Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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Jcuotqd to Sgftnlfor*, Sgoriiqulturit, gom^tiq aiqonomg, fi^3Enrtur<, floliti^, ;md the (tturrtnt SJeroa of the 8a#. ^. - ruitf^ri i i - \ ' <i . &ShfrJ &.V-& v ^ * ,v V o " ? ?^ "" ^^.gjagsmgr-grTVitti VOL. IX?New Series. UNION C. H., SOUTH C^B^.INA, OCTOBER 4, 187S. ' ' HAMPTON'S SPEECH IN GREENVILLE We arc iudebteu to tbo coluuius of tin Nncs and Courier for aa admirable report of Gov. Hampton's wiso, benevolent aud well poised speech, which he delivered ou the 18th instant, at Greenville. Mr. Chuiruiau aud my Fellow-Citizens ol Greenville : A little more than two mouths ago I left Columbia with a view to attend the meetings at Spartanburg, Grccuvillo, lias ley aud Peudlcton. I cauic with the view of attendiug those woetings, bccauso I supposed 1 should not. have uuother opportunity to see the people of the moun' tain region. 1 wanted only to thank them for what they had done iu the last canvass, ken down by confinement, responsibility and anxiety?*-1 was stricken down bv ill no.s8, and from that day to this hare been unable to meet my constituents. I almost fear that I am not able to do so now, aud if I should not bo able to discuss all the questions I should to-day, or if I discus^ those I do touch upon in an incoherent aud disconnected manner you must recollect that strong as has been my constitution I aui not made of iron, aud that tho work aud cures of the last two years have left their mark upon me. It was two years ago that I came into this county to plead the cause of South Carolina. When your Convention of August, 187G, with a unanimity never surpassed, did me the honor to nominate me as their standard-bearer, I came to those glorious mountains, under whose shadow we now stand, to rest'lor a few wocks and to digest the plan of the campaign, and from thcro I came into this Piedmont region to speak to the men of the mountains, to display our flag flr&t to them, and to call upon them to rally uuder it aud tight for their hearths, their homes and their fatherland. It was no accident that arranged that part of my programme. Communing aloue with 'nature in those oranrl miliin/t.w i k?.i 0 ? W...UVIVO X 1IUU tuu* sidered what would be the plan of operations, and I determined to go first to the men of the mouutaius. Liberty, they say, has always loved to dwell upon the mouutaius, and I came first to her chosen sons. - With the right of our line of battle resting on the hills of Georgia, and our left extending to North Carolina, X knew wo would * of pamotism kindled K^rc w^ttd bo reflected throughout tho State, and I Was right. They wero caught up and carried on until every hill-top glowed with them, aud the slogan raised in the mountains was ro-cchoed from the coast. I have not come, however, to speak about the last campaign. Every mau and womau in the State, and every child that remembers anything, remembers the glorious work i of those days. I have not como to speak to you of that campaign, then, but of the future?to tell you of the campaign of'78. < You?your Convention which recently assembled in South Caroliua?have scut your i old standard bearers again into the field.? i You have placed them upon the saino broad, catholic and liberal platform which drew to its support the honest and conservative men i i* it 1 -? * UI an parties aim ovui races ill clie lasi great struggle. Ycu have reiteratuil unan- ] iuiously the principles which gave life, and i strcugth, and victory to that struggle, and i ORPtLW&U,l? you call upon all citizens of the shoulder to shoulder in the coining fight. ! You have declared that the policy of '70 should bo the policy of '78. The Democratic party of the United States counte- ! nances no proscription on account of birth, i race or color, and you have solcmuly given your adhesion to the declaration of principles aunouueed by our National Convention. That convention declared its acceptance in perfect good faith of the recent amendments to the Constitution of tho United States, and youtftUCe Convention acoopted, ratified and endorsed, in most emphatic ter?