My first opposition to the issue of bonds in the Constitution? al Convention was due to the belief that the State expeuses could be provided for without this issue, by taxation. When I found, however, that the State expenses were extravagant, and demands were made upon the treasury by law for | money, I acquiesced in the measures pro- ' posed by Chamberlain and Kimptou. PRANKS OF EX-GOVERNOR MOSES. There was a terrible increase of ex? penditure at each succeeding session of the Legislature. Frank Moses was in the chair, and I am told by trustworthy persons that he has acknowledged to having signed away $500,000 dishonestly, though I am sure that it was a much larger sum. I believe that three or four millions of dollars were spent in excess of the necessary expenses for the meet? ings of the Legislature during these four years. Both Senate and House were responsible for this. The first president of the Senate was a pretty good man, Boozer. They soon got him out, how? ever. He was elected a judge and went out during the first session. Bansier, a colored man, took his place. He was equal to the occasion. Corbin was pres dent pro Um. of the Senate when Boozer, the Lieutenant Governor, was absent. I paid Corbin a good deal of money. Still he held a large number of offices aud re ceived large salaries and regular perqui? sites therefrom. I knew nothing, there? fore, to inculpate him. I had no doubt that a number of charges brought against the treasury were improperly passed by the Legislature. In particular there were a number of five thousand dollar claims presented which I thought were outrageous, certificates issued oy those who purchased senators and representatives. The certificates were properly authorized, however, and I had to pay them. Suppose I had refused to honor them, what would have been" the result? Why I should have been kicked out for not doing my duty as treasurer. There was too much influence brought to bear against me. If I had stood out alone it would not have made any differ? ence. Why, I have been to Frank Moses, WITH TEARS IN MY EYES, aud said to him: "You will have no money at all in the treasury if you go on in this way." Frank Moses would only look up and laugh. "Talk about these Republican Reformers," he would say, "you never heard me say anything about reform." No said I, I never did. I went out of office on October 31,1872. Scott went out at the same time, and Moses came in as Governor. Samuel Melton succeeded Chamberlain as attor? ney general, but when Chamberlain went out of office he became Melton's law partner, and bo got right behind the throne again. One of the first acts of the Legislature after Frank Moses became Governor waB an act directing the attor? ney general of the State to prosecute the late sinking fund commissioners of the State for corruption. These commission? ers were Scott, Neagle, Chamberlain, the chairman of the finance committee of the Senate and the chairman of the ways and means committee of the House. Did Melton do it now ? What did he do ? Waited until April 1874, and then com? menced a prosecution against me. The complaint was made by Daniel H. Cham? berlain, then Governor and ex-officio president of the sinking fund commission. The attorney -general brought a suit for the recovery of ?25,000, alleged to have been fraudulently misapplied. I was ar? rested and held on bail. A night or two before my arrest Chamberlain had been talking to me as pleasantly as ever in the theatre, where Anna Dickinson was lec? turing. We had a loving parting, but he sneaked off and caused me to be ar? rested on the next day, or within a few days at any rate. When I succeeded, however, in pressing the thing to a suit it was nol prossed by the attorney general. On whose shoulders does the blame for the borrowing of the $25,000 lie ? The sinking fund commissioners ought to have been prosecuted for their part in the matter as well as for other crimes which they committed. The treasury needed the money, and it was none of my business who* lent the amount. It was not my funeral at all. I consulted with Chamberlain, asking him if it was any crime on my part to borrow this money. "No," he said, "it is no crime of yours." Chamberlain will say now that he was in a minority on the sinking fund commission, and that the commis? sion lent the money to the treasury with? out his consent. At any rate the sink? ing fund commissioners are responsible in this matter and not myself, the treas? urer. THE BLUE RIDGE RAILROAD SWINDLE. In regard to the Blue Ridge Railroad swindle, by which the State was said to have been defrauded out of $1,800,000,1 can say at least that I had nothing to do with the road, except when called upon, in my capacity as State treasurer, to pay over to the officers of the road the scrip voted by the Legislature. When Harri? son was President of the road, $4,000,000 was voted by the Legislature, in State scrip, to defray the expenses of its con? struction. Harrison applied to Scott, who was then Governor, for money, and Scott requested. Kimpton to furnish $200,000 to Harrison for the road in re? turn for $600,000 of the bonded stock of the road owned by the State. Kimpton, I believe, still has that $600,000 of stock. Cameron succeeded Harrison as president of the road, and Patterson succeeded Cameron. So Patterson came to have control of the four millions of stock, less the $600,000 which Kimpton had gobbled. It is this $3,600,000 that he has got now to account