Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 13.djvu/83

 82 Southern Historical Society Papers.

presumption of unworthiness. In former times the public bonds of the State never found their way into the stock market; now, they were hawked about the streets of New York by a wretched gutter- broker, who was made by Chamberlain the financial agent of the State, and once, in order to expedite business, the Secretary of State, the mulatto Cardoza, went to New York with the great seal of the State in his pocket, to comply with the request of the financial agent. On one occasion three men met at the agent's office, counsellors and advisers of the financial agent of South Carolina, Scott, of Ohio ; Parker, the swindler of New Hampshire, Bowen, the god of the Cooper River negroes, and the vote broker, Henly. These, and such as these, sat in council with the financial agent of the State ; gave their counsel ; determined about the disposal of the money which might be raised, and, doubtless, broke many a vulgar jest upon the misery of the State which they presumed to represent.

I dwell upon this matter because I feel that a bare recital of events can never tell but a portion of the truth. It was not a sentiment which led the Carolinians to support the Democratic party, it was a deep seated personal interest which was universal. The success of the Democratic party was to them life, hope, self-esteem, the sense of still having a home, the purification of the temple, the revival of our manhood. The triumph of the Republican party was moral death, degradation, apathy all that was abhorrent to a proud and generous nature, all that was loathsome to the moral sense was in- volved in the triumph of Radicalism. I cannot use language too strong to convey an idea of the feeling which thrilled through the heart of the State at the prospect of political defeat, because I know that no language can adequately describe it.

In the same spirit with which they had put forward Carpenter, and afterwards rallied around Green, they were moved by the specious words of Chamberlain. They knew him to be corrupt; that he had made his way to his proud eminence by the aid of corrupt agents, but he was so far in advance of his party in refinement and culture, and had so clearly indicated the cause which the State ought to fol- low, that a large portion of the people were reconciled to the pros- pect of having him for their Governor. He was not the man whom they would choose, but he seemed the best whom they could prob- ably get. They trusted to the purifying influences of culture and power. But his letters to Senator Robertson and President Grant revealed the true character of a man utterly false, and made it im- possible for any self-respecting Carolinian to vote for him.