*?th? action of the national party.? We are thus doubly pledged to carry out in good faith the policy to which the great iNnnocratic party of the country is unaltcr ably and solemnly committed. We pledged (ourselves in '70 to stand upon that platti'orni, and in '78 your State Convention, trcalieing the good results that had been accomplished, reiterated it, and when it placed its candidates in the Geld, told them to go forth and declare to the people that the groat party which had won success in tho last canvass intended faithfully, honestly and truly to all the plcdgos of the past, and not forget in tho futuro the prom- ! iscs made when defeat was overshadowing us. I dwell upon these things because there is a manifest disposition in some quarters to iguoro thtfiu, it' not run counter to them, and because it is important, now that we are just entering another canvass, and one fraught with the gravest iRsuos, that thcro should be no misunderstanding of tho position of your standard-bearers in the tight. I intend that thcro shall bo no misunderstanding of mine, for I propose to stand where tho Democratic party placed mo in 187(5, and shall conduct this canvass on precisely the same principles and the same plan as ihe last ? the ouly plan, in my judg mcnl, which ponld harp given tD tictory in * ?. T X ' . ? '70, or could havo made us worthy of it.? : 1 believed it was the true odo then, aud 1 ; kuow that it is now. 1 Aud in this connec'ion I must cuter my t most emphatic disscut to tho viows expressed by Gen'l Gary at the recent meeting here, aud in his card iu reply to Gen'l Gray. Those views I believe to be inconsistent with the true policy of tho Democratic party. I say they do not represent the opinions of your standard-bearers, nor of the Democratic party of South Carolina, and that ho was not authorised to speak for your nominees. I believe that it was the conservative character of the last campaign, | as contradistinguished from what he calls i whom they had confidence brought thou- < sands to our support, and tho ovidenoo r?f < this is found iu the faot that tnauy more i thousands will go vrith us in the coining 1 election. They realize that they havo been honestly dealt with. They recoguizo that t all their rights hare bccu unimpaired, and c they appreciate the blessings of peace and t increased prosperity which havo followed t the inauguration of Democratic lulo. c Gen. Gary speaks of the mode in which s ho desired to conduct the cauvass as "tho I Mississippi plan." Now there are grave ti misapprehensions in regard to tho plan by c which tho gallant Mississippiaus carried v their State, and by a slander propagated by b some unprincipled partisan papers this plau v has most falsely been called "the shot-gun n policy." No greater injustice could have u bee a doueto a brave and patriotio people fi than the effort thus made to stigmatize their w heroic efforts to save their State. In one sense their canvass was aggressive as ours d was. They met the plunderers ot their tc State at every point to denounce their cor- b rupiion before the people. They devoted V themselves, as did our people^ heart and 01 mind, V> the great work of saving their h State, and they appealed to all honest vo- te ters to aid them in their patriotic Under- tl taking. ui Iu the district represented in Congress a by tho distinguished gentlemen, . Gen. ai Chalmers, there is a much larger colored pi mnjority than in any district- of this State, and yet he overcame that majority by a ec close and zealous canvass, appealing to .the pc colored men in earnest consorwati *n?1 ?f f"': J J J. I ^f'l ?i. result ? Only a few days ago I saw the re- ki port of an interview had with hiui in which or the question was asked : what he would do ni if the Republicans sent speakers to his dis- in trict to oppose his re-election ? He did not of threaten to Ku-Klux them or to intimidate th them ; he did not say that he would resort vo to the "shot-gun policy,'1 but ho said that th he would give jhoso visitors a cordial wel- w< come, that lie would offer them every fac- lie ility to meet his constituents, and that he would have theui met everywhere by col- ed ored Democratic speakers. on This is the best commentary on the Mis- assissippi plan, and that plan X am willing to no adopt. If carried out honestly its results be will be as bcucficial here as they have been te; in our sister State of Mississippi; but in the w< name of our civilization and all that has be bccu honorable in South Carolina, in the th name of our State and of our God, I pro- pa test agaiust any resort toviOluocCj or wrong, he ar any adoption of the "shotgun policy We cannot do evil that good may eouie o ^ have endeavored to