for. I know that he borrowed $325,000 from a gentleman in this city, E. B. Wesley, giving $700,000 of the Blue Ridge Road stock as security. I cannot tell what disposition he made of any portion except of this amount. I never owned a dollar's worth of stock in the road myself. Scott owned stock in it and holds it to-day. As to the letter of Patterson to me as State treasurer, published a few days ago, authorizing me to deliver to H. H. Kimpton revenue land scrip amounting to $114,250,1 am ready to admit that it is genuine. If you ask me whether I paid this order, I an? swer, that I paid every order for this scrip made upon the treasury by Senator Pat? terson as president of the road. I did not see that I had any authority to with? hold the scrip, so long as it was drawn in accordance with legal provisions. If the scrip was afterwards misapplied, I had nothing to do with this subsequent handling of it. As financial agent of the State, Kimp? ton had in his possession all bonds of the State that were ever issued for raising money. He was not obliged by law to exhibit his accounts to the State treasu? rer, to the financial board nor to render any vouchers thereof, and never did so until his final settlement. When his financial settlement was made in accord? ance with a special act, he received from the financial board a due bill of about $150,000, and settled with the board upon what is stated to be a fraudulent set of books. Chamberlain was a member of the board, and took an active pare in all that pertains to the issue, management and settlement of its finances. Judge Willard told me that Kimpton had man? ufactured a fraudulent set of books, but I cannot assert it of my own knowledge. I suppose this statement will show my haud to him, but I do not care much.? Chamberlain signed the settlement and papers in that matter, and took part in all other transactions of the board. THE PRINTING SWINDLE. The appropriations for the benefit of the Republican Printing Company were in the main a gigantic swindle. Wood? ruff and Jones, who ran the company, will be compelled to tell how the money was appropriated. The following dispatch to the Charles? ton News and Courier supplements Mr. Parker's prediction in regard to Messrs. Jones and Woodruff: "The agreement with Jones and Wood? ruff, the late clerks of the House and Senate, is that a nolle pros, shall be en? tered on tlie indictment against them, they to testify in behalf of the State when called upon to do so. Each sur? renders $28,000 of Bonanza warrants and all claims against the State for printing, &c.; Jones also $12,000, and Woodruff surrenders the Republican Printing Com? pany's building and fixtures in Columbia, valued at about $7,000, and also claims against the Bank of the State for $130, 000. Both Jones aud Woodruff saved their respective residences in Charles? ton as settled upon the wife in Wood? ruff's case, and the children in that of Jones'." As to the THOMAS W. PRICE PRINTING COMPANY, continued Mr. Parker, I know that Thomas W. Price is a merchant in Phil? adelphia, Penn., and I am quite positive that, when his claim for printing was first presented it was for $6,000, and was afterwards raised to 16,000. James Thompson, Chamberlain's right hand man, and the editor of the Daily Union Herald, acted as an agent between Price and the treasury. CHAMBERLAIN DIRECTLY CHARGED WITH CORRUPTION. I don't wish to say anything which may appear like a personal attack on Chamberlain, though I acknowledge that I have been offended by his treatment of me. I do object, however, to being made the scapegoat of the King, and I am by no means willing that Chamber? lain and Kimpton should thrust off any of their load on my shoulders. I am tired of hearing of what Parker did, and how he acted in this transaction and that when I know that my share in the questiona? ble doings of the Ring from 1868 to 1874 was no greater, to say the least, than that of the the other members with whom I acted. During these six years the corrup? tion and peculation increased yearly, and it is idle to attempt to palliate or deny it. If the present investigation in South I Carolina is pushed, the extent of the cor ruption will be laid bare, and all who were parties to it will be brought to judgment. I wish it to be understood that I do not shrink from this investiga? tion. I desire rather that it be made as thorough and searching as possible, and I am ready to hold myself responsible for my share in it. If I have sinned in the matter I am ready to make the amends which the State shall direct. All that I ask for is that the part which each one of the Bing took in the transactions of those six years shall be exactly deter? mined, and condemnation meted out in proportion to the extent of the offending. For Chamberlain and Kimpton to deny that they were privy to what was going on is simply absurd. Some things un? doubtedly Chamberlain had no hand in directly, though they were done under his nose, and he must have known about them. In other transactions his name did not appear, but there can be no ques? tion that be was concerned in them in some way. In other cases still he reaped a direct benefit from his co-operation. Like the case of the MARINE AND RIVER PHOSPHATE MINING COMPANY for instance. The shady transactions connected with the management of this company, and the bills lobbied through the Legislature for its benefit, are quite generally known. The measures by which the interests of its