The Anderson intelligencer. (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, February 21, 1878, Image 1
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.J?V?m Cam ja? aoRo-ai ia ?dr nw c. Two
?Mf?lerlptlOni Die not UV.cn fur n ic;? ?X noa
fcaarV.S ?o-rtfc
Hf ES OF ADVB*rHUZZ.~Oz* Dollar per
. mare ol one Ino?? for tho Hot iiucrtU.n.aod Fifty
Tint? per iqo?'.?l*r ?ubMqu?n; Inscrtlr niSeMiUB
?hr?, mont*?. V? sdT?rti?eto*r?- consto >si
tbUb?'?li contracts wlli.be Mrdewiththoce Tobins;
.oad??rtiaefor throe, six or twe?Te months. Ad
"rtt; In* by contract must bo c?uflncd to tho Ita
??41" LB hiif low of tbf Sra orlndlvidiul contra*.
""uoiiwary Notices ozcctdlug Ave linea, Tribute?
of BeJpeet. and all perscnal cnrarounlcatlone or
milter? of IndiTidunflntereit, will bo charged lor
.t advertising rate*. Announcements or Diarrla?cs
?nd deaths, and notlce-j of a relirions character, are
respectfully solicited, and wfll be Inserted (traits
SHARING OUT THE SPOILS.
Tho Trun Inwardness o? tho Stew* Mond
IJ Int;.
The evidence of ex-Treasurer Parker,
before the Bond Commission, exposes the
character of the arrangements among the
Republican State oflicora for dividing the
public spoils. It ts more shocking than
anything of the same kind heretofore
made public, ,
BX -THE AflU UER PARKER'S TESTIMONY.
Mr. Pr.rkcr testified that the acts pro
viding for Stato loans were, in most in
stances, if not all, "shown to him boforo
they were presented to the General As
sembly." He understood they were
dwn by Mr. Chamberlain, then Attor
ney General. In some instances Kimn
toi brought rough drafts from Now
York, but always to Mr. Chamberlain.
He said ; I do not know the amount of
the prccceda of the solo of bonds made by
-' Kimpton. The reports made by Kimp
ton to the Comptroller General were not
made for the purpose of giving* informa
tion upon that matter. They were made
so as to ?how* each year aa increase of
the debt as little as possible. This waa
by concurrence and arrangement with
the financial board here. I never, exam
ined Kimpton's booka, j I often endeav
ored to soo them, but never could.
Finally, I gave up trying to see them,
because I learned he had prepared a new
set to meet the exigenciea of the case. I
always knew Kimpton's reports were not
correct, and tho board, always knew they
were not.
Governor Scott wanted Kimpton re
moved in 1871 from the financial agency.
I concurred with the Governor at first,
but we found it impossible to find auy
one who would take his pince and ad
vance the money which ho claimed to bo
due to him without making an expose of
the financial condition of the State,
which we did not desire to do, and the
iden was thon abandoned.
Mr. Chamberlain never wanted Kimp
ton removed. It was through his influ
ence that Kimpton was appointed finan
cial agent of the State. Governor Scott
proposed Mr. Cameron, of Charleston,
hut. not bains- on personal terms with
Cameron, ?noT having no choice, I sup
Eorted Chaoiberlain in tho choice of
limpton.
Mr. Cham Vrlain informed me before
Kimpton's appointment that Kimpton, if
appointed, would divide bia commission
between us three, Mr. Kimpton, Cham
berlain and myself, and Mr. Kimpton
made arrangement to that efTect with us
two-Mr. Chamberlain and myself-be
fore hia appointment. We had him ap
pointed on the strength of that agree
ment.
Mr. Kimpton carried out this agree
ment only partially. Mr. Chamberlain
admitted to me that he had received some
money from Kimpton on this account,
bat never owned to having received aa
much aa I did, which was about $52,000.
Our abures would have been about $150,
U00 each ; the total amount of commis
8ions allowed Mr. Kimpton being about
$450,000, being nearly 12 per cent, on
the amount he reported bo had sold all
the bonds for, in addition to tho commis
sions paid by him to other brokers aud
tho 7 per cent, interest on loans.
There were no terms made as to wh -1
Kimpton's commissions should be at the
timo of his appointment nor until '71 or
'72. Kimpton repeatedly wrote to Mr.
Chamberlain and myself about fixing hit
commiaaioas, and they were fina?y ;l.-.ca
by the financial board addressing letters
to pt rtiea v/hi-m Kimpton designated in
New York as to the commissions which
would be fair to bc allowed to Mr. Kimp
ton for selling such bonds, and making
such loans aa he (Kimpton) had effected,
and on the answers made by these parties
to these lottere th? financial board fixed
the commissions to bo allowed him.
The drafts of the letters I addressed to
those parties were prepared by Kimpton
and sent to tho financial board from New
York and presented to me by Mr. Cham
berlain, . Mr. Kimpton having, aa he
stated to me, had previous interviews
with these parties in New York.*
At tho time the settlement was made
with the financial board aud Kimpton,
he (Kimpton) received a duo bill for
about 9139,000 from the financial boan!
as the balance of commissions due him.
Thia according to our agreement, "would
be divided equally between Chamberlain,
Kimpton and myself, and just before
phamberlain addressed his communica
tion to the public in the summer of 1874,
. concerning the charges made against him
with reference to tho public debt and
other mattera connected with Governor
Scott'a administration, he promised me,
by the. Side of his sick hed.iu his own
house, that if I would pern.lt that letter
which he had prepared: to go before the
public without contradiction, und he
should bo nominated and elected as Gov
ernor, I should bo paid roy ?hare of the
$189,000 aa expressed ir/said due bill,
and.that tob at an early day.
The financial board made the settle
ment with the-financial agent by virtue
of tho authority conferred.upon it by tho
sci. of G?nerai Aasemb?y, passed in Feb
ruary, 1872, known as tho "Financial
Settlement Act.*'; The financial agent
and the financial board all desired that
.?*.n act might he passed giving the finan
cial boardthe power to make tho aettle
?nent .so as to cover up tho transactions
which had taken pince between them.
