0
s^j^!
I!. 1. 0. BAXXJBY, Tnwtm and tub-Editor.
jjlS Letter of Gen- Hampton.
^E? L - Jkm lliuvma In r*nl> ?n til* vrUlen
MBff hqQNl for the expression of bis opinions on
P? publicaffairs, made by M*ml gentlemen
W tn OoftwBbk, July 81, 1867, (whoee wnn
f ' bww8if ippetf, ) tarnished them hie letter i
ddreeeed to Mayor Oiun two years ago.
wed also gives a feller expression of hie
views in continuation. The reply of Gen.
Hiumv le dated Angnst 7, 1867, end was
first published In the Colnmble Phanix%
Angnst 88th, 1867:
Avows* 80. 1866.
To hit Honor Jamtt O. Gibbet, Mayor of
. Colombia.
8ut: Having been absent when the late
public meeting was held in the city, 1 take
this method of expressing my views on the
subjects discussed on that occasion. It is
* urstfc seme reluctance that I express these
views, no I do not oonenr in the policy advocated
by the meeting. la it desirable
that the people of the State should take awy
action looking US a restoration of eiril government
at present T I think not; and (or
these reasons:
The Slate is either a member of the Federal
Union, or it is not If a member, then
not only is it a work of supererogation for
her to ask admieeion to the Union, but she
le, by the Constitution of the United Slates,
guaranteed e republican form of Government,
and eha has the right to adrainlste1*
her Government under such a constitution
and by such lews ss she chooses- But i'
she is, on the contrary, not e member of
the Union, she must be regarded either as
a Territory, or as a conquered province.?
fn either condition, the United States authorities
are charged with the duty of pro'
vtding a proper Oorernment for her, and I
<u>v ik, i>... ,f ik. Bi.i. i- i.
ni A in passive until such Government la
given to ber, or la forced upon her. If the
onree indicated by the meeting here le
'followed by tho State, what will be the remit
f Will it lead to tlie restoration of the <
Union as it existed, and to the'Te fefttablish
ment of the constitution and laws of this
State T I do not thlnlc that s?eh "will be
the ease. To restore the State to the Union
by the plau contemplated in the resolutions
adopted by the meeting here, it will be
accessary to call a convention of the^tateThat
a convention, chosen as that will be,
3*111 represent the wishes of the people of.
the State, is an impossibility. But passing
over this grave objeotlon, there remains the
atiil graver one as to the adoption of a eon*
atitution. Are the people of the State wP.
ling, by the adoption of a new and totally
different constitution, to Ignore all the
teachings of the past, to subvert the whole*
order of society, to change* in a moment,
Sta whole organisation, and, in a word, to
commit (if the expression may be used) polities!
suieldsT Yet this is the Inevitable
tafedehey of the course reeommended by the.
meeting. No one, for e moment, supposes
that the Btate will be admitted into the
Union with its present constitution. To
gain admission, the State must eome with a
constitution representing, not the views and
.interests of tba people of 8onth Carolina/
bat thoeo of Massachusetts. It may 'tis
urged that the fetate must eom* wl|h sueh
a constitution, or not corns at alL If snsh
Ji tba foot, then 1st her not eome at all?
The United States Government wilt bold
the eouolry, as it now )|m?, hy military
occupation; iU troops will be present to
laaagurate abd enforco the now system of
labor decreed by .the President of (he
"United States, and the people, though conquered,will
not hare the additional bnmlli
iatton and reproach which they would bring
upon them selves, if they oonaent to destroy
their own constitution, wh^ch waa bequeathed
to them by their fathers.