stockholders were subserved in the Legislatures have been published in the Charleston papers ; but Chamberlain's connection with it has not heretofore been stated. The stock of the company was owned largely by mem? bers of the Bing, and Chamberlain held one-fifteenth of it. It was $500,000, I believe, in all; so that Chamberlain's share of the stock was $32,200. Tim Hurley, Chamberlain's right-band man, and the Treasurer of Charleston County, lobbied the bills |for its benefit through the Legislature. Then there was the GREENVILLE AND COLUMBIA RAILROAD. The bills passed in connection with this road were notoriously disreputable. Its capital stock was held in twelve shares, I think, of $25,000 each. Scott, Neagle, Patterson, Chamberlain, Cardo zo, Kimpton, Hurley, Crews and myself, were stockholders. A BIT OF DIRECT CORRUPTION. I know also that Chamberlain received $2,000 direct for his connection with a transaction which I do not care yet to make public. It was the same transac? tion alluded to in the letter which Elliott read in the last nominating convention. He rose in his seat, brandishing this let-1 ter and threatening to make its contents public. An agreement was thereupon {>atched up between him and Chamber ain, and he made the best he could of his previous threats against him. He read the letter, omitting the names of the persons concerned, one of whom was Chamberlain. I have spoken of the $150, 000 due bill in favorof Kimpton, audited by the financial board. Now, when Kimp? ton was appointed financial agent an agreement was made between him, Cham? berlain and myself that all commissions accruing to him should be divided equal? ly among the three. Scott was left out of this arrangement, although he was on the financial board. Chamberlain and myself were thus entitled by this agree? ment to $50,000 of the audited claim. As a matter of fact we never got a dollar of this amount, for Kimpton's due bill has never been paid, and I should be very much surprised if it ever should be, in view of the coming developments in the pending investigation. Both Chamber? lain and Kimpton will deny this arrange? ment as a matter of course, but it is a fact nevertheless. You may remember the letter from Chamberlain to me pub? lished in the News and Courier some time ago, which reads, as nearly as I can now remember: "Dear Parker?How did the commis? sions foot up ?" What did he care about these commis? sions unless he had a personal interest in their amouut? No! Chamberlain kept in the background as far as he could and pulled the wires, or employed Kimp? ton to act as his proxy. It is too pre? posterous for him now to pretend blind? ness and innocence. WHY PARKER SAYS HE FELL. In 1874 a civil action was brought against me before a mixed jury, Judge Carpenter presiding, to recover $450,000, of which amount it was alleged I bad de? frauded the State by funding coupons wrongfully detached. The sole witness of importance to the prosecution was a forger clerk of mine, named Ladd, who swore that I bad told him one day at dinuer that I had funded that amount of coupons for Scott, Neagle, Kimpton, Chamberlain and myself. He did not say that the proceeds were delivered to Chamberlain as well as to the others, but that Kimpton received the amount which it was understood be was to account for to Chamberlain. Well the jury Bat on the trial about two weeks, and finally agreed together that something must be done. So they brought in a verdict against me for $75,000. Assuming, for the sake of the argument, that the ver? dict was legitimately rendered, why were not indictments drawn against the others who were impeached by the same testi? mony? If Ladd was to be believed, all concerned in this transaction were equally guilty and equally exposed to prosecution for their share in it. His evidence, if it affected one. affected all. These statements will be denied, of course, but I have endeavored to state the plain facts as accurately as I could. I do not seek to deny or extenuate the part which I took in this Ring corrup? tion. I frankly admit these acts of mine in South Carolina, which I now bitterly regret, and which I would give much to be able to blot out. I can only say that I went to South Carolina an honest man, and succumbed, like others, to the great temptations in my path. We were sur? rounded by enemies, and were obliged to maintain our places by the exercis of all the power we could get into our hands. With the power and opportunity presen? ted to us, surrounded as we were by an array of unusual temptations, such as few men had ever presented to them be? fore, it is not strange, perhaps, that rings were formed and corruption reigned as it did in New York City under the Tweed ring. So far, however, as my official ac? tion as State treasurer is concerned, I deny that there are any irregularities in my accounts. There was no plundering of the State treasury, except that author? ized by the Legislature. I paid such demands as were audited and presented in accordance with law, but the books were carefully kept and no irregular payments made to any person. The suit brought against me was for funding coupons after I left the office of treasurer, and the accounts which I de? livered over to my successor have never been impeached. After the election in 1872 I remained in Charleston on private business. I began the study of law in Maj. Melton's office, and continued as a student there until I went to Europe in 1874. parker as