There was sbrne"d?lnculty in getting tho
bill passed. These difficulties were over
come by the nee' of money among the
members of the General Assembly. The
moucv waa received bv drafts drawn on
mo by Kimpton and accepted byrne,and
the money was furnished for tho drafts
by the banks in this city. Kimpton but
up Blue .Ridge Railroad scrip as collat
eral security. There were three drafts:
One for $25,000, ono for $35,000 and -one
for $12,000. -They'Were t? b? p?iiu ??
miki?faS?fi I- Vt-*-t. -? ._?--- "J,,..'' .
came duo ho failed to nay them, and 1
had to pay them pereoiiall/-the two foi
$85,000 and $25,000 respectively, and alsc
for $2,500 on tho $12,600 draft. Gov
ernor Scott paid tiie remainder of those
latter drafts', bc being an endorser on it
1 obtained the collateral at the bank foi
the two largo drafts, and Scott garnishee
the collateral of thc other. I demurret
nt first to accepting these drafts, bu
finally accepted them on Klmpton'a assn
ranea that Chamberlain, who wa? thar
?bacn*, '.would endorse them on bis re
tam. Chamberlain endorsed only th<
?mall one. I parted with the Scrip' refer
red to to reimburse ma as far as it woolc
go. It did not pay mo all. The monej
ratsed on these drafts wasdlabn.sed bj
Kimpton, mainly amongst the member
cf the Senate, to. procure the passage o
tho Settlement bill, tho Validating oil
and the Blue Ridge acrip bill, as pe
agreement bet-sveen nlmpton and Patter
wm. . It waa understood and agreed tba
Patterson waa to arrange tba matter ii
tho House, and secure the passage of th
bills there, ?nd Kimpton in the Sonafc
Fifty thousand dollars of this money wa
used to purchase Senator*; tho balanc
was to go to the House through Pal
toraon.
1 do not know that Kimpton used an
money from tho proceeds of State bond
fer the passage of these bill?; build
know that bo need trio proceeds of bond
. belonging lo ibo State to socare the paw
age of other bills nhlch he was interested
io, to wit: The Sterling losn bill, the
DUI to authorize the financial agent to
pledge bonds for 8tate losns, the Slaking
I-und bill, bill for payment interest in
gold, and bill to issue bonds for the relief
of the treasury. I know, also, that he
paid out of tho proceeds of the sale of the
State bonds tho money for a share and a
half, as it was called, of Greenville and
Columbia Railroad stock ; a share, In
cluding assessment of $4,000 immediately
payable, being $24,000. This was for
Neagle, Another share was for Joe
Crews, (cht.rraan of committee on rail
roads tn House of Representatives,) also
one-fourth share, being ?6,000, for Car
doso, which, however. Kimpton subse
quently took AH himself, as he did Crews',
-ie sise paid for two or two aud a hail
sharea for Geo. W. Waterman for Gov
ernor Scott of like value. He paid for
two nhares of like value for himself, and
so far as I know and believe he paid for
one-half share for D. H. Chamberlain, of
the value of $J2,0W. I paid for one of
them "myself.' It was understood by
Kimpton and the financial board that the
amount of these expenditures and many
others should be realized' from State*
bonds, and covered by the difference be
tween the. actual amounts for which the
bonds were sold by Kimpton, and the
amount which he should report that he
had sold them for. C. P. Leslie had a
share paid for in the same manner, which
he afterwards sold to Kimpton for $26.
000 cash. - '
Kimpton also advanced money out of
the proceeds of the State bonds to assist
the Greenville and. Columbia Railroad,
but 1 think he held second mortgage
bonds of said company as collateral secu
rity for all the advances ho made for or
to the road. He also advanced the Blue
Ridge Railroad Company about $200,000
out of tho proceeds of tho State bonds;
these advances were made by witness'
advice and consentof the financial board ;
$600,000 of the bonds of said company
were placed in bis (Kimpton'*) bands os
collateral, but be always reported that
ho could not pledge them for any money,
and that he never raised any money on
them, nor did we ever know that ho had
nlodtred them until after the passasre of
the Slue Ridge scrip bill ; then, when it
became necessary that we should have
them to turu into the treasury. Kimpton
reported that they were pledged. He
also advanced out of the proceeds of State
bonds, by and with the consent of the
financial board, moneys used for the land
commission ; also balance claimed by
bim as due on the sinking fund account;
also expenses of the high joint commis
sion ; niuo what was known as State arms
account, on tho order of Governor Scott,
but without the direction of the financial
board.
THE TAXPAYERS* CONVENTION.
Question. In anticipation of that Con
vention of 1871 was there any prede
termination on the part of the financial
board aud agent to mislead and deceive
the 'Convention in relation to the State
debt?
Answer. There was.
Q. What was done ?
A. We agreed to conceal the facta of
the issue of the Conversion bonds, to
make the issue of other bonds as small as
possible. With this !?*-?*? w?pjr we rap
rci?nted to the committao of the Tax
payers' Convention that the $900,000 of
bonds hud been redeemed from pledge in
New York and returned here for the pur
poao of vetinng, e-cd ohould be no longer
considered a part of tho public debt,
Q. Was i*. with a view to carrying out
that purpose that a committee of the
Taxpayers' Convention was invited to a
conference with the State officers and en
amina ti o? of the State offices?
A. Ii was.
t?. Where was tire conference held t
A. I think in Gov. Scott's office Sub
sequently a - committee examined my
ofhee and the Comptroller General's
office.
Q~ In the conference in the Governor's
office, VT Lo represented the executive de
partment, ana what representations were
made by him or any other persons to
that committee?
A. Gov. Scott, and he told them that
no other bonds were outstanding except
those represented by a statement there
and then exhibited, which wai prepared
by Chamberlain, the Attorney General,
for that occasion; and, if there were any
other bonds out, Gov. Scott said, he 'did
not know anything about them and that
ho signed none others. lust, after the
conference broke up. Gov. Scott came
into sty office and I upbraided him fon
telling such a direct lie to that commit
tee, when he knew that very soon the
fact must bo made public that he had
signed millions of other bonds, and th->i
?hoy were in the market. The statement
referred to as prepared by Mr. Chamber
laio suppressed ail information as to the
Conversion bonds which bad been issued
and were then out, amounting to aboul
$5,000,000 or morel The statement wai
prepared in my office by Chamberlain
aud submitted to Scott before exhibitiot
to the Taxpayers' committee. The papei
was prepare*: after consultation betweer
tho members of the financial board ant
Kimpton and agreed upon by them.
When the committee came into m]
office there was no evidence there U
show that any irregular Conversion bond
had bcea issued. No entry was made ii
my books at that time, and I bs!ie?<
there was no entry at that timo of thi
second issue of interest on the Publb
Debt bonds,
Q. Was tho Taxpayers' Convention fo
which Mr. Chamberlain prepared thi
false statement or the nubile debt th
same convention that Mr. Chamberlaii
was a member, and which he'.J^ressSi
.? S-favor of honesty and reform .'.. ..ne ad
ministration of the State government?
A. If you mean when he asked th
question, ia a speech, "Who docs nc
hnc~ thr.t thc prcsc::cc -if ho..C
man, puts to flight a band of robbers?
Yea !
The remainder of Parker** evidence 1
directed to th? explanation of the mai
of letters principally from Kimptoi
Tho following is also of interest :
Q. (By Mr. Meatxe.) What necessit
was there for issuing bonds at all?
A. None in the world, except for th
purpose of fonding psst due principi
and interest on the bonded debt. I wi
oDDosed to the payment of interest_1
?jld, and to the payment of any past di
interest at the outset. The bills rece)
able could have been retired by taxatuo
I now believe, and have for years f>
lioved. that tho sole purpose of Kimptc
and Chamberlain in passing tbs ?act ai
thorizing the issue or bonds was to mal
money. I endeavored in tuo Constat
tiona! convention to prevent ino oia
from issuing any bonds in. excess
$500,000, sud failer4 ? always egardi
thc land,commission scheme,*** corra
one from the first. ,? ?
