University of South Carolina Libraries
v-,. r ?*/. .?'?.?V?. >r ^ ... ; .! ,;, ??h- . i ?> . -o-.' li'-ds > .wsf/* -orti:! ?-i>; .a-iiiLjjfjji^! !fc ..Ji?i*"?.rtH?(?y? nu .,m/!.{> ; _ 4<.,*^",l7jt:_i,1Jl lS,ir, ?Jch^?niril* > j ?nfc **? ?mit?* oj tono ,.. rr<s OF !iUBSCRlPTWF.-1~vto DOLLAM '. ' ' .n,l Os? DOLLA? for ?Ix morilla '^"?jjj^luetioni made to club? of ?cn or "'.'"! ^contract' will be made with thone w?shlug ?.IriUe for three, sin or twelve mouth*. Ad 10 ! i ? bi iJatrsct must bt t?n??H In th* ?tn. '//{?'i'," uu'iues?of the firm or Individual coutrac 'Viliituar* SOMCOK exceeding fire liner:, Tribute? r IT.uri i aud all |icraoual communications or . illara of Individual intereat, will l>e charged for "i ?iirerlUInK ratea. Announcements of marriages , ??iaalh? arni notices ofa religious character,are * tfiillV -ollcited, and will be iuactted gratis CHAMBERLAIN UNMASKED. MLES (?. PABKEaVS STORY OF THE SOUTH CAROLINA BING. fen Yean of Itaecutity-An Exrwte of the Crime? of the Car?>et-bag Government from thc Jleconetruefion Convention to 'itt Final Overt ht ole-D. II. Chamberlain and If. II- Kimpton, the Areli Cbuspira (ort-Parter Didn't Intend (o ?Steal at Pirat, hat Chamberlain Tempted him with Hidden Prnit-Ile Repents and lie Heve? in Hampton. Front (Ad AVtr York IIVM 0/ Momlnu. The World reporter called upon Mr. Nile* Ci. Parker, at bia house in Jersey City, and obtained from bim a very full statement, which wa? taken down phono graphically. The statement was mado without previous preparation, and thia may account in great measure for some looseness noticeable in tho arrangement, and also for any slight inaccuracies of dates and figures. Y eaterday afternoon Mr. Parker was engaged in conducting a large temperance meeting in Jersey City, and 011 returning home made tbe follow ing .statement: PARKER'S RECORD AND ELECTION*. I settled in Charleston in February, I860, engaging in planting and the mer cantile supply business. In 1867 Gen. Canby appointed mo alderman in the city of Charleston. Gaillard was Mayor at thc time and there was a place in the Council made vacant by death. A few months Inter I was appointed chairman of thc 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 n 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 tho current expenses could be provided for by taxation, and that any further issue of bonds was unnecessary. As in previous years thc Slate expenses had not exceeded $400,000, I did not believe that more than ?000.000 would be needed to cover them. Thc surplus amount paid into the treasury ns collected taxes would bc enough to meet tho pay ment of interest on tho State debts, con solidated and floating, und settle in the course of n few years all outstanding claims not represented already by State bonds. The act was incorporated in tbe Constitution, however, in spite of my op position. At the first election under the new Constitution 1 was put in nomination fur State treasurer ana 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. 8cott waa Governor, Chamberlain was attorney general, Car duzo wns Secretary of State, Frank Moses was adjutant general and N eagle waa comptroller general. Tbe constitution of tho Legislature wno entirely Republican, I think without an exception. The Dem ocrats refused to take part in the election. Natu rally both Sonate and H' use were composed very largely of colored mem bers. Frnuk Moses was the speaker of the House, and undoubtedly the most in fluential member cf it duriug bis four year's torin of office. ONLY PORTY-TWO DOLLARS IK TBE STATE TREASURY. When I took charge of the State treas ury there waa only forty-two dollars in it. Hy the comptroller general's report .br 1867 the bonded and stock debt was nearly $6,000,000, and there was consid erable interest outstanding a? well os other unadjusted debts amounting ap proximately to $3,000,000. The tax of the first year was 8J mills upon tho as sessed valuation of the pro^arty in the State. Thia tax was expected to yield $1,200,000 or 81,300,000. Tbe 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 tas to cover the expenses of the current year ns well as the year ending October 81, 1869, wo only imposed one tax, os wo had then an honest intention to relieve the people of the State of all but neces sary burdens. So wo made a tax for one year only, intending to provide for out standing claims by the issue of bonds. Of thia tax imposed we collected about three-fourths, and the balance was loft outstanding. No extraordinary mens 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 ibo Provisional Government a law had been passed anihori&ing the funding of all outstanding debts, iutereat ?nu priueipal, up to July 1, 1867. The Legislature, in July, 1868, passed a bill to pay all interest duo from July 1,1867, in gold. Thia bill was engineered by ibo Stato financial agent H. 3. Kimpton. He was a friend anti classmate of Chain berlnin's, and was. introduced by him to me as the proper man to be the financial agent of the State. He was appointed > by the rinnnclal board-Scott. Cham berlain and myself. The bill waa regarded by us as Kimpton'a measure, and be represented that it would raise tho value of the bonds materially, and enhance tho credit of the State. Ju thia view he waa supported by Chamberlain. Here I may any that I never knew a financial act to pnss the Legislnture u'b*ch *"?HE PO! r?rniuvaorl na a. hill bv Kimpton and sanctioned by Chamber lain. His bills were always passed aa presented. In regard to this particulnr bill, it should bc ndded thnt the interest demanded waa paid In gold until the winter of 1869-70, when the law waa changed, ao that thereafter the interest was payable in currency. Kimpton waa himself obliged to obtain tho change of thc act, ns it waa ?cen to bo impossible to meet the demands upon tho treasury for gold. in tho course of i860 nnd i860 tne Legislature passed acts to provide for thc redemption, at par, of all floating debts outstanding. AH these financial meas ures authorizing tho issue of bonds were pU?ceptiblc cf 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 Stato of South Carolina, said bonds to be r.'gned by tho Governor and treasurer, and seal rd by the secretary of State, to bc Savable in South Carolina aud at the [?w