/Besides these various reasons against the,
policy advocated by the msetiqg, it appears
te ns that it is premature for the people to
OMVe at present. The authorities at Wash I
logton have not indicated the etfnreo they
propafn to pureae towards the dtate, nor
bays tliey manlfesled greet seal in the restoration
of thet Union for whioli they here
? professedly been fighting for the last /our
years. They hare not asked the State to
return to the Union, nor have they aanounced
the terms upon whieh It can do soWhen
tbejr bar# done these things U will
<ba time enough for the State to take conn
fdl^irtoiet
I recommend, th?n, with *11 d?f?rraw to
jtotmli and Mm gentlemen oyer whom you
presided the other day, that the people
should remain perfeetly quiet, taking no
aelea whatever in pohlte affaire. leave
all thaee matters to the United States Got
romerit which will, doubtleee, In good
time, provide a Government for yon. Until
that is done, the cartridge box eaa take the
place of the ballot box. and the bayonet ie
fend substitute for th? law. It W better
9m be gerenied by three than to give to
your Btfte a constitution which mlerepra
ante the wiehee of the people, humilleiee
their pride, debanehca their society, iedfoyi
their prosperity and degrades their
"ft. _ to be, rery reapectfuliy,
your Wend and f?Ih>w-eHic*n.
* ' WAT>R HAMPTON.
It was clear to my mind that the tree
policy of the South wee to remain paeeive
#
I
|?M1
REFLE
C
obeerring, with the moet ecrupuloae
the obligation* we amnmed when we laid
down oar arm*, and making no oonoeaeione
beyond Ihoee embraoed in the terms npon
which we surrendered. I held that the
Unitod Stales Government had not only
offered terms to the South, but that its fatlh
was pledged to the obeervaaee of those
term*. Every official ast of every depart
meat of that Government, during the war,
declared that the Southern States were still
as embers of the Union, and Congress, by an
almost unanimous vc te, in the most aolemn
manner,
" JZssofrwi, That this war Is not waged,
on oar part, in any .spirit of oppression, nor
for any purpoto of conquest or subjugation,'
nor purpose of overthrowing or interfering
With the rlgbte or established Institutions
of the States, bat to defend and maintain
the supremacy of the Constitution, and to
pressrva lbs Union with all the dignity*
equality and rights ot the several 8tat?s
unimpaired. That as soon as these objoote
are accomplished, the wer ought to cease.''
The same body gave the strongest evi
dence that they regarded the Union unbroken,
even during the war, by their
reeognilion of Mr. Carlisle as Senator from
Virginia?I mean the noble " Old Dominion,"
and not her illegitimate and degencr
steohiid, West Virginia?and allowing him
to retain his seat until near the close of the
wer. The very parolee given to the Southern
soldiers promised the protection of the
United States Government to those holding
them, so long as they obeyed the laws of
" the States wherein they resided thus
recognising, not only the 8onthsrn States
as 8taU?, bnt the laws of those States. We
had every reason, aa far as we oould trust
to the faith of our opponents, to believe
that the Southern States would be received
into the Uufon with all their " dignity, ,
equality and'rights unimpaired,1' aa soon aa
they renewed their allegiance to the Gene*
ral Government, and ^tikriowledged its supremacy.
I* ?S..11 k.'f 1 a- at .?
V w vi'i'i uc luriM^n 10 me purpose Of ill in
oomtnuorenlion to discuss what faith ha*
bean Tcept with the South?-mankind hat!
already affixed to thatsorf of faith the name
of Punle ; I only touch on these points to
show the mistakes committed by tbaSonth.
when It conformed to those demands of the
North which were interpolated into the
conditions, a/Ur our surrender. Our State
Conventions were mistakes; so were the
changes of our Constitutions; greater then
all others, was ths legislation ratifying ths
amendment of the United States Oonetitu-*
Uon known as Artiels 18. I am well aware
that the notion of the Southern people, a1
that time, was dictated by an honest desire
to secure tbs blessings of peaoe, and by a
high sense of honor, which prompted them
to show that they were sincere in their
wish to do everything that would tend to
die restoration of the Union on honorable
terms. I have no hoeitatlon In asserting
that die Southern States would tbon have
been brought back to atie Union with more
of loyalty "?to nee a favorite expression
of the North?than had exiated amongst
them for fo^ty years past, had ths North
proved iteeif to be as magnanimous at it
had shown itself to be powerful. But it
was ths misfi-rtune, not only of the South,
bnt o'f the whole country, that, the party
which had obtained possession of ths Gov*
ernment ru more ioUot on eeeuring its
own power then of restoring the Union to
ite own prieline glory. After acquiring
power, on the sole ground of bringing jbnqk
the 8out)>c|rn States to the common fold,
with ell their "cflgoity, equality end rigbte
unimpaired," they beeely betrayed the peoY>1?