carry the State at tho ho last election by force or violence, martial ob law would have been proclaimed, aud we 'p should now be uudcr the hateful rule of to our oppressors. Such, at least, is my dc- m liberate judgmcut, and whatever might of have been the result of any mode of can lei vassing, it could scarcely have been more fo auspicious for our people than that wrought ri by the conservative plan we pursued. Let '7 us be satisfied aud thankful, and, above all, ht let us not forsake the road which led us to cr victory in '7G, and which, if followed, will at load us to a still greater victory iu '78. b< I take issue with the senator from Edgefield on anther point. In his card to which n< reference has been made be speaks in terms w which seemed disparaging to "the Hamp- ei ton Democracy." I have never assumed to v< myself the honor of founding or attempt- ti ing to found a school of Democracy. I n am but a simple disciple of the great creed o taught by Jefferson, and illustrated by the t: highest intellects aud the purest patriots i* that the country has produced. " S 1 have been and am now content to fob o low where they have led, without indulging si for a moment in the presumption of trying t< to engraft one article of faith on tho crccd } promulgated by the fathers?that creed 11 which lias given the brightest pages of the p history of the country, and tho success of r which can alone bring back permanent p peace, harmony and prosperity to that f t ? i v? j:?1_:?, r country. 1 must incrciuiu uisviiaiui w>v ?. honor of giving my name to any system of Democracy, and I notice this matter only 1 on nconuul of the manner in which General t Gary speaks of tho "Hampton Democracy." 1 If ho means, by the language ho has used. < to insinuate that the proud banner of our I party has been lowored in my hands; or if i lie intended to reflect upon myself person- i ally or officially, I pronouneo the inipula. tiou hs unfounded ns it is impertinent. It' has never been my Oli'stoW to touch uJ>"on i- n i-.j . * j. l i~ m. _ . personal matters in addressing my follow- i citizens. I have left my justification j against adverse 'criticism to the ranks 1 which have bcon accomplished, feeling as- < surcd that mj constituents, appreciatingtlio i difficulties whioh have surrounded uio, 1 would always give me credit at least for au > honest purposo to promote the best later- s csts of the State. . < i * I depart from my usual cust6ui on this ? occasion; because I thought it' proper to I meet and resent what I felt to be u ui&cou- b struction of my official and peisonal con- b duct; having done this I pass to pore con- " genial topics. Foremost among tiem is the Q most momentous problem ever forced upon u i.nnnnln far solution - the DH-H".* 'i tions living on tho satnefoUr3*?^ is nota |UV0?IVU U1 tt U uur oi a generation, but | g1 ['or all time to come, anil wo have to meet sr t now. What is thV.best mode' for us to i? ucet it? . ' * I have indicated^ ou various occasions, te he line I thought should be followed by tt >ur party?the party in which noarly all at he intelligence, education and capital of w he State arc to be found?and have indi- hi ated the manner in which I thought we ec hould deal with this?'perplexing question, cc t was by no fault of ours that the colored A ncuVere brought to South Carolina; by at 10 fault of ours that they were afterward cb uadc free. The same people who first bj irought them here and sold them into sla- tb cry, now claim to have beared a most mug- th ificcnt libation on the aUfb-of Liberty by an taking free thoae wferribd tbey first enslaved tic ar their now freed ba rithout loss to themselvea. I cannot tell what -great object Provi- ?ti ence had in view itrfUnwing these things ?ri > be done by which "tffese people have been un rought here and .liberated inf>ur midst.? So V<a are told that "God movos la amysleri- hn as way, his wonders to perform," and lie tbi as moved in a mysterious way in this mat- sp< ir. He has brought them hero, relieved lem of their shackles and left them here try ntutorod in mind, with all the prejudice? <ju century of slavery ha* engrafted on th<jftrtf; ^ id we arc to be their guardians and edi otectors. cat I know that sentiment will not find an be :ho in the hearts of many of the colored th? lople. They have-^been. taught tipit we of e natural enopigs/p^lkicaHy at feast, of to ndly feelings for their (51^ masters. Let edi ic