York financial agency." The de batable point Is whether bonds repre senting *1.000.000 were to he put on tho market, or wh nner *l,OW.O00 waa to bc obtained by the sale of bonds at any price. Thia point I will Uko up pres ently. In round numbers the financial board was authorized to raino $8,200,000 in the years lR68~69by the issuo of bonds of the State of South Carolina; $1,000, WO for tho payment of interest on the public debt at 6 per cent., $1,000,000 for tho 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 Sute bank. These bilis havo not yet beeu redeemed, but are floating about in considerable quantities, though I do not believe any one knows how many are in existence. In this session also the famous Con yerrion 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 t<. ?ive uniformity and consolidation to all c?ales 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 ^turned and bonded in the presence of thc financial board and others, $250,000 wore 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 fiuanciul 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 thc public. In this last v?ay they might have been presented to the State treasury honestly for fund ing. I was Hued upon a civil process for $150,000 in 1874, the allegation being that I had funded that amount illegally in the treasury. A judgment was ren dered against me for $75,000; but this, you wi ll bear in mind, was the judgment on a technical wrong in a civil suit. As soou 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 tn P. act, but all others issued were put ou 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 $8,200,000 which the Legisla ture authorized the Governor to raise by the sale of bonds had to be obtained at n sacrifice. The bonds of the State would not sell nt 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, 1 understood, and I thiuk it was generally understood by all members of the Legis lature except those let into the secret that $3,200,000 in bondB nt par was thc total sum authorized by tho acts. Whet the acts were passed, however, Chamber lain and Kimpton pointed out what wai the literal interpretation of the acts They contended that bonds could bes?le at any sacrifice to obtain the sum in casi of $3,200,000. Relying on Chamberlain as the legal adviser of the board, Scot and I consented to the issue of thi amount of bonds necessary to raise th? authorized sum. Ho found, however that the ordinary bonds of the State wen not taken readily when put on the mor ket. Bankers require the best securit; possible, before they will invest thei money in the purchase of bonds, that th I bonds are legally issued. This poin was involved in seme doubt, and whe> they discovered that there were mor than a million of bonds issued under th' act to provide for the payment of th Eublic debt, they refused to deal in thes onds, or rather to take them in any waj In this exigency recourse was had to th act authorizing the issue of conversio bonds. The act provides that thes bonds shall be issued for the redemptio of other State securities, but it was cor tended by Chamberlain and Kimnto that these bouda could also bo issued d rectly, thac is they could be put on tb market and sold like ordinary bonds, an the proceeds devote? to the redemptio otoutstanding claims and to meet otb; Ht.ito expenses. Scott and 1 were pp vailed upon by Chamberlain and Kimi ton io countenance this issue of bonds. When, therefore, these conversion bom were put directly on the market th? were sold quite readily, for brokers hi uo means of knowing how many we issued, or could be issued, in one yes So they secured these bouds as collator security, and purchased them in prefc ence to the others. Perhaps this was n exactly fair, but we weut on the prim pie that outsiders were bound to look o for themselves. The object of the fina cial board in this was to secure money tho least cost to the State, and there w no intention to defraud the State thei by. DEBT INCREASED $10,000,000 IN FOI YEAR8. During thc four years in which ' were in office the bonded debt was i creased about $10,000,000. All outstan ing clnima were provided for and wip out, so that at the end of the four ye: the only outstanding debt was for t current expanses of the State during 18 This board has been censured forcausi these acts to be passed. Who drew and presented tho acts? Chamber?) drew up every one of them, and Kimpl presented them. '.The prpo'?sit?o? fori issue of conversion bonds directly \ I ......In Kw rUifiiTilv>rlri?n. . T- looked Ut thia issue as a necessity. I.look upon now as I did then. My first opposit to tlie issue of bonds in the Constituti al Convention was due to tho belief t the State expenses could be provided without this issue, by taxation. Whc found, however, that the State experi were extravagapt, and demands w mrtdo upon tho treasury by law money, I acquiesced In the measures p posed by Chamberlain and Kimpton. PRANKS OF EX-GOVERNOR MOSES. There was a terrible increase of pendituro at each succeeding sessior the Legislature. Frank Moses wai tlie chair, and I am told by trostwoi persons that he has acknowledged having signed away $500,000 dishcuee though I am sure that it was a m larger sum. I believe that three or i millions of dol?ais were spent in ex of the necessary, expenses for the m i ogs of the Legislature during these : years. Both Senate and House t reapon&ible for this. The first presii of the Senate was a pretty good n Boozer. They soon got him out, I ever. He was elected a judge and t out during the first session. Ransic colored man, took his place. He equal to the occasion. Corbin was | dent pro tem. of the Senato when Bo< the Lieutenant Governor, was absent paid Corbin a good deal of money, he held a large number of offices anti ceived largo snlarics and regular perqui sites therefrom. I knew nothing, there fore, to inculpate him. I had no doubt that a number ol charges brought against tho treasury were improperly passed by the Legislature. Io particular there were a number of five thousand dollar claims presented which I thought were outrageous, certificates issued hy those who purchased senator*: and representatives. Tho certificate* were properly a' ihorized, however, and I had to pay them. Suppose I had refused tc honor