It was agreed between myself, vio
Scott and Chamberlain and Kimpton, d
ring the last two years that I was St?
Trcaamer, and frequently made a v-bje
of conversation bciwecu us, that, f.t soi
convenient time, we would have aium
coupons to'divido amounting to $50,0
each, moro or less according t? circu?
sances, snd that Nearie should have
share of them, and Kimpton would ?
that Chamberlain got his abare,. w?aUa
?rn to distribute the share, to Scott and
Ntaagta. Wo did root inquire how Kluip
ton became possessed of them, but we
could not doubt that he cut them off of
bonds pawing through his hands, and
tho financial board did not doubt it.
When the final details of the division
were discussed Kimpton avoided a divis
ion of only $60,000 each, so, as he said,
the amount might uot be large enough to
attract attention, bc! sent me the cou
pons and left it to wy discretion as to the
precise amount that should be divided,
and, as I believe, td his own discretion
as co the amount hs would retain for
h:iii**!f and Chamberlain.
When I was sued by the Stats in 1876
for thu recover/of ?460,000 in '.oupons.
the amouut it wa? charged that I had
funded, Governor Scott sent me $2,000
cash to aaair*. me in defending the suit
The amount was obtained from him by
Neogle, whom I employed for the pur
pose, and de'lvered tn me by him in per
son. Scott's broth er-in-law, Mr. Water
man, told me that Scott said he sent me
$7,000, but I only received $2,000. I
have never seen Governor Scott since.
ELEGANT EPJBTXEC.
The following unique papers ?ad let
ters are amongst those submitted by the
Commission :
EXECUTIVE PBPARTMENT, )
STATE TREASURER'S OFFICE, V
COLUMBIA, 8. C., May 1, 1870. j
lb Hf. H. Kimpton, Etq., Financial Agent
State cf South Carolina:
DEAR SIB-You are hereby author
ised to use ss collateral or otherwise such
an amount of bonds "issued for tho relief
of the treasury" as is necessary to meet
any deficiency that may eaiat cn account
of payments ordered by the "advisory
board of the land commission.
(The words "as collateral" inserted be
fore signature.)
ROBT. K. SCOTT,
Governor South Carolina.
NILES G. PARKES,
Treasurer South Carolina.
D. H. CHAMBERLAIN,
Attorney General South Carolina.
Financial Board State of South Carolina.
NEW YORK, July 21,1870.
Friend Parter-I wrote you yesterday
in luii in regard to the terrible stringency
and distrust in financial circler,. I wrote
the Governor and Chamberlain aiso on
the subject. The Governor should have
Bent tho collaterals the day before, as
there was ample time* I have had to
use tho bonds in large amounts to satisfy
as collaterals, and to-day I have only
succeededed by using private means and
at a personal sacrihee. The feeling is
somewhat better to-day, but wo aro liable
at any moment to be convulsed by bat
tles on tho Rhino-a war which is liable
to convulse all Europe and affect the
finances of all civilised nations, especial
ly at first.
I have telegraphed the Governor and
written to him also to send rae the rest
of the collaterals. There ia no safety but
in guarding me well with abundant col
laterals. '
.1 expect to be easier in a few days.
Aa soon as I get a moment offreo breath
ing, I will write to the finance board in
regard to my commissions. I shall fix
just figures and insist upon them. Rail
mad matters will come all right.
Truly, H. H. KIMPTON.
OFFICE OF H. H. KIMP^?T, BANKER, )
No. y NABSAU SI RKET, V
NEW YOBS, January 27,1??1. 1
P, O. Box 6,84?.
?FKena! Parker--I shall send' the bills
which are proposed to be passed some
day this week. They are nearly ready,
and mean a good deal. They have been
prepared with great care. I hopo to
leave also in th6 course of a week.
I want you to go to your bartk; Ciro*
llzz Backj'Citizcns1 Savings Bank,' Scott,
Williams & Co., and raise all the money
you can oe your official drafts on me as
financial agent, for sixty days, and send
the money to me.
It will help here immediately, for it is
not believed that .taxes will be paid, and
no one here will then doubt it for a mo
ment. Raise all you can, and pay fit it
sufficient rate to get it.
You can say at tho banka that you are
anticipating the collection of taxes. Do
thia by all means. _
Please telegraph me on receipt of thia
"yea," if you can do this at any extent.
If you cannot do lt telegraph "no." We
must be very careful how we telegraph,
for our telegrams seem to be understood
here.. Wo can trust ro one here who is
not interested an we a-e. They would
smash us at any time, if money could be
made by it. -,
"Don't let any ono hero draw you. into
private correspondence with thom. I
trill ??plain when I see you again.
I have mailed you a long letter to-day.
Truly yours, H. H. KIKPTON.
[Note.-Tho words above underscored
are BO marked in the original.]
The following has no date or other
caption :
My Dear Parter-Please send mo every
dollar that you can sparc. . I have hard
work to get along. Act promptly and
send every dollar you can.
Don't consent t? give up any of $600,
000 Blue Ridge bonds. Wa should hats*
all of them.
See Chamberlain and have my commis
sions fixed ; shall not be able to visit you
at presort. Walters will visit me in a
lew days: will inform you of the result.
1 wish' that Harrison would leave. I
fear that this market might hear of issue
of Blue Ridge' bonds. Tho consequences
might prove very damaging to tho State.
Truly, H. H. KIMPTON.
----.
An Important Act.
The following Act, which has just be
como a lar, makes some important.
changes in duties 'of some of our public j
officers. It will bs- seen that Judges of I
livuulo ?nia ?icica?er s?ii ail property
ordered to bo sold by Probate Court, in
stead of the Sheriff:
AN ACT to Repeal an Act to Alter and
Amend an Act Entitled "An Act to
Revise, Simplify and Abridger the
Rules, Practice, Pleadings and Forms
of Couria in this Sute," approved
March ISth, 1672, Sod Relating to
Executions.
SECTION 1. Beit enacted by the Senate
and House of Repesentatives of the State
of South Carolina, now Ami and *!?Usg
in General Assembly, and by the author?
lty of the same : That an Act to alter
and amend ?n Act. entitled "An Act to
revise, simplify and abridge the rules,
firactlce, pleadings and forms of Court?
n this State," approved March 18tb,
1872, be, and the same is hereby repeal
ed. ^
SixTiu.. 2. Thai on and arter ino pas*
sage of this Act all sales of raaf estate or
Eroperty under tho orders of Probate
ourta shall be made by the Judge of
Probate ; and all sates under the order of
tho Court where the title is to bo made
by the Clerk of the Circuit Court, such
salas shall be mada by the Clerk, and all
other judicial sales shall be mado by the
Sbcrifis as now provide-* by law : Pro
vided, Nothing herein contained shall
effect the sales under executions issued
out of the Court of Trial Justices, or
those to barnado by Executors or Ad
ministrators.