a repentant sinner. In the fall of 1874 I came North and settled in Jersey City, engaging in busi? ness in New York. For the past two years I have tried to live an honest and Christian life and help the temperance cause and other good measures so far as lay in my power. I do not wish to con? ceal the record of my life in Charleston, but I desire also that the life which I have been leading for the past two years should be considered when my case is passed upon in judgment. the ring pictured in detail. I have no respect for the men with whom I was connected for six years. Chamberlain impresses me as a cold, re? served, calculating and unscrupulous man in his ambition for power, place and reputation. In his conduct towards me he has been hypocritical, as well as base. Cardozo I believe to be an oily, plausi? ble, intriguing, unprincipled fellow, and it seems likely that he will be shown up, in the present investigation, in his true light. Frank Moses is a good-natured, easy-going man, with do principles in particular, and little pretension to any. So long as his father was alive, he had no fear of the issue of any prosecution, and so was more open than some of the others in his underhand dealings.? Kimpton is a fit ally for Chamberlain, exactly the man to have been his most intimate friend in college, and he has worked in close accord with him. They were not warm friends, because each was too selfish to care much about anybody except himself. Patterson was an active member of the Bing, and is dipped as deep as any of them. He may succeed in suppressing the investigation, so far as he is concerned, backed by the influ? ence which he can control, but the sup? pression of evidence is the only thing that can save him from indictment. As to the present CONDITION OF SOUTH CAROLINA, I certainly think that it is better than when in the hands of the King. Wade Hampton I believe to be an honest man, and one who will try to do his duty to all classes of the citizens. I have no doubt that many colored votes were cast for him in the last election. Many of the blacks had become disgusted with the Chamberlain government and the wholesale plundering that was going on under the King, and which Chamberlain at least did not interfere to prevent. I am convinced that the determined strug? gle which Chamberlain made to retain his post as Governor was due largely to his rooted dislike of having the new administration overhaul the records of the past eight years. If immunity from suspicion or direct charges could hare been assured him, he would not have held out so long. The control of the State is now so entirely in Democratic hands that the Republicans have practi? cally no chance of political success for years to come. The party was trusted with the reins of government and mis? used its trust. All people have lost con? fidence in the integrity of the Republi? can leaders, and the party as a political organization has fallen to pieces. Not Charley Ross.?The boy that was reputed to be Charley Ross was taken to Philadelphia on Saturday last. The Eositive assertion of his guardians that e was indeed the missing boy attracted an excited multitude to the Continental Hotel, and many persons vowed that the boy was Charley. Two brothers of the father examined him carefully, and then said: "We do not think he is the boy." A neighbor of Mr. Ross said: "I know it's Charley Ross." The guests of the hotel thronged into the room to catch a glimpse of tne voungster, and kept going and coming all day. In the afternoon his guardian started with him for Ger mantown, the residence of Mr. Christian K. Ross. At least fifteen hundred per? sons gathered in the depot to see him off, and men waved handkerchiefs and wo? men threw kisses at the curly-haired boy. At Gertnantown the passengers quit the train in a body and followed the boy; their numbers increased by hundreds of residents there. When they reached Mr. Ross's house the throng went on to an? other house, two blocks above, a detour being made to enter Mr. Ross's premises in the rear. The crowd followed in con? fusion, tramped over the the lawn, flowers shrubbery, and even invaded the private ?ortico, driving the Ross family inside, he boy didn't recognize any of the sur? roundings, or any person. When taken , to Mr. Ross' side he did not make any signs of recognition. Mr. Ross ques? tioned him at length. He said: "I live with Mr. Coffin. My mother lives in St. Mary's; I never lived in a big town; I lived in a big cabin with one room in it; I ain't going to tell you evefything." Both Mr. and Mrs. Ross are confident he is not their boy. Mr. Ross says: "People are very foolish. If a boy is found about whose identity there is any secrecy whatever, they jump right to the conclu? sion that it must c>e my boy. They never stop to investigate the facts.? Why, I have had five hundred, yes, near? ly six hundred, cases brought to my no? tice from all over this country, Canada, and England, and in nine cases out of ten, when I run them out, they were either illegitimate children or women running away with children from their husbands." The last boy was known as Augustus Lovering, and was found at St. Mary's, Ohio. ? Scene in a restaurant at the seaside: Two gentlemen had a tolerably good din? ner and were looking at the bill. There was a mistake in it. In lieu of two bot? tles of champagne which had been con? sumed the waiter had charged for only one. "Shall we point out the thing?" says one, probably