them, what would havo beert the result? Why I should have been kicked out for not doing my duty as treasurer There was too much influence brought tc bear against me. If I had stood oui alone it would not have made any differ ence. Why, I have been to Fran! Moses, WITH TEA?18 IN MY EVIiJ, and said to him : "You wi?l have nc money at all in tho treasury if you go or in this way." Frank Moses would onl look up and lau;h. "Talk about thesi Republican Reformers," he would say "you never beard me nay anything abou reform." No said I, I never did. I went ou:, of office on October 81,1872 Scott went out at the nnmo time, am Moses cami, in as Governor. Samue Melton succeeded Chamberlain os utter ney general, but when Chamberlain wen out of office he became Melton's lav partner, and ?o got right behind th< throne again. One of the first acts of th Legislature after Frank Moses beca m Governor waa an act directing the attor ney general of the State to prosecute th lato sinking fund commissioners of tb State for corruption. These commission ers were Scott, Nengle, Chamberlain, th chairman of the finance committee of th Senate and the chairman of the way and means committee of the House. Di Melton do it now ? What did he do Waited until April 1874, and then con menced a prosecution against me. Th complaint VJ made b; Daniel H. Chan berlsin, then Governor and ex-offici president of tliu nuking fund commissioi The attorney geueral brought a suit fe the recovery of 525,000, alleged to hav been fraudulently misapplied. I was a rested and held on bail. A night or tw before my arrest Chamberlaiu had bee talking to me as pleasantly as ever in iii theatre, where Anua Dickinson was lei turing. We had a loving parting, bi be sneaked off and caused me to be n rested on the next day, or within a fe days at any rate. When I aucceede however, in pressing the thing to a BU it was nol prossed by the attorney genera On whose shoulders does the blame fi the borrowing of th'- $25,000 lie? Tl sinking fund commissioners ought have been prosecuted for their pr.rt i the matter RB well os for other crim which they committed. Tbe treasu: needed the money, and it was none my business who" lent tho Rniount. was not my funeral at all. I consult with Chamberlain, asking him if it w any crime on my part to borrow tb money. "No/' he said, "it is no eric Of yours." Chamberlain will say n< that be was in a minority on them uki: fund commission, and that the comm sion lent the money to the treasury wit out his consent. At any rate the sin ing fund commissioners nre responsit in this matter and not n.yself, thc trei urer. THE BLUE RIDGE RAILROAD S'.VINDI In regard to the Blue Rid gu Kai lu. swindle, by which the Statu was said have been defrauded out of $1,800,000 cnn say at ?east that I had nothing to with the road, except when called upt in my capacity as State treasurer, to p over to the officers of the road the PC voted by the Legislature. When xiai son was President of the ro?dt $4,000,( was voted by the LegisltT.ure, in St scrip, to defray the expenses of its tn stru'etion. Harrison applied to Sc( who was then Governor, fer money, e Scott requested Kimpton to furn $200,000 to Harrison for the road in turn for $600,000 of the bonded stock the road owned by the State. Kimpt I believe, still hr* tba. *600,000 of ste Carecen succeeded Harnson as pretid of the road, and Patterson succee* Cameron. So Patterson came to h control of tho four millions of stock, ! the$600,000 which Kimpton had gobb! It is this $3,600,000 tbnt he has got i to account for. I know that he borro' $325,000 from a gentleman in this c E. B. Wesley, giving $700,000 of Blue Ridge Road stock as security cannot tell what disposition he mach any portion except of this amount never owned a dollar's worth of stock the road myself. Scott owned stool it and holds it to-day. As to tho le of Patterson lo me aa State treasu published a few days ago, authorizing to deliver to H. H. Kimpton rove land scrip amounting to $114,250; I rendy to admit that it is genuine. If ask rae whether I paid this order, I swer, that I paid every order for this .: made upon the treasury by Senator '. terson as president of the road. I not set that T had any authority to w hold the scrip, so long as it wns draw accordance with %}g?i provisions. Ii scrip was afterwards misapplied, I nothing to do with this subscq handling of it. As financial agent of the State, Ki ton had in his possession all bonds o State thnt were ever issued for rai ; money. He was not obliged by la exhibit his accounts to the State trc rer, to the financial board nor to re any vouchers thereof, and never di until his final settlement. Wher financial settlement was mado in ac< ance with a special act, he received the financial board a due bill of a $160,000, nnd settled with the board what is stated to he a fraudulent a booka. Chamberlain was a merah ?So hnnrrl. and took an active part i that pertains to the issue, manage and settlement of ite finances. J Willard told me that Kimpton had ufactured a fraudulent set of bookf I cannot .asert it of my own knowl I supper thia statement will shot hand to him, but I do not care mu Chamberlain signed the settlement papers in that matter, nnd took pi all other transactions of the board. THE PRINTING SWINDLE. Th? Appropriations for the bene tho Republican Printing Company in the main a gigantic swindle. V ruff and Jones, who ran the com will bo compelled to tell how tho n was appropriated. Tho following dispatch to the Ch ton News ana Courter supplement Parker's prediction in regard to al Jones and Woodruff: "The agreement with Jones and > ruff, the lite clerks of the Housi Senate, is tbat a nolle pro*, shall 1 tered on tile indictment against they to testify in behalf of the when called upon to do so. Eac' runners $28,000 of Bonanza warran all claims against the State for pri Ac. ; Jones also $12,000, and Wc surrenders the Republican Printing pany's building and fixtures in Coll valued at about $7.000, and also against the Bank of tho State for OOO. Both Jones and Woodruff their respective residences in Charles ton as settled upon tho wife in Wood rufTs case, and the children in that of Jones'." As to tho THOMAS W. PRICE PRINTING COMPANY, continued Mr. Parker, I know that Thomas