Approved Fsbrnary 2nd 1870.
STARTLING DISCLOSURES. .
A UoeiUonable Tran ?action ?boat tb? Tax
Ajnjp" Convention-Both Sides ot tho Af
. Ulr.
-
Frvm the New ToriSun.
The evidence taken in law snit, now in
progress in thia city, shows how intimate
ly Democrats like Senator Butler and his
former friend, Gary, were concerned with
the Rei ublican thieves in tho plunder of
the people. The following agreement,
signed by Butler and Gary, bas been pro
duced as part of tho testimony r
Oms OF CauaT'cttfAY, EvtiiBTT ct Go.,
83 Pearl street, Now York. '
Whereas, the undersigned, being de
sirous to take action to reinstate the
vaiue of the bonded debt of the State of
South Carolina : It is hereby agreed the
undersigned agree to pay to M. C. Butler
and M. W. Gary 10 per cent, of the net
gains that may ariso from the purchase
and sale of at least $500,000 of said State
bonds, the increase to ba measured by
the ad vaneo due to an endorsement-of
the public meeting to be held on or about
the ord day of May next, at Columbia,
approving the payment in full of all the
present bonded debt of the State, and
agree to use their best efforts to that
effect in consideration of said 10 per cent,
aforesaid mentioned.
NEW YORK, April 17,1871.
(Signed) W. E. EVERETT,
L. D. CHILDS,
J. B. PALMER,
(by L. D. CH.II.D8,)
J. P. SOUTHERN/
* We accept tho terms of the above
agreement.
M. C. BUTLER, Attorney, &c.
M. W. GARY, Attoruey-at-Law.
The disgraceful character of this writ
ing will bo apparent when it is addec
that Butler and Gary were both delegate:
to the Tax-Payers' Convention, whicl
they proposed to influence 'to certain ac
tion in the interest of a bond speculation
All of tho pan.es who bribed Butter ant
Gary with a promise of a share in th?
grouts were holders of South Carolin:
onus. Everett was a New York speen
later ; Childs, Palmer aud Southern w <
Eresidents of three Columbia banks. .
ad been determined between the Cham
berlnin ring and tho bond-holders to ap
prec?ate the value of the bonds by indue
rog the Tax-Payers' Convention to pas
a resolution declaring the validity of th
debt ; and Attorney Butler, now Senato
Butler, sold in advance his official infill
ence as a delegate to the Convention ii
consideration of a percentage on th
profit", of the job.
This arrangement throws light on th
following confidential letter from Cham
berlain to Kimpton, financial agent i
New York of the State of South Carolin!
The original copy if this document, whic
has never before been printed, is in ou
possession :
COLUMBIA, S. C., April 23, 1871.
DEAR KIMPTON : Your two letters c
the 20th and your official letter are r<
csived, and I am delighted to kapw thi
I-ou are in a safer position. The officii
etter is well, and may be of us? in tb
future.
I will co-operate with Butler and Gai
in any possible way. I have not heat
of their arrival here yoi.
The Governor has been to Charleatoi
and fooled about with Lathers & Co., i
you will see by the Neus. He said whe
sc canse back that Ks wa-* 3?f"?g i?oni<
diateiy to New \ erk, bat "yesterday 1
said he had postponed his visit. I rathi
think Joo Crew's telegram has scan
him*: I do not know what ho is doit
exactly, but he went to Gary, Parket
Clerk, and gave him orders to pay oat t
money st efl-that he was going to ger
it all to New York. Wbsi no isgoiug ?
ddT can't say yet. I will'see Bu<>h ai
have him do all he can.
* Yours truly,
D. H. CHAMBELAIN.
This promise to co-operate with Butl
and Gary was written six days after thi
had made and signed the ag rc erne
printed above. ' It ia a matter of reco
that Chamberlain did co-operate with I
Democratic allies. The bull resolutio
were put through, the. Tax-Payers' Co
vention by tho united agency of thc
precious statesman, and although tho vi
m bonds was loss than they had hope
it was. sufficient to pay Butler and Gs
a good sum in percentages.
Senator'Gary'? Explanation.
Senator Gary rose to a question
privilege in the State Senate, and ma
the following explanation of thc abb
article :
MR. PRESIDENT : I ask your indulger
for a few moments while I avail mys
of the privilege accorded mo as a merni
of this honorable body of repeiii
charges prisierred against me hy no;
baie traducer. In the columns, of .1
New York 1\mca there recently appeal
an ingenious nut mendacious and sh
dcrotis attack upon the Hon. M. C. B
1er, United States. Senator from Sot
Carolina, and myself. It is not my c
tom to engage in newspaper controvcr
nor under ordinary circumstances .wot
I avail myself ol' my privilege bs a S
ator to meet on this fleer accusatii
made against me by correspondents
the Northern press; but the article
ferred to has been reproduced in
National Republican, of the city of Wa
ington, and systematically distribu
among the members of this General.
sembly by the instrumentality of its
thor, or by some one equally unfrien
and inaJir.irma The ?SIHS charges 7?;
during the memorable campaign of If
with evil intent, published in tho <
umns of the Union-Herald, of Columl
8. C.', then edited by tho notorious cari
bagger, J. G. Thompson, and owned
?-eater part by/-Daniel H. Chamber?
hi? panar ra+m tho -cisCTr?cdrtd OT,
of the Radical party of South Carol
and tho mouth-piece of that con
leader. The authorship 6f this
sjsnder no ono then doubted, nor cc
tne motive and spirit that prompted
Eublication bo questioned. Tbat
enchman of D. H. Chamberlain,
couraged perhaps by other evil'desigi
persons, ts the author of this rene
attack, I am credibly informed and f
believe. In '.-?ply to this malicious s
der, I beg to ' make the following st
.nStsv OJ ::...'."> :
In the month of April, A. D. lbTl,
Hon. M. C. Butler and l were in tho
of New York. Shortly after our an
he was retained as counsel for Mc
L. D. Childs, J. P. Southern, J. B.
mer, F. W. McMaatcr, of South Carol
and Wm. E. Everett, of tho city of 3
York, the thtee first named contle
being at that time presidents of bani
the city of Columbia, S. C. On tho
after employing General M. C. Bu
Messrs Childs and Southern in beba
themselves and others, also rc tai nc*
as associate counsel. The en te rp rf?
which these gentlemen were about fe
gage, as we were then informed, wai
purchase of a large amount of bom
tho State of South Carolina, the mi
value of which Was at that time depre
Their parp?se in employing counsel
to secure our advice in selecting thc
'of booda for investment, and to hai
to represent them in or out of cou
oil dealings therewith which migh
?bu???^Ur professional services. At thia
j nins tao credit of tho State was greatly
impaired, her booda depressed iu market,
and widespread distrust lu all her securi
ties prevailed among capitalists, North
and South. To such an extent had fraud
and corruption prevailed in tho manage
ment of the finances of the State that
capitalists everywhere were timid and
cautious in investing in South Carolina
bonds and stocks. The records of the
courts of the State showed that riieso
investments were to capitalists fruitful
sources of litigation, ana they were not
unfrequently driven, at great sacrifices,
to resort to the Supreme Court to enforce
their rights. Repudiation waa openly
advocated and generally apprehended,
and widespread dissatisfaction and (lia
trust pervaded tho mind of the public.