of thrm but get into difficulties, and in rig no cases out of ten he will go to his old shi aster for assistance, and not to one ha] his Republican leaders. H? will trust tre c former in everything except as to his hit ting. He was told two years ago that if Yo e Democratic -party got into power he dci >uld be put back into slavery, and he be- tha .ved it. * all I was told the other day by a distinguish- asi i clergyman that he had a discussion with ] e of his old colored friends, and had to 1 ked him, among other things, why he was wh it a Democrat. The old ma* said he had me en taught that it was contrary to the a p 1 found, and the old man replied th<? as No c Good Rook only spoke of two political awi rtics?the 'Publicans and the Sinner*? ! thought he must.vrtis Dut the In- Thi -' ia-lflf??. Democrat. [Lnogllter, l" it t V?r5.r..f ll.. ooloi'Ci bearers joined tha artily.j The old uiau had probably ut->er ty-1 iscrvcd how many of his party were both five ublicans and sinners. [Uonewcd laugh- Pr< r and tremendous display of dental anato- are y.] They havo beeu at last dispossessed No ' tho great error into which they were wo 1 by their desiguing leaders, and havo und that they ore protected in all their the i i. 1 ,n ^iio, una uru iw irou uuw uo muj ?wio iu om 6. They recognise tho fact that there be( is been more peace in the Stnlo and less sni itno ; that there is returning prosperity tio id that good will has grown up steadily cd stweeu the races. - wc They see that they were misled and are wl ow willing in many instances to trust those up horn they were taught to distrust. The, .wq ndcnco of all this is that while thousands ra jted the Democratic ticket at the Icyst clco- tp on, thousands moro will support itmt the co cxtonc. And now, my friends, Mist is ry ur policy iu regard to these pcoMtijj^ I U> iko the ground that, while the cololdraaifD, i politically the equal of the white man in oulh Carolina, he must stand upon ifts \pr \vn merits. (Turning to the side #of the a 1 ? it. -_1 -.1 ? 1 ~ ? r\ lanu wucre mu vuiuiuu j;uujiio nciwuntb- u Ptl.) You must stand on your oferu poting. w "on cannot be p^it upon aiij^Actter one w nercly because you arc a colo||?nian. We tr iropose to protect you and give you all your m ights ; but while we do this you ennnot ex- tl >cct that we should discriminate, in your Gi avor, and say because you uro n colored nan you havo a right to rule the State. We say to you that wo iuWnd to take the }cst men wo can fiud to repronofet tlio Sups, p md you must qualify yourselves to d?r$e li [>cfore you can expect to bo chpscn. Prop- 1 ?r qualification is necessary in all cases, and w t,ho white man who is afraid to enter the ii race upon sucb terms does not deserve to bo u called a white man. n I not only want to impress on the white v pc qil? tn treat tht? tfolorsd ]fodJ>Tb trith Lrflrt t fiess, but I would go futtbot! I would ?i?u It! v * * to theiu every facility for education. The greatest statesman aud philosopher of Kog- i land has said that education is the chief i iel'encc of a nation, and no philosophical t oniark was aver made with grcator truth, < [ would aco our pcoplo educated. And ] irhcn I say this I do not wish to be uiisunder- \ tood. 1 am not one of those who believd i bat because a man cau read aud write he ( s necessarily a better man than his fellow, i know he is not necessarily a better soldier, c eteauso while many of the Northern States e oasts that more of their people can read e nd write than thoso of almost any other li atiou in the world, and while they taunted c s during the war with tho opposite state. 4 r a, in f 1 - - v$ve t^kon <our ,tfleq (whom they alloged 1 sftld tfofc r&d nor" "wfite) "trhep I wanted' b ood shooting dono than any men I evor a iw. I mean by education, then, not' oulv a ilellcctual education, but education of tbo o ear* aud soul?to lift our people up and n ach thcui that tho only true knowledge is fi to knowledge of God ! It is a mistake to it ippose that, though wanting this, a man ol ho can read and write is educated. The fi; istory of the past teaches us that the best tj lucated people the world has ever seen tl >uld neither read nor write. Look to w thens, tho eye of Greece, where Plato ec id Aristotle lectured, aud Demosthenes tn lartned the people with his eloquence, day tl r day. There were no better people than e Athencans who listened to them ; but fu ose Athencans oould not read