the more scrupulous. "Well," replied the other, after a mo? ment of doubt, "we had better not; the waiter would be sure to be scolded, poor fellow!" IMMIGRATION. i An Essay Read Before the Summer Meeting of the State Grange at Anderson, S. C, on t/ie dth of August 1877, by Major Julius Mills, of Chester, S. C. My daily duties have required so much of time that I have been prevented pre? paring this paper with the care or accu? racy which statistical information affords, but so warmly and so constantly have I devoted my attention and humble servi? ces to what I have conceived would pro? mote the Grange or develop the resources of the State, that I would have been re? creant to that feeling baa I failed in however humble way to contribute all I could in furtherance of the object of this meeting. Here at this great and impor? tant convention of those who have so much at heart in our proud old common? wealth, we should hurry to shake off the political dead weight which has hung upon our every interest, social and finan? cial ; to rise before the world untarnished by the influences of the past few years, and enlist in a move to rebuild our "waste places and re-establish our prosperity. With the overthrow of slavery passed away our agricultural system. The basis of our capital being our slaves, their ab? olition utterly destroyed that basis, and left us without means and to rely entire? ly upon the produce of the farm as our only capital. The great disproportion of | land to capital, high valuations and tax? ation crippled our efforts at securing the lost capital. Hence we stand upon the ruins of our former resources. We are without the opportunities of the past, and the same means of our success is impotent now. The system with slavery cannot be inaugurated with the same labor made free, nor can that system practiced by other countries with free labor be successfully introduced into our system. While, then, I would regret any move driving our present labor from its fields of usefulness and prosperity, lean not concur that it is the best labor. As evidence of this we may safely compare its condition and disposition after twelve years of freedom, under the most favora? ble circumstances. Twelve years ago these people entered upon the race of j freedom and life with facilities beyond that of any laboring people in the world. Without experience of management, but with a practical experience and training through life, and under intelligent con? trol, they had placed in their hands un? limited means of land and capital. Their early productions sold at high prices. And with all this opportunity, unincum bered by debt, bouyant with hope, the amount of their taxable property is com? paratively nothing, and those who con? stitute the best of their class as laborers are the old farm hands, trained under a different system. All the advan? tages are in their favor, but these are dying out, and those who are to take their places are utterly unqualified for the system common in other countries. This being true, as I believe, the time, indeed, the momeut, is upon us when we must examine the question of our labor, and put into practice a system of immi? gration which will carry with it a new era of our agricultural husbandry. I advocate the introduction of such a class of immigrants as shall prove a ben? efit to us, to themselves and to our pres? ent labor. As to the latter, by coming in contact with them and their personal influence and example, I desire a class which will permanently settle upon our lands either as tenants or land holders a class which will bring with them capi? tal, enterprise and industrious habits, whose presence will stimulate the listless to renewed efforts by the very force of | example and established success. These will cultivate our idle fields now burden? ing us with taxation without profit, and force our present labor into the same system or one more congenial to their habits and intelligence. Having thus feebly iutimated the de? mands upon us for an increase of labor, we would examine what increase of wealth and development may be antici? pated. By the best information at my com? mand every immigrant brought into our country is estimated to bring with him an average of $56 per head. Then, if we could induce 500 per month to come among us, we have $336,000 of cash cir? culated per month. This is not a small matter where so much is needed to re? build our waste places. But immigrants have a labor valuation estimated at $1,100 per head. This labor estimation at the North would be in? creased in South Carolina. For if it be worth $1,100 among its equals and com? petitors in the production of wealth, how much more must it be worth coming in contact with an ignorant, unskilled and thriftless class ? So, then, we might safely estimate a well instructed laborer and small em? ployer common among the agricultural classes of Germany and Ireland coming in contact with our present labor would develop it at least one-third more, and thereby increase his own valuation. Then, this immigrant valuation at the North increased one-third in South Car? olina, we have him worth $1,466.66j, and 500 per month would put our means of J production and our ability to retain the countless millions produced well in our own hands. The $60,000,000 of produce .handled and returned to the South by the way of transportation, commissions, exchange, &c., would establish our grand old city by the sea upon such a basis as would