either be re-elected, go to the United States Senate, or look to higher honors on a broader field. In any event, his ability and well-known record render any such result not improbable, and not at all to be scouted at as a heinous offence, especially if the people so will it; while those who are opposed to any such exaltation of a worthy Republican have the onus to show and prove that he is ambitious at the expense of principle. It makes little difference who gets honors or offices at the South, provided only impartial liberty, equal and exact justice, is preserved, and every man has a chance, without fear and without favor, to be in every sense a man in the land of his birth. Underneath all the questions of reform, good government, just taxation, negro supremacy, lie deeper and more fundamental issues. The minor ones are of trifling import if those upon which republican government rests are maintained. The latter are the Palais Royale which must be saved at all hazards.

Hon. Amasa Walker, of Massachusetts, a man whose conspicuous ability and high character give unusual value to his utterance, having, on account of his health, spent much time in South Carolina, wrote a letter (March 23, 1875,) to the Springfield (Mass.) Republican, from which the following passage is taken :

Governor Chamberlain was elected by the Republican party, has a majority in both branches of the Legislature, and it would seem, at the first blush, that his position was an eligible one and that he need find little difficulty in conducting the affairs of the Government; yet no man, in the whole history of the Reconstruction movement, has been surrounded by more embarrassing circumstances. This is owing to the character of the Administrations that. have immediately preceded his own. They were corrupt to a most appalling extent, had wasted the revenues of the State, and plunged it into almost hopeless bankruptcy. And all this was done by his own party, and, to no small extent, by the ring men in concert with whom he must act in conducting its legislative and financial affairs. His enemies are those of his own household if he should undertake to stem the fearful tide of corruption, and be honest and just; yet, if we may judge from what he has already accomplished, he has been determined from the outset that nothing should be done, so far as he could prevent it, injurious to the best interests of his adopted State.

Thus far he has succeeded admirably, and given assurance that his Administration is to be conducted for the benefit of the country rather than the advantage of official thieves. Should he be able, as it is confidently expected he will, to execute his intentions, it will be an important event, not only to South Carolina, but to other States that have, like her, suffered excessively from the faithlessness of their public servants. Governor Chamberlain offends a certain class, but, of course, gives high satisfaction to those who desire, above all things, the promotion of the best interests of the State, and we hear on all sides high and hearty commendations of the course he has thus far pursued. From present appearances he will, at the end of his two years' term, have the approbation and thanks of the great body of the citizens of both parties. Should this be the case, the moral and political effect upon the whole country will be very great. If a Yankee, born and bred in New England, should show himself, in the exalted station of Governor, an honest and fearless man, fully bent upon advancing in the highest degree the welfare of a Southern State, and successful in doing so, it need not be said that it would exert a very happy influence upon the entire nation.

CHAPTER X.

Social, Literary, and Patriotic Festivals-Letters to the New England Society of Charleston-Letter to Richard Briggs, of Boston, Commending a Patriotic Service Address at the Centennial Celebration of the Battle of LexingtonLetter to the German Fusiliers of Charleston-Comment of the News and Courier-Letter Declining an Invitation to Deliver an Address before the Literary Societies of Erskine College-Address at the Celebration of the Centennial of the Mecklenburg (N. C.) Declaration of Independence-Presentation of Colors to the Washington Light Infantry-Oration before, the Law School of Yale College-Appointment of Commissioners to Further the Representation of South Carolina in the Centennial Exhibition at Philadelphia-Address before the Barnwell County Agricultural Society-Oration at Greenville (S. C.) on the Occasion of the Award of the Whitsitt Prizes.

TH

HE change wrought in the feeling toward the Governor of the citizens who were not of his political party was manifested in various expressions of respect and cordiality, often assuming the form of an earnest solicitation to take a prominent part on public occasions which had no direct connection with the business of the State. The record of Governor Chamberlain's Administration would lack not only completeness, but a quality of essential justice, if it omitted becoming mention of his distinguished and honorable performance of the non-administrative duties which are imposed on a chief magistrate, in his character of representative first citizen of the Commonwealth.

Until the end of the session of the Legislature he permitted no inducement, however tempting, to divert his energy from the work he had undertaken. Soon after his term began, he was invited to attend the meeting of the New England Society in Charleston, in celebration of the anniversary of the landing of the Pilgrims at Plymouth. In the reply which he made to the invitation to be present and respond to the sentiment "The State of South Carolina," he confessed the pleasure and pride he would feel in doing that service, if he were not compelled to remain at

his post of duty, and in the following passage, he indicated the thought which the occasion inspired in him :

If I had been permitted to respond for the State of South Carolina at your festival, I should have said that I, a son of the Pilgrims of New England and loyal in every fibre of my being to their memory, could look with pride, hardly less than if native-born, upon the high qualities which have marked the people of this State in all the varying fortunes through which they have passed-their early self-denial, their revolutionary patriotism, their brilliant record in the subsequent national councils, their devoted valor in the more recent struggle of arms, and their unwavering fortitude amidst the trials of misfortune and defeat. I should have said that from such elements of character, fixed and inspired by such a history, South Carolina, laying aside whatever was antagonistic to true progress in her former local institutions, and resting now on the broad foundation of perfect civil equality, will in the near future re-assert her supremacy in our great sisterhood of States. I know the sons of the Pilgrims of New England who are with us will not dishonor their sires by a weak succumbing before present discouragements. Faith in the invincibility of a good cause was the secret of our fathers' success. In that sign we may again conquer. In the restoration of good government to this State let us resolve to bear an honorable part, thereby proving our true descent from those who, two hundred and fifty years ago, gave to the world one of her most conspicuous examples of the spirit and methods by which Christian Commonwealths may be built up and perpetuated.

