South Carolina Governor. He served as the 75th governor of South Carolina, serving from December 7, 1872 to December 1, 1874. Born the son of a prominent Jewish jurist from Sumter District, and his wife, Jane McLelland, he attended the schools locally and in 1855 enrolled at South Carolina College for less than a year, before beginning to study law. By 1860 he had passed the bar and opened a law practice in Charleston, South Carolina. He changed his political party to Republican. In 1868 he was elected to the South Carolina State House of Representatives from Charleston, later becoming the Speaker of the House in the General Assembly. While serving as a State Representative, he regularly accepted bribes to expedite the passage of legislation. In 1870 he was re-elected to the House and continued as speaker until 1872 when he became a candidate for governor. During this period of "Reconstruction," Moses encountered vast opposition to his nomination. Many of his fellow Republican's refused to endorse him, but with overwhelming black support he was elected in 1872, becoming the seventy-fifth governor of South Carolina. There was no Democratic candidate. While governor, he sold hundreds of pardons and regularly diverted thousands of dollars of public money to personal use. Before any bill could be paid, his hand had to be "greased". He refused to consider any bill without a bribe to accompany it. After his rise to the governorship, he continued his criminal ways requiring something, usually money in return for favors granted. By 1874 he was indicted for misappropriation of state fund, but he called on companies of black militia to block the Orangeburg Sheriff from serving the indictment. The State Supreme Court ruled he could not be prosecuted, only impeached while governor. After his term of office expired despite all the allegations, he was chosen by the General Assembly to a seat on the circuit court bench. However, the new governor blocked his appointment and Moses again had to rely on his wits to survive. He continued his devious ways after leaving office and was arrested on numerous occasions for crimes committed. He filed for bankruptcy in 1875 and his wife Emma Buford Richardson divorced him in 1878. He tried to rally his political career, but was unable to get the support needed to be elected. He became a beggar after spending the remainder of his money, and even called on his former in-laws for help, eventually stealing from them. He relocated to cities in the northeastern United States, where he was arrested. Addicted to drugs, he supported himself with assorted jobs as journalist and periodically resorted back to crime. He served time in several jails. He died as a beggar in Winthrop, Massachusetts.