redound to the interest of the whole State, and rehabilitate our silent places of business. As an instance of the class of irarai frants I would introduce into our State, will refer to a conversation bearing upon this subject with an intelligent gen? tleman from a Northern State. He had no opinion of Southern immigration from his section, and said: "Why, sir, our people would not leave their towns, villages, churches and schools to come into your sparsely settled country at any price; and, besides, I have a man in my employ who has $1,000 deposited in a bank, and I doubt if you have such an instance in your entire country." I ad? mitted that we could not expect him, but his man with $1,000 in cash was the very man who would come when he once knew the soil, climate and resources of | our country, and when he understands that by coming South he becomes an employer of labor and establishes him? self upon a homestead?which he can never do at home, because of the high price of land, he will come among us and build up schools and churches. Another instance: Last year a young immigrant into Chester County returned to Ireland, and when telling his country? men that one of their family in Chester was cultivating successfully twenty and twenty-five acres of land, and that we can grow two crops of Irish potatoes, he was told not to tell such yarns to them. Then, admitting immigration to be a necessity, we must inaugurate a system of publication which shall inform the immigrant that our climate is congenial to every race. We must make known our resources of wealth, and invite them to come among us to develop them. To this eud nothing has proven a greater success than immigration agen cies and land commissions. I would suggest a State agency, with as much land at its disposal as could be bought, long credit and low interest to purchasers. I would incorporate similar inducements to merchants and capitalists, by giving away water powers, factory sites and repeal of taxes. With a com? petent agency under the guidance of our present government, an enlightened un? derstanding of our wants and the means afforded, South Carolina could have no superior in the race for future prosperity, and the day could not be far distant when her past credit would be restored.? Charleston would become a city of the magnitude and influence which her commercial position entitles her to.? Commercial steamers would ply directly j with all Europe ;? Sabbath school and I factory bells would chime where now habitation is unknown; our swamps and low lands would give place to the plow and mower or reaper; fisheries would be established upou every stream; snowy flocks would sport upon a thousand hills, and the millions of dollars which we now produce, but go to enrich others, would develop beyond every conception, and we become a busy and prosperous people. ERUPTION OF COTOPAXI. More than One Thousand Lives Lost. Ecuador Correspondence New York Nation. Quito, July 4. The last eruption of the volcano of Cotopaxi, the tenth according to ray com? putation, took place on the 26th or June last, with every circumstance that could increase its horror?utter darkness in broad day, thunder and lightning, fearful explosions that made the earth tremble, subterranean noises and wild gusts of wind, accompanied by a rain of ashes. An eye-witness told me that the volcano poured out a cataract ten times the bulk of Niagara, which carried all before it I in its headlong course, and submerged the whole surrounding country. The torrent I divided itself in two opposite directions, 1 as if to give greater scope to its devasta-1 tion and to make confusion still more dire. One branch took a southerly course toward the city of Latacunga, sit-1 uated twelve miles from Cotopaxi. On I its way the torrent converted the plain I of Callao into an immense lake. There is but faint hope that the ruins of the palace of the Incas, described by Hum? boldt, and all other travelers through the central valley of the equatorial Andes, have escaped the ravages of the flood. Near Latacunga the furious current tore up from its very foundation the cotton I factory of Don Jose Villagomez, whose I value was estimated at $300,000; crops, I cattle, buildings were swept away; the I massive bridges of Cutuche and Pansal-1 vo were destroyed, as well as a part of the fine carriage-road (scarce equalled even in Europe) which connects Quito I with the towns in the south of the re-J public. THE TORRENTS OF BOILING WATER. The branch that headed toward the f south of Cotopaxi devasted the prosper- f ous and enchanting valley of Chulo, and in particular the estate of the Senor Aguirre, noted for having been the resi dence of Humbolt. There, too, as in Latacunga, arose the building of a thriv- I ing factory, which, only the year before, I had been destroyed by fire, and had been I repaired at great expense. The torrent rooted it from the ground, and bore it away in a thousand fragments. It is as? serted that a mill of Don Manuel Pala cois floated on the water like a ship at sea until scattered by the current. The loss in the valley of Chillo alone is esti mated at over two millions of dollars, and the loss in other sections is equally great. It is likewise calculated that the number of the dead exceeds one thou? sand. Although the surroundings of Quito have been laid waste, the city itself suffered only from a rain of ashes*and a complete darkness, which began on the 26th of June, at 3 o'clock in the