"The restoration of good government to this State "-that was the task he had set for himself; and he neglected no proper opportunity of invoking the sympathy and aid of all citizens on the broad ground of common interest and obligation, well knowing that under our form of government the public welfare is never secure unless there can be established under all political organizations into which the people may be divided, a fundamental sympathy and co-operation of honest men in honorable aims.

In March, the same Society had its annual dinner, and the Governor was again invited to be present to respond to the same sentiment. Again he was compelled to decline. The brief letter of declination written two days before the adjournment of the Legislature, illustrated, as it was, by his public service, profoundly affected the assembly and the public, and was the occasion of a remarkable speech by an eminent citizen, for many successive years before the war the Speaker of the House of Representatives of the State. The Governor wrote:

A. S. Trumbo, Esq., Charleston, S. C.:

COLUMBIA, March 16, 1875

DEAR SIR-Your very kind favor of the 12th inst. is received. It is a great disappointment to me not to be able to be present with you and to enjoy the high honor of responding to the sentiment which you have enclosed.

It fills the full measure of my ambition to win the approval of the good men of South Carolina of all parties in my efforts to have our State Government become a blessing and protection to all our people. My present position would afford me no compensation which I could value if I should fail to convince all that I am striving to be the servant of the whole people. Your kindness on this occasion is one valued proof of my success in this respect, and it shall nerve me to follow the same path in the future.

Yours, very gratefully,

D. H. CHAMBERLAIN.

What followed the reading of this letter was thus reported in the Charleston News and Courier:

After the reading of this communication, which was received with deafening applause, President O'Connor introduced General James Simons to respond to the following toast, which was to have been responded to by Governor Chamberlain :

The State of South Carolina: There are signs which indicate the dawn of a new and better era, when, shaking the mildew of corruption from her garments, she will array herself again in the robes of honor and honesty."

General Simons, after alluding to the present condition of the State, asked who was to be the Cato who would restore her to her former greatness and glory. The office of Governor in South Carolina has been its most favored office. Its judiciary has always been favored and spotless, and, in my conception, South Carolina has been so catholic, so universal in her opinion and sentiment, that when she wanted a Cato she did not have to ballot for him. [Good! good!] But whoever came to represent the people, whether he came from one portion of the Union or another, if he had honesty stamped upon his brow, he was welcomed and supported. I heard read just now the sentiment : "The compensation of my being Governor of South Caro

lina will be indifferent if I fail to convince all that I am the Governor of the whole people." Gentlemen, I have been accustomed to that sentiment in South Carolina amongst the Governors when I was no higher than this table. I have never heard them utter the sentiment, but I never saw the time when it was other than conceded that the Executive, the foreman of the grand jury of the Commonwealth, knew no difference between individual or party; he was the Governor of the whole people. This I regard as a great sentiment, a noble conception; it requires nobility of nature, elevation of spirit, power of self-respect, to carry it into execution.

You have a man ruling over your State who has the affections, the respect, the esteem, and the confidence of the people. Let him make good that exalted sentiment uttered in his letter which has just been read, and he will merit the "Well done, good and faithful servant," uttered with one accord by a grateful people. I do not expect miracles. I am of a profession which teaches me to find out what justice

is. You must remember, gentlemen, that Governor Chamberlain is circumstanced as few of his predecessors have been. He is surrounded by difficulties. You cannot expect him to work a miracle, and tear off the corruption from the body politic in a few days or weeks. But he may take great strides towards it, and such is the power of virtue that a mere spark will illumine the whole. He has the opportunity to show himself fairly. He has started well, and he has made a profession this evening, not in a corner, not to me or any one else individually, but he has made it known to this society, composed of men who represent more than one fifth of the body politic of the metropolis of the State, and, in this letter which has been read, you hear his solemn declaration that you may publish to the world, that he intends to stand upon an apex above the miserable atmosphere of meanness and baseness; to rise up as a man who says, I will put down corruption; I will raise up honesty and uprightness. Then, my friends, let us unite in casting prejudice aside, and, whilst we hold him to a strict account of his stewardship, let us never forget the difficulties by which he is encompassed.

In the spring of 1875, the Washington Light Infantry of the city of Charleston held a fair for the benefit of the widows and orphans of its deceased members, of whom many fell in the civil war fighting for the consummation of secession. In Massachusetts, a number of citizens and ladies determined to aid the fair, intending thereby to indicate that they had ceased to foster personal animosity toward their countrymen in the South and were willing to join in benevolent action in behalf of widows and or phans of soldiers who had served in the rebellion. A large and influential committee in Boston sent out invitations for contributions. A copy of the Committee's circular having been sent to Governor Chamberlain, he at once addressed a letter to Mr. Richard Briggs, of Boston, Chairman of the Committee, which, when it became public, was most favorably regarded, North and South. Governor Chamberlain said:

I am delighted at this proof of good-will of the citizens of the capital of my native State toward those of the chief city of my adopted State. No patriotic duty is more commanding at this time than the restoration of fraternal feelings between Massachusetts and South Carolina, and the great sections of our country they represent, respectively. Every good interest in this State will take new strength from your exhibition of good-will to our people.

On the 19th of April, the towns of Lexington and Concord, in Massachusetts, celebrated the centennial of the first battles of the Revolutionary War. It was the beginning of a long series of patriotic celebrations which interested the whole people, and exerted