To distinguish between the valid and
fraudulent debt of the Stato was next to
impossible,, and as a consequence, men
with funds to invest found it necessary to
employ attorneys to advise and protect
them in their dealings in South Carolina
securities. We were, at this juncture and
under these circumstances, employed by
these gentlemen. At first we, as is cus
tomary, demanded a retainer, but were
prevailed upon to accept a contingent fee
out of the net profits or the contemplated
investment, should it prove successful,4
and otherwise nothing. Before employ- [
lng us, these gentlemen ascertained our
views as to the true policy of the pcopln
of the State touching tho question of the
public debt. Thon as now we entertained
and freely expressed the opinion that the
valid debt of the State ought to be paid.
A public declaration to this effect by the
tax-payers of the State and an ascertain
ment, as far as could be, of the valid
and fraudulent debt of the State was de
manded by her beet citizens. All felt
that no efforts should be spared to dissi
pate the cloud that enveloped tho condi
tion of her finances, and to restore credit
to the State. Several days after being
retained as attorneys, General Butler and
I, happening to meet Messrs. Childs,
Southern and Everett upon Nassau street,
the latter gentleman, whom until then 1
had never seen, was introduced to mo for
the first time ; a memorandum of agree
ment embodying, as Mr. Everett said, our
contract of service, was presented tc us
by him, and our approval and signature
requested. To questions propounded by
us, after a hasty examination of the paper
and in explanation of its contents, Mr.
Everett stated that General Butler and I,
though represented as prominent citizens
of South Carolina, were personally
strangers to him, and that, before em
barking in an enterprise of such magni
tude, he would like to have some assur
ance that we would not uso our influence
to break down the credit of the State by
advocating tbo repudiation of the public
debt, but would uso our endeavors to re
store to its proper value her lawful bonded
dabt. Without bestowing upon the paper
much thought, we assured him that we
favored the payment of tho honest dsbt
.of the State, were opposed on principle
to repudiation, and did not object to do, j
ia our professional capacity as attorneys, r
what accorded fully with the views of
public policy which wo entertained as
citizens of the State. I referred them to
the "public meeting" mentioned in tho
written agreement, and informed Mr.
Everett that I could not attend such a
meeting in Columbia, S. C., on the third
day of-May, 1871, as private business of
a pressing nature required me to bo then
is Arkansas. In that year Gen. Burier
and I were engaged in the business of
life insurance in this St .:9, and it was
then Gen. Butler's purpose to become, as
ho afterwards did, a resident of this city.
The meeting, as we understood, referred
to in the memorandum was one to be
held by the cU'rona of .Columbia wit h
reference to the public affairs of tho State,
and possibly (but of this I have 'no dis
tinct recollection) for the purpose cf ap
pointing delegates to the Tax-Payers'
Convention afterwards held in this city.
At that time I was not in political life,
and waa giving exclusive attention to my
private affairs and professional business,
and not only had no agency in bringing
about tho meeting of this convention,
but did not expect to take part in its pro
ceedings. Messrs. Childs and Southern
said they did not snggest the written
memorandum or insist on its ex?cutiez,
but Mr. Everett said ho desired Sj? as a
check to any action on our part as citi
zens which, by stimulating a spirit of
repudiation, would render his heavy in
vestments disastrous, and stated that he
cared nothing about the contemplated
public meeting in Columbia, and absence
therefrom was a matter of in?? vTc.'Soce to
him. With this explanation we signed
the agreement as attorneys at law. At
this time, April 17,1671, neither General
Butler nor I had heeu chosen to attend
the Tax-Payers' Convention, which met
on the 9th of May following, nor did we
attach any importance to so much of tho
agreement as referred to a public meeting
to be held in Columbia.
Leaving New York. I proceeded curect
ly to Arkansas, and having finished my
business, I returned,, roaching home on
the night of May 6, 1871. On the fol
lowing day, which was saleday, our citi
zens met and chose ns delegates ,to th?
Convention Gen. M. C. Butler, Ji_s. H.
Giles, O. Sheppard, Esq., Col. A. P. But
ler, Gov. M. L. Bonham and myself. On
the assembling of tho Convention I was
nominated for President, aa was also tho
Hon. W. D. Porter. I declined thc nom
ination in the following words : .
"I am herc'not as an aspirant for any
office within the rightof this Convention,
but as a representative of tho people of
yA.r.ta^\A Since the results oz the war
have been so disastrous to us, I must con
fe I that whr-tevcr ambition ? might hiivo ;
had previous to that time I bato none j
now. I am, therefore, unwilling that, by !
the use of my name, the harmony of tina
Convention should bc disturbed. I do j
thizk th??* ?il u ?iuno ?ike ibo present, i
when we are oppressed, we should present
a solid front ; we should have no differ-1
once between us. Actuated by tKcss
feelings, I must decline the nomination."
An examination of the published pro
ceedings of the Convention will snow
that I introduced but three resolutions
two extending the privileges of the floor
to friends, and ono upon tho subject of
cumulative voting. In my speech in
support of that measure I took occasion
to usn th? following language :
"? would ask, why nave wo gathered j
together from all parts of the SU?e? i
Why have the wise men of the State met
io council? From the fact that taxes
hayo been levied by the present Legisla
ture which, in our impoverished condi
tion, we are unablo to pay. To say that
these abuses of the government have
been effected hv th? Republics.!! or Ri di
cal party would be unjust, for it would be
a gross misnomer to oiignify those now in
poioer%y any party nonie. .They aro known
by all honest men, north, south, east and
west, irrespective pf party alliances, as
thieves ana robbers."
Now, who wore the men thia in power?
R. K. Scott was Governor, D. H. Cham?
bcrl?ln Attorney General, N. G. Parker
Trear'irer and J..L. Neagle Comptroller
Geni? al. Tn a parliamentary body I
could not have used language more se?
v?re. Subsequently, at Edgefield Court
House, on the 12th day ot August, A. D.
1876, 1 felt at liberty to denounce XX H.
Chamberlain again, face to lace in las*
guage more bitter ?ad scathing. Neither
in this Convention nor out of it, before
nor since, did I directly or indirectly do
or say anything derogatory to tho honor
of South Carolina, or inimical to her wel
fare or the interest of her honest tax
paying citizens, I was not a member of
the "committee of eleven," nor did I en
deavor, in any manner, to intrude my
counsels into their deliberations, or to
control their action, or the action of any
member of tho Convention. This com
mitteo was composed of Messrs. M. C.