after noon. At Machache and other places! the night lasted for thirty consecutive hours. In the midst of this opaque I gloom one could hear the bellowing off the cattle and the cries of other animals, who, deprived of their usual food by the I shower of ashes, sought, in a species of frenzy, for the means of satisfying their hunger. Other beasts, frantic with ter-1 ror, careered hither and thither as if in I despair, and the piteous howling of the dogs pierced the ear with its ominous! sound. In Quito the darkness was as that of night; it was like that described by the younger Pliny in a letter to Taci-1 tus, in which he relates the eruption of I Vesuvius and the destruction of Pompeii. I "It was," he says, "as if the lights in the I .room had been extinguished." At Quito I the shower at first was of course heavy I sand, which subsequently turned into I ashes so fine and impalpable that they penetrated not only into apartments, but I into the most carefully closed receptacles. In the depth of the darkness, men and women, braving the rain of ashes, sallied I forth into the streets, screening them-1 selves with umbrellas and lighting their way with lanterns, and all the while these J strange apparitions rent the air with their I cries and prayers for mercy. The um- j brellas, as well as the green eyeglasses I used here on? journeys, were no superflu- j ous precaution, although they afforded but scant protection against the subtle powder, which it was remembered had in many cases produced blindness during the eruption of 1843, and the rain of ashes of thirty hours that then attended it. ! SUPERSTITIOUS FRENZY OF THE PEOPLE. From the outset the people had unani? mously ascribed the disaster to a chastise? ment of heaven, brought down by the irreligion of the government, which had arbitrarily closed the churches and de? prived the people of those spiritual con? solations that were made doubly necessa? ry by the sad condition of things in gen? eral. The idea of a divine punishment spread like wild-fire, and as the tempest raged more wildly this conviction gath? ered intensity, until at last groups of men, without a leader, without any con? certed plan, and without arms, threw themselves upon the guard at the military hospital, while others attacked the guard stationed at the powder magazine on the hill of Javira. There were but few troops in the garrison, the greater part having been sent to suppress the insur? rection in Imbabura; but the assailants, lacking arms and direction, were prompt? ly overpowered, with no further loss than that of two soldiers and two citizens. On the day following, before the city had recovered from its consternation, and while clouds of ashes still hovered in the air and pervaded the streets, five of the unhappy prisoners who had been taken during the tumult suffered the barbarous punishment of five hundred lashes.? Some have died in consequence. The fact needs no comment. A number of respectable citizens have been arrested ana are to be subjected to a court-martial. In the present wretched coii?!iii'?;i of Ecuador, ruined as it is by a ??'t ies of disasters, the recent eruption k t ne cul? mination of its woes. Ten yea r- < >. : >eacc and prosperity, of which there m laiiit prospect now, will not suffice u> repair the evils which a few hours have wrought in this unfortunate land. LEGAL ADVERTISING.-We are compelled to require cash payments for advertising ordered by Executors, Administrators and other fiduciaries and herewith append the rates for the ordinary notices, which will only be Inserted whon the money comes with the order: Citations, two insertions, - $3.00 Estate Notices, three insertions, - - 2.00 Final Settlements, five insertions - ? 3.00 TO CORRESPONDENTS.?In-order to receive attention, communications must be accompanied by the true name and address of the writer. .Re? jected manuscripts will not be returned, unless the necessary stamps are furnished to repay the postage thereon. 49" We are not responsible for the views and opinions of our correspondents. All communications should be addressed to "Ed* itors Intelligencer," and all checks, drafts, money orders, Ac, should be made payable to the order of E. B. MURRAY A CO., Anderson, S. C. General News Summary. ? Jennie June, the well-known corre? spondent and fashion writer, is seriously ill at her residence in New York. ? A Kentucky newspaper says that an investigation of the records of the State shows that not a single man or wo? man within its borders has been legally married. ? It is stated that Gen. Bob. Toombs will be a candidate for the United States Senate to succeed Gordon, and that with this end in view he will apply to the next Congress for a removal of his disa? bilities. ? The New York Tribune thinks that if Patterson ever made the famous re? mark, attributed to him a year or so ago. that "there are five years "more of good stealing in South Carolina yet," he has probably revised it now. ? Mr. James Gordon Bennett is de? scribed by a London correspondent as looking exceedingly well, as driving about that city after a beautiful black horse, and as inundated with invitations to balls and garden parties by the nobili? ty and gentry. ? Just before leaving Boston for Eu? rope, Professor Graham Bell, of tele? phone fame, married the daughter of Gardiner G. Hubbard, a deaf mute. He had so carefully instructed her that she uttered distinctly all the responses of the wedding service. ? High ritual is on