nor write ; tb d coming down to our day and genera- 01 >n, the old men of this State can look fr ck and sustain me when I say that khffip, fit ;re no people on this continent better in- O ucted as to the true theory of our gov- p< ument, and in all that concerns govern- p( ;ntal policy, than were the people of lu uth Carolina in former years, and their hi owledge cams from tho tame sources as so it of the Atheneansof whom I have just fu )ken ; they wer j instructed by their great us in who came frequently through the coun- tu ' and discussed before them the great sn estions of the day. co Now, my friends, I want not only that pi' ucation, but a diffusion of a general edu- er ion?that the rudiments at least should soi placed in the reach of every man, and th ? colored people allowed the opportunity ha bettering their condition. I want them gr 1 cation. When they have learned the pj hts, duties and responsibilities of citizen- Ni p they will be happier, and will niaka us th ppier. That i* my general view as to the ha atment of the colored man. Say to go 11, "You must work out your own destiny, afi u have been nlaeetl here in the nrmi. on ice of God, and made a citizen. Show w< it you are capable of being one." In tri great struggles the weakest aro thrust hij de. th tf tho colored men are wise they will try un link themselves by hooks of steel to the foi ite men. The best friends of the colored ha n a,^e s'avc holders. I will make th( redaction to you nnmr and fthniisrh T ?rr~ ep is this: that the time wilt come when th rthern Republicans will wniit to take in ay from you the right of vntinr, -V, JL win De ?ne white men of tho South, [G cy will defend your right to vote because jives to the-South infinitely more power u wo ever had before. It gives us thirivc more votes in Cougr.ss aud thirty- pr< i more votes in electing a Democratic cm isident; and do you suppose that men *h< such fools as to givo up that right?? ^ ! uot if the colored nla? shows himself gol rthy of the boon. gol L have said that tho time will como when pu i colored man will join tho white man iply becauso their interests arc identical, .' zuuse they iuhabit the sauio soil, aud the m lie sky bends over thcui, utid tho prcdic- ex n is being verified. Auy uiau who look- th beyond tho mere question of the hour *1' luldjbavc seen that the time would conic l' ten this violent condition of tilings, this re setting of all the theories under which iB Hfovo lived, would be rectified, and the bi sos which were living in a common coun- w f would have to work for the good of that unnon country. I would givi thcui eve- r opportunity for education, would help w cm and encourage them to conic into the 'I eoiocratic ranks. They cannot rcmaiu 0 qpujjlicans and yet vote in the Democratic * unary elections, as they wished to do here n r? 1 . k..t :? .i ?:II lew uuya uj^u } uut 11 tuujr nui tuuiv iu uc u cuiocrnts nnd vote as such, thej will he > clcomcd, and I would treat them not only 1 ith justice, but as a Democrat, I would ? eat them with kiuduesss, generosity and r agmq^imity, and try to show to them t tut we h*s. the best friends that 'they can ? ?d. - \ DANGER OF TIIE PAKTV. - 1 ?I do not know that thero is any other ( oint ou which I should detain you, nnd I ud the fatigue of speaking is greater than expected, I will, however, say ooo ] rord upon the dangers which arc threaten- , ng our party. The greatest of these, in , ay apprehension, is that of an Independent , uovomcnt. He who sots up his own indiidijal judgment as a rnlaof Action, ami Itfthrt to rfrt frf fhlt mftl Jfpfliftfl lotd Willi 6nr flnlfottn, ilk If Irit well { / inumijak 40: ?"""B ? V 1 - ? ? ' I - . I I I us in letter, ia an Independent, aud an Indcpendnnt at this crisis in our nfluim * ia worse than a lUdical. He pluees himself, by his own action, outside the pulo of >ur party bud be should be ruled out of tho party, llo who is not with us is ngaiusb " V is and should be ranked among our opponents, for an open enemy is fur less daugcr)us than a pretended friend. Our party ^ uust be kept fully organized, perfectly xmipacl, aud thoroughly disciplined. Evry uicuibcr of it must yield implicit obedinco to its dictates, sacrificing, if need be, lis private judgment to its expressed poliy, and subordinating all personal ambition alhe<Dublic welfare.? . Mic Democratic part/thinks it is invinci1c; and it iAso when thoroughly disciplined > * * nd properly led, but if we have divirious nd dissensions, aud if we allow ourselves r any men to set up false god s or indoctriatc us with political hcresis and lead us om the straight road which led to victory i '7G ; if we aro necrleotfnl ????! 