W. Frico is a merchant in Phil adelphia, Penn., and I am quito positive that, when his claim for printing was first presented it was for $6,000, aud was afterwards raised to 16,000. James Thompson, Chamberlain's right baud man, and tho editor of tho Daily Union' Herald, acted ns an agent between Price and the treasury. CH AMBEHT.AIN 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 mo. I do object, however, to being made the scapegoat of tho Ring, and I am by no means willing that Chamber lain and Kimpton shou a thrust off any of their load on my shoulders. I am tired of hearing of what Parker did, ai i how he acted iu this transaction and that when I know that my share in the questiona ble doings of the Ring from 1868 to 1871 wa? no greater, to say the least, than that of the the other members with v/hom I acted. During these six years tho corrup tion and peculation increased yearly, and it is idle to attempt to palliate or deny it. If thc present investigation in South Carolina is pushed, the extent of the cor ruption will bo laid baie, and all who wero parties to it will bo brought to judgment. I wish it to bo 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 nm ready to hold myself responsible for my share in it. If I have sinned in tho 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 Ring took in the transactions of those six years shall be exactly deter mined, and condemnation meted out in proportion to tho 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 undei his nose, and be must have known about them. In other transactions his nptnc did not appear, but there can be no ques tion that ne was concerned ir. thom ir some way. In other cases still he reaped a direct benefit from his co-operation Like the case of the MARINE AND RIVER PHOSPHATE MININO COMPANY for instance. Tho shady transaction: connected with tho management of this company, and tho bills lobbied throng! the Legislature for its benefit, are quit-, generally known. The measures bj which the interests of its stockholder were subserved in tho ^Legislatures havi been published in the ub-nviesion papers but Chamberlain's connection with it ha not heretofore been stated. The stock o the company waa owued largely by mein bu.-), of tue liing, and Chamberlain heh one-fifteenth of it. It was $600,000. : believe, in all ; so that Chamberlain'] share of the stock was $32,200. Tin Hurley, Chamberlain's right-hand man and the Treasurer of Charleston County lobbied the bills Ter its benefit througl the Legislature. Then there was tho GREENVILLE AND COLUMBIA RAILROAI The bills passed in conuection witl this road wero notoriously disreputable Its capital stock was held in twelv shares, I think, of $25,000 each. Scot! Neagle, Patterson, Chamberlain, Cardo r.os Kimpton, Hurley, Crews and myseli were btouKholders. A BIT OF DIRECT CORRUPTION. I know also that Chamberlain receive $2,000 direct for his connection with transaction which I do not care yet t make public. It was the same transnc tion alluded to in the letter which Elliot read in the last nominating couventic; He rose in bis si at, brandishing this lei ter and threatening to make its content public. An agreement was thereupo Clatched up between bim and Chambei ain, and he made the best he could c his previous threats against him. H read the letter, omitting the names of th persons concerned, one of whom we Chamberlain. I have spoken of thc $150 000 due bili in favor of Kimpton, .indite by the financial board. Now, when Kim] ton was appointed financial agent a agreement was made between him, Chan berlain and myself that all commissior accruing to him should be divided cqua ly among the three. Scott was left oi of this arrangement, although he was c the financial board. Chamberlain at myself were thus entitled by this agre ment to $50,000 of the audited clim As a matter of fact wo never got a dollar thia amount, for Kimpton's due bill h never been paid, and I should ba ve: much surprised if it ever should be, I view of tho coming developments in tl pending investigation. Both Chambe iain and Kimpton will deny this arrar.g ment as a .natter of course, but it is fact nevertheless. You may rememb I the letter from Chamberlain to me pu , lished in the New? and Courier some tit ago, which reads, as nearly as I can nc remember : "Dear Parier-How did the comm ; Bions foot up?" i What did he care about these comm sions unless ho had a personal inton ' in their amount? Nol Chamberla i kept in tho background as far as he cou i and pulled the wires, or employed Kim ton to act as his proxy. It is too pi i posterons for him now to pretend bim . ness and innocence. [ WHY PARKER BAYS HE FELL. In 1874 a civil action was bronc against mo before a mixed jury, Jud Csrp^??tir prAoirl?no\ tn recover $-150.01 ' of which amount it was alleged I bad c 1 frauded the State by funding coupe wrongfully detached. Thesole witness ' importance to tho prosecution was ; forger clerk of mine, named Ladd, w Bwore that I had told him one dny i dinner that I bad funded that amount coupons for Scott, Neagle, Kimpu ' Chamberlain and my.1 alf. He did i say that the proceeds were delivered Chamberlain as wei! as to the others. I f that Kimpton received tho amount whi i it was understood he wes to account - to Chamberlain. Well the jury Bat , the trial about two weeks, and fina ? agreed together that something must done. So they brought in a veni - against me for $75,000. Assuming, . the sake of the argument, that tho v . diet was legitimately rendored, why w not indictments drawn against the oth > who were impeached by the some te I raony? If Ladd was to be believed, - concerned in this transaction w , equally guilty and equally exposed i prosecutiou for their eharo in it. J . evidence, if it affected one, affected I These statements will be denied, , course, but I have endeavored to st f the plain facta aa accurately as I coi - I do not seek to deny or extenuate , part which I took in this Ring corr 1 tion. I frankly admit these acts of ni - in South Carolina, which I now bitU 1 regret, and which I would give mud 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 wero sur rounded by enemies, and were obliged to maintain our places by tho exercis of all the power we could get into our hauds. With, tho power and opportunity presou ted to us, surrounded as we were by an array of unusual temptations, such as few men had ever presented to them be furo, it is not etrarpc, perhaps, that rings woro formed and corruption reigned as it did In New York City under tho T.vccd ring. So far, however, aa my official ac tion as Stale treasurer is concerned, I deny that there arti any irregularities iu my nccouuts. There was no plundering of the State treas u.