the increase in London. Thirty-nine churches now cel? ebrates daily communion, against eleven last year; 340 have surpliced choirs, against 114; 35 have eucharistic vest? ments, against 14; 39 display candles on. the altar, and since 1867 the use of in? cense has been extended from three churches to sixteen. ? The Pope preserves his high spirits unabated. On reading in the Repub lique Francaise that he has been dead for several years and is personated by a {wriest, his Holiness burst into a fit of aughter, and ordered a subscription to be taken in his name to the paper for five years. "We shall see who lasts the longest!" he said, "and how it will vex them to put the Pope's address on the wrappers r ? The Queen's maids of honors are all granddaughters of peers, who are not b* Fow the rank of Earl, that being a sine qua non of eligibility for the position. They receive $2,000 a year, and if tbey marry the Queen presents them with $3,000. Each is on duty about two months in the year. Since the Prince Consort's death they have had a dread? fully dull time of it. Many of these ladies have remained until past 50, by which time they have probably become old maids of honor. ? Joyce and McDonald, the released St. Louis whiskey-thieves, for the devel? opment of whose crimes Secretary Bris tow was driven from Grant's Cabinet, are not yet beyond the reach of the ls.w. One of them has an indictment pending against him for destroying important offi? cial records, and there are plenty of charges that can be brought against the other. The value of prosecuting them still farther lies in their capacity to give valuable information about their corrupt allies who have thus far escaped detec? tion. ? The jubilee offerings to the Po?>e amounted in ronnd numbers to $3,250, 000, half of which was in gold, while the remainder was in paper. He will give $850,000 to charitable institutions, and will' divide $2,400,000 into three equal portions of $800,000. One of these will be added to the funds of the Holy. Chair; another will be apportioned among offi? cers, servants, retainers and friends v.-'ao have been faithful to the Vatican, and the third will be appropriated to the re? storation of ecclesiastical monuments and to the execution of works of utility. ? The Czar receives much of the blame for the recent Russian reverses, and it is said that his presence with the army operates unfavorably upon the plans of the commanding officers and (he movements of the troops. He exercised unnecessarily more or less influence and authority, without shouldering any re? sponsibility, and thus weakened the decis? ion and energy of his generals. The presence of Nicholas I at the front in 1828 proved equally unfortunate for the same reasons. The Czar is said to have left Bulgaria at the earnest request of the Grand Duke. ? The next triennial session of :,he General Convention of the Episcopal Church will be held at Boston, beginning October 3d, and continuing about three weeks. Between 350 and 400 delegates will be present, and the House of Bishops will hold their meetings in the chapel of . Trinity Church, and the House of Cleri? cal and Lay Deputies in Emaniial Church. The opening and closing ser? vices will be held in Trinity Church. Among the important topics to come up for consideration are the proposal to change the name "Protestant Episcopal Church" to something else, and methods for simplifying and facilitating mission? ary work. ? A meeting of mechanics and labor? ers, in favor of establishing a colony of Marylanders in Florida, was held in Bal? timore the other evening. The president of the meeting stated that he had corre? sponded with toe Governor of Florida in relation to emigration to that State, and had received a reply from. Governor Drew 3tating that his letters had bee a re? ferred to the Commissioner of Land and Immigration, and that while Florida held out no special inducements to emi? grants, they could purchase forty acres of land for $40. A resolution was adopted to name the association ot col? onists "The Florida-Maryland Associa? tion of Baltimore City." ? Asparagus is like a sermon. It is the end of it that people enjoy most. ? Two things in nature are detestable ?a girl who is trying to be a woman, and a woman who is trying to be a girl. ? Hornets cannot speak the English language, but when they tell a picnic party to leave, it is as clearly understood as if uttered by the most grammatical Bostonian. ?- A gentleman, on walking out one Sunday evening, met a young girl whose parents lived near his house. "Where are you going, Jennie?" said he. "Look? ing for a son-in-law for my mother, sir," was the reply. ? He was a gentleman from the coun? try, and had ensconced his "girr' and himself in the corner of a horsecar. As the vehicle sped up Shawmut avenue his arm began to steal around his compan? ion's waist, and his bead inclined loving lv toward her, unconscious of observa? tion by a few remaining passengers. Just as the car approached Sawyer s?reet the conductor thrust his head inside the car and yelled "Saw-yer I" in close prox? imity to Hayseed's head. The latter, hastily drawing himself "into form," in? dignantly remarked: "You necdn'ter howled it through the car, if yon did. We're engaged." The rest of the freight sei; their faces toward the driver,, and grinned. When the disorders of Babyhood at? tack your Baby use at once Dr. Bull's Baby Syrup and notice its rapid an.' ben? eficial effect. 25 cents per bottle.