" No
private confidential letters could benefit the children of the
State; they benefit only the man who writes them. These letters
undoubtedly were written to benefit himself, not the children. I
express the sentiment of my people when I say that he is guilty
of murder, not of manslaughter. This man and such as he have
done an immense harm, and it is time we were getting rid of them.
We can't hold that class of men and be successful in politics. It
is with pain that I utter what I do. If this were some other
occasion, and the gentleman was from some other county, I ... of
... Cathcart. Hayne then went into a review of the testimony,
concluding with the remark that as to the expulsion of Mr.
Robertson bringing disgrace upon his children he did not deny; it
was mournful that the sins of the fathers should be visited upon
their children.

Black ... Davis then got up, and, as usual, talked a great deal
and said very little. The general tenor of the harangue, however,
was that if they expelled Robertson they would establish a
precedent that would work harm for the party. They would be
opening a door that they might not be able to shut when they
wanted to. That Republican material was scarce, and if they
punished this man it would discourage other white carpet-baggers
from coming down and help lead the party in this State.

Freeman of Charleston, then followed in a strong speech against
Robertson. He said that the question was one of peculiar
significance. It was whether the colored men of the State were
able to lead themselves, and capable of upholding their
self-respect. He had remained silent until he had heard the
defence entirely exhausted, and he was forced to say that the
accused had in his defence done nothing but make an admission
that the charges were true. He then read a letter of Robertson's
dated June 2d. This, he said, was a confidential letter, and no
public servant had the right to write such confidential letters
to put money in their own pockets. If he (Robertson) knew that it
was the character of these Northern firms to defraud the people
of the different States, as he says he did, then why did he go to
them? If he knew that they were swindlers, why did he go to them
to strike a bargain for the State. Robertson had cast an