Buller, Gabriel Cannon, W. H. Wallace,
A. M. Lowry. E. J. Scott, Oadwalladcr
Jones, B. W. Ball, Richard Lathers, G.
A. Treoholm, W. B. Smith and T. C.
Weatherley-men as pure, as honorable.
intelHo'ent- und n? patrlotla es there cou!?
or now can be found in the State. With
the labors of this committee I had naught
to do. Sly whole attention was given to
tho subject referred to the committee on
election and suffrage laws, of which I was
chairman, and I challenge any member
of the Convention, or any other man, to
say that either during tho session of the
Convention or before or after its meeting,
I held any conference with bira, or in any
manner sought to exercise influence bi
reference to tho action on the matter of
the public debt of the State.
Out of thc "committee of cloven" was
selected a sub-committee, of which tho
Ron. G. A. Trcuholm was chairman
the ablest financier of tho Stato-and
thisBub-cornmittee were specially charged
to investigate tho finances of tho Stato.
Tho ability, earnestness, integrity, and
patriotism of the gentlemen composing
this commit fer?, and sub-committee cannot
bo questioned. Their names sufficiently
negative tbs Rightest suspicion that they
could be influenced by corrupt men or by
corrupt motives. From the labors of this
"committee of eleven" came two reports
upon different branches of the subject
matter of investigation-the one submit
ted by General M. C. Butler, upon gen
eral grievances of tho State ; tho other by
tho Hon. G. A. Trenholm, upon the
bonded debt, both of which were ap
proved and adoptod by the Convention.
General Butler and I wore but two of
a delegation of six from Edgefleld, and
but two in a convention of delegates from
twenty-six counties in the State, com
?osed of her ablest and beat citizens,
'he action of that Convention ' was en
tirely in accord with our vievrs and sen
timoi. - touching tho public debt and
measure;, of Stato policy in general, and
in fact all its proceedings were character
ized by umiHual gravity, earnestness and
harmony. To charge us with betraying
thc true interests ot our constituoncy iu
thi.t Convention, or conspiring against the
welfare of the people of the State, is to
lay a similar, ch argo at thc door of evory
member of that body. To say that we
improperly controlled or influenced their
action is an insult to their intelligence
and integrity, and a base slander upon
them os well as upon ourselves.
xnis argument, so unfairly and mali
ciously paraded before tho publio, was
open and free to be exhibited. About it
thoro was nothing secret or designed to
bo hidden. General Butler did not hesi
tate to go to the city of New York, and
in opeu court in tho suit befwA*n. Child:
and Southern against Wm. E. Eversa,
to testify to the genuineness aqd purport
of this paper, and tho circumstances
under which it was executed. Prior to
his going to New York, it was proposed
or suggested by a distinguished lawyer of
this State, in a letter to General Butler,
intended for our joint peruaal. that it
would be bettor that tho suit should be
compromised, in order to suppress this
agreement. This . proposition Genoral
Butler, with my hoarty concurrence, de
clined, aud unhesitatingly unfolded the
pspcr to thc world by uU Uttlimeuy in
open court. Distorted construction to
his prejudice he defied, and so do I. con
scious ss we are of nothing wrong in
agreeing to serve, as attorneys, gentle
men of nigh character and to lend our
aid by proper means to reinstate the
rained credit o'f the State.
From this transaction wo have never re
ceived one dollar, nor, *o far aa I know,
have those who invested their money in
it. Thia "twice told tale" is, with deep
malice, designed to impair the usefulness
of Gen. Butler and myself in our respec
tive publie spheres, and to injure our
private characters. My warfare against
public thieves and robbers has been bit
ter, unrelenting, and, I am happy to say,
successful, ona sach has been and ever
will be my devotion to her institutions i
and hor weal that neither tho voice nor
the pen of tho defamer shall cause mo to
falter in my course, or to swerve from my
duty to tho State. For tho honor and
welfare of my people I have fought, and
for the redemption of my State I have
straggled. She is redeemed, thank God,
and stands to-day the proud peer of any
State, and, so far as my heart and voice
and arm have availed, and may hereafter
avail, so shall she stand forever.
HELL.-There are preacher? in Eng
land as well as in America, now-a-days,
declaring themselves disbelievers in bell.
No ona nos a right to discard any part of
tho Word of God. If hell does not ac
tuary literally exist, then there is no
heaven, and the Bible is a mero myth.
It is very pleasant doctrine to some peo
?lo to discard hell and advocate heaven,
'hero would be no justice to the tipright
and pure if they were placed upon sn
equal footing after death with the wicked
and depraved. Heaven itself would
then be a hell. Tho beautiful life ot
Jesus, and the immortal teachings of
His apostles and followers will never be
blotted from the taco of the earth' by ai i
the ingenuity and skill of men. But tho
true ministers of the Troth will have to
.fortify themselves and combat tbe errors
of infidelity that are even trying to creep
in the very church of the Most High.
VJiMi Uabtnjni, inuit tin lijo or.A? .Mil
false teachings of mon spread over the
world. Men love falsehood, it seems,
better than truth. What wickedness,
What blackness, .tfhat darkness, what
corruption, what rotteness, what death
lurks in the hearts of men who Seek to
undermine the religion of Christ !-Chm
monwealih.
- In bolling eggs don't boil them.
Put them in boiling water and set the
Waaaat on ihn haarU? unr) int lt romain
seven or eight minutes. This will cook
the egg clear through, just as it ought
to be. without hardening tbs white near
tho shell. This hint is worth a ban-el of
eggs, except to those wretched mortals
i wno take their eggs solid, sad know rio
better.
- A WU before the Virginia legisla
tnr? i ?qiiira? ?ii ??~cns selling cigars io
take out a state license, and ba furnished
with a Hoffet register. Every time the
dealer sells a cigar he turns the crank
of the register, and at tho end of each
month he makes oath to tho number of
cigars sold, and pays s tax of one cent
on each' cigar sold.
7- The gubernatorial succession is,
being discussed in Texas. Gov. Hub?
bard, Ho?. W, W. Lang. Hon. J. Wf
Tbrockmorton and Judge Devino are tho
most prominent candidates, .
- "Fashion sometimes . runs into sar?
coom.. Thus, for instance, the heading of
a marriage notice in ono of exchanges
reads t 'Khea-Morse.? "
THE COBDEN INVESTIGATION*
Report of tho 8p*ci*l Comsalttoo Ufa.
??niuo Into the JJoviotis Transaction* of
MnuchauHen Corbin.
