Both conventions had to subscribe to that; but if it represented the views of Daniel H. Chamberlain, the Reformers under Thomas and others must be credited with some influence in turning him from his earlier views on railroads, when he was the legal guardian of the State.
Observe him, fresh from the East.
“Office of the Attorney General,
Columbia, S. C. January 5, 1870.
My dear Kimpton: Parker arrived last evening and spoke of the G. & C. matter, etc. I told him I had just written you fully on that matter and also about the old Bk. bills. Do you understand fully the plan of the G. & C. enterprise? It is proposed to buy $350,000 worth of the G. & C. Stock. This with $433,000 of stock held by the State, will give entire control to us. The Laurens branch will be sold in February by decree of court and will cost not more than $50,000 and probably not more than $40,000. The Spartanburg and Union can also be got without difficulty. We shall then have in G. & C. 168 miles, in Laurens, 31, and in S. & U. 70 miles—in all 269 miles—equipped and running—put a first mortgage of $20,000 a mile—sell the bonds at $85 or $90, and the balance, after paying all outlays for cost and repairs, is immense, over $2,000,000. There is a mint of money in this or I am a fool. Then we will soon compel the S. C. R. R. to fall into our hands and complete the connection to Asheville, N. C. There is an infinite verge of expansion of power before us. Write me fully and tell me every thing you want done. My last letter was very full. Harrison shall be attended to at once. I don’t think Neagle will make any trouble. Parker hates Neagle, and magnifies his intentions.
Yours truly,
D. H. Chamberlain”[351]
What a terrible indictment of the Negro intelligentsia is their utter neglect of William Hannibal Thomas, the great Negro who could think of something more than himself and his race, who wished to serve humanity at large.
FOOTNOTES:
[324] DuBois, Reconstruction and Its Benefits Am. Hist. Rev. Vol. IV, p. 781.
[325] Compendium Ninth Census U. S. p. 14.
[326] DuBois, Reconstruction and Its Benefits Am. Hist. Rev. Vol. IV, p. 784.