\, except that author ized by tho Legislature. I paid such demands as were audited and presented apccrdsncc willi law but thc hocks were carefully kept and no irregular payments made to any person. The suit brought against mo was for funding coupons after I left the office of treasurer, end the account? which I de livered over to my successor have never been impeached. Aftor the election in 1872 I remained in Charleston on private business. I began tho study of law in y nj. Melton's office, and continued ns a strident there uctii I neut tu luiir?P? in 1874. PAUKER AB A REPENTANT SINNER. In tho fall of 1874 I came North nnd settled in Jersey City, engaging in busi ness in New York. For the past two years I have tried to live an honest nnd Christian life and help the temperance cause and other good measures BO far ns lay in my power. I do not wish to con ceal the record of my life in Charleston, but I desire nlso that the Hie which I have been leading for tho past two yearn should bo considered when my caso is passed upon in judgment. THE RINO PICTURED IN DETAIL. I hnvo no respect for tho men with whom I wns connected for B?X years. Chamberlain impresses me ns a cold, ro rer veil, calculating and unscrupulous man in his ambition for power, place and reputation. In his conduct towards me ho has bren hypocritical, as well ns base. Cardozo i believe to be an oily, plausi ble, intriguing, unprincipled fellow, and it seems likely that ho will be shown up, in the present investigation, in hie true light. Frank Moses is a good-natured, easy-going roan, with no principles in particular, nnd little pretension to nny. So long as his father wns alive, he hnd no fecr of the issue of any prosecution, and so was moro open than some of tho others in bis underbnnd dealings. Kimpton is a fit ally for Chamberlain, exactly tbe man to hnvo 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 activo member of the Ring, nnd is dipped as deep as any of them. He may succeed in suppressing tbe investigation, so far os he is concerned, bncked by the influ ence which itv eau control, but the sup pression of evidence is the only thing that can Bave him from indictment. As to the PRESENT CONDITION OF SOUTH CAROLINA, I certainly think that it is botter than when in the hands of the Ring. Wade Hampton I behove to be an honest man, and one who will try to do his duty to ail classes of the citizens. I have no doubt that many colored votes were cast for him in the last election. Many ol tbe blacks had become disgusted with the Chamberlain government and the wholesale plundering that was going on under tho Ring, and which Chamberlain at least did not interfere to prevent. I am convinced that tho determined strug gle which Chamberlain made to retain his post as Governor was due largely tc his rooted dislike of having the new administration overhaul the records of the past eight years. If immunity from suspicion or direct charges could have been assured him, he would not have held out so long. The control of the Stat? is now so entirely in Democratic hands that the Republicans have practl cally no chance of political success foi years to come. The party waa trustee with the reins of government and mis used its trust. AU people have lost con fidenco in the integrity of the Republi can leaders, and the party as a pol?tica organization has fallen to pieces. NOT CHARLEY Ross.-The boy tha was reputed to bo Charley Ross was takoi to Philadelphia on Saturday last. Th Eositive assertion of bis guardians tha e was indeed tho missing boy attracted an excited multitude to the Contin^nta Hotel, F.nd many persons vowed that th boy wns Chnrley. Two brothers of th father examined him carefully, and thc! snid : "Wo do not think he is the boy. A neighbor of Mr. Ross said : "I kno\ it's Charley Ross." The guests of th hotel thronged into the room to catch glimpse of tho youngster, and kept goin and coming all day. In the afternoo his guardian started with him foi Ge? mantown, tho residence of Mr. Christin K. Ross. At least fifteen hundred pei sons gathered lu tho depot to seo him ot und men waved handkerchiefs and we men threw kisses at the curly-haired ho; At Germantown the passengers quit tb train in a body and followed the boj their numbers increased by hundreds < residents there. When they reached M Ros?'? bouse tho throng went on to ai other house;, two blocks above, a detoi being made to enter Mr. Ross's prcmisi in the rear. The crowd followed in coi fusion, tramped over tho the lawn, flowe shrubbery, and oven invaded the priva ?ortico, driving the Ross family insid he boy didn't recognize any of the BU rounding.;, or any person. When take to Mr. ROAS' side he did not make ai signs of recognition. Mr. Ross que tioncd ulm at length. Rn ania: "I ll : with Mr. Coffin. My mother lives in ? ' Marv's ; I never lived in a big town *, , lived in a big cabin with one room in i i I ain't going to tell you everything , Both Mr. and Mrs. Ross are confident i ' is not their boy. Mr. Ross says: "Peor, are very foolish. If a boy is found abo ; whoso identity there is any secre i whatever, they jump right to thc cone] , sion that it must be my boy. Th i never utr?p to investigate the facts. ? Why, i have had five hundred, vcr., zia i ly six hundred, cases brought to my t ' tice from all over this country, Cann' i and England, and in nine cases out , ten, when I run them out, they we ? either illegitimate children or worn i husbands.'' The last boy was known i Augustus Lovering, and was found . Sr, Mary's, Ohio. I --- ) - Scene in a restaurant at tho sensit * Two gentlemen had a tolerably good d i ner and were looking at tho bill. Th . was a miatako in it. In lieu of two b f ties of champagne which had been ci ) sumed the waiter had charged for oi . one. "Shall we point out the thing 3 says ono, probably the moro