'O ? ?* ? ivigtuui r the groat issues uuder which we are ghtiug, that great and invincible parr which has lifted South Carolina from 10 depths of woo and degradation into hich she had fallen?that party will be mattered like these leaves now shimicring above us will soon bo soattered by . ; io blasts of October. /', We must be united and movo together, r on that depends now the very lifo of is State, not the mere supremacy of one another party for an hour. Your chilren for generations to come will bo influ> iced .by your action. I am not now? oaiorbla tfiit T should be?advocating a ilicy simply for momentary triumph or ;r)onal gratification. No, I have been oking far beyond the prescut day?for it is seemed to uie that I have been ablo metimcs to catch transient glimpses of the ture through the veil that hides it from ?and I have thought that in that far fure, in the day when you and I and all of us all have been gathered to our God, I uld see a great and hnppy State and peoe. Our children's children?wise by tho rors we have committed, chastened by rrows we vicariously have borne for em, intruded by the experiences wo vo gained?shall build up a new and eat country. They will lift up South ^ ^ * >'*: *.? people walking on the great road to itioual prosperity and peace. I have seen at future, and I have worked for it; I ,vo prayed for it And, surely, if iu the od providence of God it is given to us icr death to look back upon the scene of r labors here, even the pleasures of heaven >uld be brightened by such a view. I ist in liod it may come. It would be the ghcat reward that could come to me if ia 0 hearts of those descendants of ours jet born thej could saj that I had worked South Carolina. I would feol if God itaph to be placed on my tombstone than at I had been true to Suuth Carolina, and war and in peace hyfj reat applause.] Cub Oi.oom or Wasuisotoh.?A Washington icial to the New York World says : "An atsphere of deep and all-pervading gloom has evailrd in the departments to-day. The oe ion for this melancholy was the result of 1 election in Maine. The victory of the eenbackers affected the spirits of the Hecnry of the Treasury, lie found partial conation, however, in the fall of the premium on Id to one-eighth of pne per cent. At the lUv . blican Congressional 'TQftlMlikaa reo?\s grief "* is everywhere apparent. The Star Spangtad inner which floats daily from the roof as a ** ?? . rnal foMhe clerks to pay political assessment* is hauled town. All of the committee's roeraa, ceptiurf-the reading room, were closed and c laborer* given a day's holiday, out of ? ect to the memory of Mr. Rata, Chairman of e committee, who wa* defeated- fbr Ougrees ' Murch, the Greenback candidate.^ Ex-Sectary Kobeson waited in tho hall for two hours the hope of obtaining some cheering news, .*< it, on the other hand, his fears of the worst ere confirmed. "We shouldn't have minded so much, said one of'the committee's clerks, it had not been for the loss of all of those epublican soft-money speeches sent to Maine, hicli we might have used to some advantage in te West. We Lhaucrht we could vet the Mains ' reonbackers to vote our ticket by giving them little soft-money sawder. No dispatches wave eceived at the Democratic Congressional alittce rooms from Maine, and the members of lie committco are all out of town. All interest ero in the election seemed to be centered on.' lale. The defeat of the principal whipper-in f the Republican party was entirely unexpeced aud it produced a great commotion in the anks. It is thought that his relegation to priate life will cost the Kopubliean Committee everal thousand dallais which otherwise would tuve been collected from department elcrks who two ailklialil anhurinti/ina in A^l?r In l?nru ? thteh way the portliest*-current is drifting. ? (ale's defeat will break Blaine's organization * ? >n the Uepublican side of the House." ?fa If a tnaa doesn't caro for the respect of bis fellow creatures, he will very soon lose respect for himself, and when self-respect is once gone, the devil has a good lien on everything else. Of n barber's shop that was formerly ft fir* oflt<& Cfte say* that the people get stated there just the fatue.