The committee appointed by a resolu-,
tloo of tbe Senate ar December 19,1877,
"to investigate the conduct of David Ti
Corbin in his efforts to be elected to tbe
United States Sennto f om this Stat?
on the 12th day of December, 1676, and,
if the said David; T. Corbie was guilty
of bribery of members of the General
Assembly in said effort," uk leave to
report that, in pursuance of the direction
of the Senate, tho committee commenced
their work during the recess. The com?)
mitteo Bent Mr. Corbin a summons and
also vu Invitation to bo present and give
his ono testimony before tho committee,'
but denlined to send him written Inter
rogatories on the points to which the in
vestigation of the committee extended
In pursuance of bia "?quest. He declined,
to attend, and sent to the committee
certain printed statements published by
himself. The letters and printed matter
accompany this report and were submit
ted as a part thereof, so that Mr. Corbin
nay have the benefit of them. Amo^?
o.ber things, Mr. Corbin says:
"When Judge li. B. Car non ter enjoin
ed,tho State Treasurer ana the Carolina
National Bank from paying out th'j funds
of tho Stato according to law, and thc
wheels of tho government thus stopped,
* * * * floaned about twenty thou
?and dollars to F. L. Cardoso, State Treas
urer, to meet the immediate expenses of the
State Government." Mr. Corbin also saya
in tho same printed statement niter nd
nutting that he had hold a laroo sum
of money-$28,000-collected ln~a suit
against a phosphate* company, "I sub
mitted my account to the Comptroller
Gene?' d, and the same was credited and.
allowed by him, and I was authorised by
bim to retain the amount out of. the
funds in my bands, collected in the
above phosphate suit." The amounts re
ferred to wero claimed for fees in this
phosphate Suit and ia p. certain suit
against the Savannah aud Charleston
Railroad Company.
It will bo seen hereafter how much bf
thia statement ia confirmed by tho state
ments of other witnesses, ana by the rc-,
cords in the office of the Comptroller
General and tho State Treasurer.
Th6 last letter of the Comptroller Gen
eral of which a copy can be found in tbe
office in reference to thia aubject, is a
letter of Comptroller General T. 0. Dunn,
of 6th July, 1876, directed to Messrs.
Corbin & Stone, of which firm David T.
Corbin waa a member. In this letter
Mr. Bunn says : "I cannot deem it
otherwise than my official duty to insist
that yon pay over to the State Treasurer
all of the moneys collected by you from
the South Carolina Phosphate Company,
except the 62} per cent, of the $5,684 ;
a.td as from your letter of the 17th ult,,
you decline to do so for reasons therein
stated, I shall feel obliged to appeal tc
tho courts on behalf of the State."
It appears from a letter on Ble of 3rd
June, 1876, from Comptroller General
Dunn to Corbin & Stone that the
amounts collected by them from thc
Phosphate Companv were $fi.9R4. &nrj
$22,019; to* a' $25.000, and that tho sam
admitted to bo due to Corbin & Stone
was only 62} per cent, of $5,984, and
$325.50 lor expenses, mat ug a total Ol
$4,065.50, thus leaving in tue bands o!
Corbin & Stone $25,934.60, claimed tobt
the property of the Stt.-'c. If any con
sent was ever given by Comptroller Gen
eral Duna for-this money to bo retainer
there is no record left in the office o
any auch transaction, and it could onl*
have been by some private arrangement
which formed a part of shs r an thai
formed to rob the State of Ker rights
and impose on the people a governmcs
not of their choice by using tnisTund fo
corrupt sad unlawful purposes.
A letter to the present Treasurer, 8,?,
Leaphart, from Corbin & Stone, c
June 4,1877, covers a check for $208.0
as the total balance duo the State ont c
the $28,000 collected. It may be ns wo!
to state that the Attorney General som
time before tho appointment of this com
mlttee bad been instructed to commend
suit to recover the money thu* imnropbi
ly withheld from the State by Corbin ?
Stone, and that Comptroller Geneff
Hogood bas been obliged "to appeal t
the Courts on behalf of the State/'
It is scarcely necessary, to state thc
what is called the election ot' David 'J
Corbin to the United Statt?...Senate wi
made in the hall of tho House of Repn
aentatlves by certain Senators of Bout
Carolina, and by a body known as tl
Mackey Hou&o, claiming to be the cons?
tutional Houso of Representatives, v?hi
the trite constitutional body, as held 1
the supreme judicial tribunal of tl
State, was assembled uu?er the Speak?
ship of Hon. W. H. Wallace in the Ca
olina Hall, in the city of Columbi
while tho Mackey House, under tho pr
toctioo of the United States solm?i
held possession of the State House.
The attention of tho committee h
;bccn especially directed to ascertain
any And what means were used to infl
Ince those who participated in the pi
tended election.
In opposition to the statement of ?
Corbin above referred to, the tate Trei
urer, F. L. Cardoso, states , in his ?
aminatlon before the committee, tb
ho borrowed from Mr. Corbin tho mon
to pay the members of the Senate a
the Mackey House; "that he did pay
the members of the.Mackey House,a
tho Republican Senators;" that it 7
"an individual loan:" "that ha did i
pay out the money as Treasurer,*'a
"made no entry, on the booka of ' 1
I Treasurer's office, but took up the r
certificates of tho members who w<
I paid ;" "that he turned over the cert
j pates to Mr. Corbin/' "that, as Mr. O
biu'a Bgvcv, uo auuBtxjttt>u?iy nisuo
effort, to get the parties to:refund.I
amounts paid them, bot with very lil
success, and that David T. Corbin n
holds these certificates as his Individ
property, and bas made an effort to t
ploy distinguished counsel to press
payment of them by the State. He i
states that the money was furuisl
some week or ten days before, but
paid to bim until three br four d
after tbe pretended election, that it \
SO? mu ?iiiCi?l tr??T??i?mi, noa iba
was no secret ; that he expected to I
row the money, though no does not
member that he told the source fi
which it was to come.
In reference to the last ' statemeni
F. L. Cardoso, C. S. MinorV a mem
of the Mackey House, beatifies-I um
stood him (Cardozo)'io tay that Coi
wouid lend him the money on the cor
catos.
G. H. Holland, a member of
Mackey House, testifies-We had a <
eua and Mr. Cardoso spoke ; someb
brought up the pay. matter and Card
said ?f wo would hurry up and elect <
bin ho would get us $200 of our.sala
and thinks Mr. Corbin WM in the cat
during the whole time, arid ta pool
he waa there ?hen Mr. Cardoso m
tho ?talement in his speech,
statement mado tho members more i
for Mr. Corbin.
8. J, Keith, a member of the Mac
House, testifi?i~rTbat in voting for
Corbin we would bo ab!? to obtain e
SOM m&atts?ripu wm Mt fr? raiur??I, Uttlc** tk*
We sw fast r?r>oia?;M? icr th? rio?? nd
opinion* of oyrcorrMpoodtu;
All coram?ilttsUoBk tb&?ia Stf *44 r?*d '??"SA*
lWInt<l?mm?fVtpd ?M ??wit?. d? ru-, J-WJ,
orden, A?., ehotfd t^au^d?^j^y^^"-^
. . .-, .-' '.!;;, Aodsfwn,8.'c.