scrupule - "Well," replied the other, after a I 3 ment of doubt, "we bad better not ; r waiter would bc sure to bo scolded, p i fellow 1" INMIGRATION. An Essay Read Re/ore the Summer Meeting of the State (Jrange at Anderson, S. C., on the Of A of August 1877, by Major Julius Mills, of Cluster, S. C. My daily duties have required so much uf time that J. havo boen provented pre paring thia paper with tho caro or accu racy which statistical information affords, but so warmly and so constantly havo I devoted my attention and humble servi ces to what I have conceived would pro mote the Grange or develop the resources of tho State, that I would havo been re creant to that feeling baa I failed in however humble way to contribute ail I could in furtherance of tho object of thin meeting. Hero at this great and impor tant convention of those who have so much at heart in our proud obi common wealth, wo should burr) to shake oif tho political dead weight which has hung upon our every interest, social nun finan cial ; to rise before the world untarnished by the influences of tho past few years, and enlist in a tno?e to rebuild our waste place ; and le-cstablish our prosperity. With tho 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 tho produco of tho farm aa our only capital. The great disproportion of land to capital, high valuations and tax ation crippled our efforts at securing the lost capital. Heneo wo stand upon tho ruins of our former resources. We are without tho opportunities of tho past, and tho samo means of our success is impotent now. Tho system with slavery cannot bo inaugurated with tho same labor made freo, nor can that system rtracticcd by other countries with free abor bo successfully introduced into our system. While, then, I would regret any move driving our present labor from its fields of usefulness and prosperity, I can not concur that it is tho best labor. As evidence of tli?H wo 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 tho race of freedom and life with facilities beyond that of any laboring people in the world. Without experience of management, but with a practical experienco 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, uniscum bored by debt, bouyant with hopo, thc amount of their taxable property is com paratively nothing, and th os o who con stitute the best of their class as laborers aro the old farm hands, trained uudor a diff?rent system. AU the advan tages are iu their favor, but theso aro dying out, and those who aro to tako tbeir places are utterly unqualified for tho system common in other countries. This being true, p.* I believe, tho time indeed, tho moment, is upon us when we must examine tho question of our labor, and nut into Dractico 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 provo a ben efit to IIB, to themselves and to our pres ent labor. AB to tho latter, by coming in contact with them and their personal influence and example, I desire a class which will permanently settlo upoti our lauds 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 Rr?? '.ntablishcd success. These will celtiT&iS ;>?f idle fields now burden ing us with taxation without profit, and force our present labor into tho same system or one moro congenial to their habits and intelligence. Having thus feebly intimated tho de mands upon us for an increase of labor, we would examine what increase of wealth and development may bo -utici 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 ia not a small matter whero 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 bo 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 Bafolv estimate a well instructed laborer anti 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 tho North increased one-third in South Car olina, we have him worth $1,466.66$, and 600 per month would put our menus of production and our ability to retain the countless Dillions produced well in our own hands. The $60,000,000 of produce .handled and returned to the South by tho way of transportation, commissions, exchange, Sec., would establish our grand old city by tho bea upon such a basis as would redound to the interest of tho whole State, and rehabilitate our silent places of husines i. As an instance of thc class of immi grants I would inttoduce into our State, l 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, oar people roujd net !cavo 'Mir *owa?, villages, churches and schools to como into your sparsely settled country at any price : and, beside?, I have a man in my employ who h ac $1,000 deposited in a bank, and I doubt if you havo 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 como whon ho onco knew the soil, climate and resources of our country, and when he understands that by com???; Routh ho becomes an employer of labor and establishes him self upon a homestead-which ho can never do at homo, because of tho high price of land, he will come among us and build up schools and churches. Another mri trw: wj . unn? Jtn. <? JUUIIK immigrant into Chester County roamed 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, ho was told uot to tell such yarns to them. Then, admitting immigration to be a necessity, we munt inaugurate a system of publication which shall inform the Immigrant that our climate is congenial to overy race. We must make known our resources of wealth, and invite them to come among us to develop them. To this end nothing has proven greater success than immigration agen eic? and land cotnmisaion". I wouid suggest a State agency, with as much land at its disposal as could be bought, loug credit and low interest to purchasers. I would incorporate similar inducements to merchants and capitalitts, by giving away water powers, factory sites and repeal of taxes. With a com potent agency under the guidance of our Sresent government, au enlightened un erstanding of our wanta and tho means afforded, South Carolina could have no superior in the race for future prosperity, and the day could not be far distant when ber 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 with all Europe; Sabbath school and factory bells would chime where now habitation is unknown ; our swamps and low lands would give place to tho plow and mower or reaper ; fisheries would be established upon every stream ; snowy flocks would sport upon a thousand ilill i, and tho millions of dollars which we now produce, but go to enrich others, would develop beyond every conception, and wo become a busy and prosperous people. ERUPTION OF COTOPAXI. Mure than One Thousand ff.Ives Lott. Ecuador 0)rrr$?toiuleKcr Xeie York A'alion. QUITO, July 4. Tho last eruption of the volcano of Cotopaxi, the tenth according to my com putation, took place on thc 26th of June last, with every circumstance that could increase ita 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 min of ashes. An eye-witness told me that the volcano poured out a cataract ten timos the bulk of Niagara, which carried nil before it in its headlong course, and submerged tho whole surrounding country. Tho torrent divided itself in two opposite directions, os if to give grcntcr scope to its devnsta tion and to maire confusion still moro dire. One brnnch took a southarly course toward tho city of Latacungn, sit uated twelve miles from Cotopaxi. On ita way tho torrent converted tho plain of Callao into aa immense lake. There is but faint hops that the mi nu of the ?mince of the lucas, described by Ilum >oldt, nud nil other travelers through tho centrul vnlley of the equatorial Andes, hnve eecaped tho ravages of the flood. Near Latacungn tho furious current toro up from its vory foundation tho cotton factory of Don Jose Villugomez, whoso vnluo wns estimated at $300,000 ; crops, cattle, buildings wero swept away ; the massive bridges of Cutucho nud Pnnaal vo wero destroyed, as well os a part of tho fino carringe-rond (scarce equalled oven in Europe) which connects Quito with thc towns in the south of thc re public. TUE TORRENTS OF BOILING WATER. The brnnch thut heuded toward tho Houth of Cotopaxi devosted tho prosper- 1 ous nnd enchanting valley of Chillo, and in particular tho estate of tho Senor Aguirre, noted for having boen the resi dence of Humbolt. There, too, as in Latacungn, arose tho building of u thriv ing factory, which, only tho year before, hud been destroyed by fire, nnd find been repaired at great expense. Tho torrent rooted it from tho ground, and bore it away in n thousnnd iragvnents. It is as serted that a mill of Don Manuel Pnla cois floated on thc water like a ship at sen until scattered hy the current. The loss in the valley of Chillo alone is esti mated at over two millions of dollars, nnd the. in other sections in equally I great. It is likewise calculated that tho number of tbe dead exceeds ono thou sand. Although the surroundings of Quito have been laid waste, the city i Coif sr bred only from a rain of ashes and a complete darkness, which began on the 26th of Juno, at 3 o'clock in the after noon. At Machucho and other places the night lasted for thirty consecutive hours. In the midst of this opaque gloom one could hear tho bellowing of the cattle and the cri rvs of other animals, who, deprived of their usual food by the shower of ashes, sought, in a species of frenzy, for the means of satisfying their hunger. Other beasts, frantic with ter ror, careered hither and thither as if in despair, and thu piteous howling of tho dogs pierced the ear with its ominous sound. In Quito the dark ne. s was as thut of night; it was like that described by the younger Pliny in a letter to Taci tus, in which ho relates the eruption of Vesuvius and the destruction of Pompeii. "It was," he says, "as if the lights in the room had been extinguished." At Quito tho shower nt finit was of course heavy sand, which subsequently turned into ashes so fine nnd impalpable thut they penetrated not only into npnrtuionts, but into the most carefully closed receptacles. In the depth of the darkness, men nnd women, braving tho rain of ashes, sallied forth into tho streets, screening them selves with umbrellas and lighting their way with lanterns, and all tho while these strange apparitions rent the air with their cries and prayers for mercy. Tba um brellas, as well as tho green eyeglasses used here orr journeys, wore no superflu ous precaution, although they afforded but scant protection against the subtle powder, which it was remembered had in many cases produced blindness during tbe eruption of 1843, nnd the rain of ashes of thirty hours that then attended it. SUPERSTITIOUS FRENZY OF THE PEOPLE. From tho outset the people bad unani mously ascribed the disaster to a chastise ment of heaven, brought down by the irreligion of the government, which bad arbitrarily closed tho churches and de prived the people of those spiritual con eolations that were made doubly necessa ry by tho sad condition of things in gen eral. Tho idea of a divine punishment spread like wi ld-fi re, 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 tho 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 tho assailants, lacking arms and direction, wero prompt ly overpowered, with no further lofs than that of two soldiers and two citizens. On the dny following, before thu city hud recovered from its consternation, and while clouds cf ashes still hovered in the air and pervaded the streets, five of the unhappy prisoners who had been takes during tbe tumult, Buffered the barbarous punishment of five hundred lashes. Some Lure di id in consequence. Tho fact needs no somment. A number of respectable cit! cens have been arrested and are to bosubjected to acourt-m.ii tial. In the present wretched conditio.) of Ecuador, ruined as it is by a -?.< ies of disasters, the recent eruption i/ ibe cul mination of its woes. Ten year- <>. peace and prosperity, of which there \* uiut prospect now, will not suffice to repair the evils which a few hourshavo wrought in this unfortunate land. LEO AL ?DVX?ta?JfOt-yit ara compelled to rocju're cash payment* for advertising ordered by Executors, Admlnislraters and other fiduciaries "n* }>????llh mMnil lil? rsLn* for tho imllnirr notice?, vbteh' Viii onlr M Inserted whan tba money cowes willi tho order: Citation?, two Insertions, .... fs.00 Estate Nottoea, tor?? Insertion i, . . 3,00 Final Set'lensem*. fl** insertions - - t.oo ra coi:azaroiVDnyxs.~?D .erdor to .-Mai?? attention, communications must bo accompanied necessary statu ps are fu ru libed to repay t h ? postigo thereon.