.?? ? ? .- ? i- -1 m., -",
Say; that through Mr. Coibm bo (Car
ozo) could get money to pay &e met?-,
hers $200 of their ?alar?, and it was alto
urged by c imbers of hia frion?l?; Faay
posit.te.y, ? . my oath, that it was gcn&
raily unde._.->k>d among the jnombers
that if Mr. Corbin wao elected wefwnuM
get some roonc}y^-$20pcRchof ourea'.ary,
and if be wan not elected we would not
get any money Ht all; and Mr,' Cardo?o
ats6 urged, in my interview with bim,
that that , WAS .the only source from which
he could, get any money-th?reAtaa none
in the treasury. I would have votod for
any other candidate under the esme cir
cumstances. I was pretty bard np and
I did i.e.; care W'JO the candidate was if
I got $200. That idea P (footed the whole
or m. ,
E. R. Bardeen, acting at the time as
Deputy United States Marshrij testi
fies-That he1 was ? friend of Corbin's,
and electionecrd for him, and tbst it was
well known thai if Afr. Corbin meeketed
he would aid the Treasurer to raise the
money to pay off tho member? of the
General Assembly $200 on their salary.
I got my 'nfonnatton from the Treasu
rer. J used that as an inducement for
thom .to vote for Mr. Corbin ; also that
he bad no conversation with Corbin
about it, but got bis information from the
Treasurer.
P. VV. Jefferson, member of the Mack
ay Houw, testifies-I have no doubt that
tue faut that Mr. Corbin was going to
loan .the .money was the reason of his
?lection ; don't think he-cu?d have been
elected without it ; I think he wai rather
weak ss a candidate1 until then ; think Mr.
Corbin's friends became very much more
zealous after they knew they -os!d he
paid if be was elected; don't remember
to have seen Corbin but twice before tho
election of Senator-both times in cau
cus meetings.
E. W. M. Mackey, Speaker of thc
Mackey House, testifies-That it wao
generally believed that unless Mr. Cor
bin furnished the money there was no
other way of paying the members at tb nt
time; I recollect having heard at tho
time, though I cannot now recall tho
source bf my information, that Mr. Cor
bin held money belonging to the State
to the amount , of $20,000 derived from
some phosphate company, which money,
were ho elected United States Senator,
ho would pay over tb the State Treasurer,
Mr. Cardozo, but if be were not elected,
he would retain possession of the rooney
until the whole thing was settled. Mont '
of the members were in very indigent
circumstances, many of thom being with
out a dollar, and but for the fact th at
they were informed that the only way to
obtain their pay was to elect Mr, Corbin
as Senator, I do not believe Mr. Corbin
would have been elected, si he wea not
the most popular candidate.
C. C. Bowen testifies-Tho under
tanding with all tho members of the
LogiBlafcire, Corbin and Cardozo, with
reference to the election of Co-bhi tc tho
United States Senate, Was, that If ho
(Corbin) ehould be elected, tho mem
bers of the Legislature were to receive
$200 each : sad if tho elect ion ehould not
result In his favor, th ero w*?u?d bo no
money to pay any hue. ' It was spoken
of by ft!! part?sc ?or ? vrr*ei. S??U perhaps
longer, i prior to that. Corbin weald not
h&Yo received one-tenth part of thc vovrn
he did bad it not been for that an
nouncement. I regard the matter as
A bribe, and So charactered it before
and siter the election. Cardoso was
very industrious as the friend of Cor
bin, and stated to tho inem?>ere that
unless they voted for Corbin, in ey
would not get any money. There is no
doubt that if it bad not been for that
money Corbin would not . have been
sleety to tb? pss&fou of.VsAmm*m
Senator. Chamberlain also atatod that
Corbin would furnish the money if
elected. Corbin was , constantly. p-msent
when tho assurance? were-beinp? made ly
his friends, and I sm certain that he
(Corbin) know all about it.
Mr. Corbin having stated that ho fur
nished the money to ' F. L. Cardoso ns
Treasurer, and tho latter baring testified
before the committee that in paying it
out ho acted as the'agent of Mr. Corbin,
the committee, in such an investigation
aa this, deemed lt legitimate to prove
the u?cm?stlous eud acts of Cardozo in
reference to tho wholo mattor. Tho
co?mltc?e do not seo bow tho stats
ments can be reconciled on say theory
creditable to tho parties.
Many of the witnesses examined ?co
not seem to have, "known anything ex
cept that tho money was paid to them
Ss members over the counter of the
??'ate Treasurer, F. L. Cardira, pro
fii sedly and to all apaearancsa ss a& ijf?
cisJaci, and thus they may have been
kept in tho dark as to the true nature of
the transaction.
- Ibspprnrs to the committee that tho
following facta are ; estiblishedr .
That at tho timo of the pretended
election for United States Senior, on
12th December, 1876, in which David T.
Corbin claims to lisve ' bc?u ?lectcd, be
held in control, as a member of the firm
bf Corbin AStono.$2%G?i?O, collected
for the State, snd tuen, snd now, claimed
as the property of th? State.
That tK?'said David T/OJrbio/Titd
vanced about that sum to purchase' the
pay certificates of tho Republican Sena
tors nnd members of the Mackay House
-which, pay certificates he thou 1
transferred to himsolf and still bolds as
bis own property.
. That subsequently, he paid over a small
amount of $206.00 to the, present Treas
urer-claiming trie balance of the fund
on some pretext as ? debt due him'bv tba
Bute-leaving nothing on file-in the
Treasurer's or ComplroBer's offices to r
show in what manner he could properly
appropriate to his own uso so largo a tram
of money belonging to tho State.
That this promise to purchaso pay
cc rt i "Cot ci ot por ~u?ch rToro "?rorthiCas .M
the market and utterly without any legal
validity operated as n gr?a*- Inducement
to many member? of the Mackey Honan
to vote for Corbin, os they were id Co
lumbia without money and in obocum
stances of great. need.
That David T. Corbin di? know that
thia money was used for this purpose,
and that -this was done by bis contriv
ance, and in accordance wita his wishes.
Tho committee have corns tothe con
???si?? inui if ino ?ici? bo as they Bp*
pear to tho committee, thon there wss
such a gratuity on the part of David T.
Corbin to certsin person? who were duly
elected member? of the Lcftlilaturp,
though pot tbeE sliting in rt legal as
tiinbly, given to influence their votes in
ibo matter of the election of United
{Slates..Senator to. come before them? as
to constitute a very grave offense against
tho statutes WT thic State, end against
public policy ?nd good morals.
Your twmmitteo, therefore, recom
mend that all the evidence taicn by the
committee be turned over io tho Attor
ney General, with instructions to in
stitute such civil or criminal proceedings
against said David T. Corbin, or both, ?a
in his judgment tho circunuAancea war
rant, to secure the rights of the 8isto and
v.*?d?cate tho supremacy of the l*w.
Tho testimony taken and tbs let tors
abd statements ?f Mr: Corbin ar*fcore
srith ftlerL Bsspw-trplly submitted,
.TA MIX. N. I.ii*i?<v
Cbaim&S? t':'