^ mm ?ii ?r? ?0? *imyvik*jtv*v tiri* tuc TiUHICUU opinions of our correspondents. All communications should be addressed to "Ed itors Intelligencer,1" and all check?, urana, money orders, dc, should b:> made payable to the order Of E. B. HURRAY A CO., AndorsOD,8. C. General Nows 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 sn investigation of the records of thc State shows that not a single man or wo man within its borders has been legally man-led. - It is stated that Gen. Bob. Toomba will be a candidate for the United States Senate to succeed Gordon, and that with this end in view ho will apply to the next Congress for a removal of his disa bilities. - The New York Tribune thiner that if Patterson ever made the famous re mark, attributed to him a year cr so ago. that "there aro five yearn more of good stealing in South Carolina yet," ho has probably revised it nor/. _T- -_O_I - - n_ j j _ - -rn . uaum Vinnum .itinuit i:s UO scribed by a London correspondent as looking exceedingly well, as driving about that city after a beat dful black horse, and as inundated with invitations to balla and garden parties by tho nobili ty and gentry. --- Just before leaving Boston for Eu rope, Professor Graham Bell, of tolo {thone fame, married the daughter of Gardiner G. Hubbard, a deaf mute. He bad BO carefully instructed her that she uttered distinctly all the responses of the wedding service. - High ritual is on tho increase in London. Thirty-nine churches now cel ebrates daily communion, against eleven last year ; 840 havo surpiiced choirs, against 114; 85 have eucharistic vest ments, against 14 ; 89 display candles on the altar, and since 1867 tho uso of in cense ha? been extended from three churches to sixteen. - Tho Pope preserves his high spirits unabated. On reading in the R?pub lique Francaiso that he bas been dead for several years and is personated by a finest, his Holiness burst into a fit of aughter, aud ordered a subscription to bo taken in his namo to tho naper for five ?'cars. "Wo Hhall soe wno lasts the ongeat I" ho said, "and how it will vex them to put the Popo's address on tho wrappers I" - The Queen's mnids of honors aro all ?;rnriddaughtcrs of peers, who are not be ow the rank of Earl, that being a sine ?ua non of eligibility for tho position, 'hey receive $2,000 a year, and if they marry tho Queen presents them with $3,000 Each is on duty about two months in the year. Since tho Prince Consort's death they have had a dread fully dull time of it. Many of theso ladies have remained until past 50, by which timo they havo probably becomo old maids of honor. - Joyce and McDonald, tho relea* St. Louis wliiskey thieves, for tho devel opment of whoso crimes Secretary Bris tow was driven from Grant's Cabinet, are not yet beyond the reach of the law. Ono of them has an indictment ponding against him for destroying important offi nial rofMrilu on/1 f lioro r. rn nlonrtr raf charges that can bo brought against tho other. The valuo of prosecuting thom 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 Pope amounted in round numbers to $3,250,. 000. half of which was in gold, while the remainder was in paper. Ile will give $850,000 to charitable institutions, and will divide $2,400,000 into threo equal portions of $800,000. One of these will bo added to the funds of the Holy. Chair ; another will be apportioned among offi cers, servants, retainers and friends who have been faithful to the Vatican, and the third will bo appropriated to the re storation of ecclesiastical monuments and to tbrt execution of works of utility. - Tho Czar receives much of the blame for tho recent Russian reverses; and it is said that his presence with the army operates unfavorably upon the plans of the commanding officers and the movements of the troops. He exorcised unnecessarily moro or lesa influence and authority, without shouldering any re sponsibility, and thus weakened tho decis ion and energy of his generala. The ?resence of Nicholas I at the front in 828 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 the General Convention of the Episcopal Church will be held at Boston, beginning October 3d, and continuing about three weeks. Between 850 and 400 delegates will be present and thoHouaoof Biauor.-. will hold their meetings ?o the chapel of Trinity Church, and the House of Cleri cal and Lay Deputies in Eman'ial 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 io chango tho namo "Protestant Episcopal Church" to something else, and methods for simplifying and facilitating mission ary work. - A r:eeting of mechanics and labor ers, in favor of establishing a colony of Marybinders in Florida, was held in Bal timore tho other evening. Tho president of tho meeting stated that ho had corre sponded with tho Governor of Florida in rotation to emigration to that State, and had received a reply from. Governor Drew stating that hts letters had been re ferred to the Commissioner of Land and Immigratiou, 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 tho association of col onists "Tho Florida-Maryland Associa tion of Baltimore City." - Asparagus is like a sermon. It is the end of it that people enjoy moat. - Two things in nature are detestable -a girl who is trying to bo a woman, and a woman who is trying to bo a girl. _ JJ--."??I- ?Ua. ITVc/1 lill language, but when they toll a picnic party to leave, it is as clearly understood as if uttered by the most grammatical Bostonian. -- A gentleman, on walking out ono Sunday eveping, met a v"ung girl whoso parents lived near his nouse. "Where are you going. Jennie?" said ue. "Look ing for a son-in-law for my mother, sir," was the reply. - He was a gentleman from tho conn _n? u-? ensconced his "'ntl" aiir| himself in tho 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 ly toward'her. unconscious of observa tion bv a few remaining passengers. Jnr.t as'tho oar approached Sawyer;stw-.t the conductor thrust his head inside lie car and yelled <?Saw?yer 1" in olose prox imity to Hayseed's bead. The latter, hastily drfcwfnj. himself "into form," in dignontly remarked: "You needtfter howled it through the car, if you did. We're engaged." Tho rest of the freight set their faces toward the driver, and grinnsd. When the disorders of flabyhood at taok your Baby uso at once Dr. Boll's Baby Syrup and notice ita rapid aud ben eficial effect. 25 conta fccx bottle.