of (lie North, by subordinating the in
tercets end righte of ten Stetpe to the effort
to perpetuate the power of their party f
falsifying, while they did eo, every pledge
which they had made during the continuance
of the war. The war, whioh wee
professedly waged eolely for the reetoretion
of the Union, in ite progreee, degenerated
into the open attempt, on the part of ite
authors, to consolidate and poiq>etiiete radical
rqle, and a Government, which was
founded on the noble maxim, that " Governments
derive their juet powers from the
eoneent of the governed," has been pervert,
ed to the base ends of subjecting ten mil*
lions of ite people to a military despotism.
That I may not be aeeoaed of stating this
proposition in stronger language than is
warranted by the fasts or the case, I beg to
sail your attention to tha following extract
from aa article which emanated from Maeeaehnsett*.
Bearing tha imprimatur of Boston,
its language, which, had it been uttered
here, might hare smacked of treason, oan
be rygardod only as loyal:
"The principle," says this writer, "on
which the war wae waged by the North,
was simply this: That men racy rightfully
be compelled to submit to and support n
Government that they do not want; and
that reaietenee on their part makes them
traitors and criminals. No principle that
la possible to be named ean be more selfevidently
false than this, or mora self evidently
fatal to ell politioal freedom. Tot
it triumphed in the field, and it is nov assvme-J
t? bo eotabHshod. If It bo realty!
established, the number of slaves, Instead sf
having been diminished by the war, lies
been greatly Increased; for a man thusaiib
jested to a Government that h? does not
want, ir a slave; un<l there is at* difference
iftety
b
? I II? M < ?
:x of pc
1rebnv1lle. south cab
In principle, but only la dtgn*, l>?tv??n|
pull ilea I sad chattel ale very. The former,
oo leee than the latter, deniea a man's ownership
of himeelf and the products of hie
labor, and asaerta that other men may own
him and diepoee of him and hie property j
for their ueee and at their pleasure. Pre- (
fiwwB w kuw w?r, viivrv w?iu uume gruuoai
lor Mjring, thai la theory, at leaat, if not in (
practice, our Government *ai a free one? (
that It reeled on eooeant. But nothing of ,
that kind oan be eaid now, if tha principle ,
on which the war vm carried on by the i
North ie irrevocably established." <
Here we are told lb emphatic language, i
by a northern man, whoee mind cannot be i
obrcured certainly by the so-called hereeiee '
of Southern ductrlnee, what wae the princi '
pie on which the war wee waged by the '
North, and we are warned?God grant that 1
the warning may not bo in vein?what 1
will be the revolt if thla principle ie irrevo 1
cably eetahliehed. Let it be eetabllehed. ,
and we may bid edien to oonetitutionel
liberty?republican Institutions will be
ewept away in the storm that will ariee| ,
and we ehall enter on tlioae dark and gloomy ,
scenes which always precede a nation', .
death. The time will then indeed have i
come for us to pray, in the words of a fear- i
leea and eloquent eon of Georgia, for the i
speedy advent of " the American Ciesar "? '
Tho whole recent legislation of the frac '
tlonal Congress at Washington stems to I
have only in view to break down all the 1
barrier* of the Constitution of the United
Statee; to ignore the immortal truths of the
great rebellion of "76, and to convert a Government,
which had, as Its only fonndatlon(
"the consent of the governed, "into one
sustained l>y foroe alone. None of the rad.
tenia pretend that the military bills are c?n- (
etitntional. They adroit?perhaps I should ,
say, rather, they trast?that these measures ,
are unconstitutional, while they endeavor |
to make the South ratify them, by arousing <
and appealing to tha be scat passions of i
human nature, fear and cupidity. .They <
threaten us with confiscation, on the one <
hand, if we do not aecept these measures; i
they give them the semblance of law, while <
on the other they attempt to bubo those '
amongst us who are to base and vena) as to
be willing "to purchase immunity for themselves
by selling Uie liberties of their 1
country.
Are tKeoe despicable motives strong
enough to corrupt the virtue of the SouthUMII'tk.t
?1.~ i
~ I 1 '~ ?v !?wuu "?'?=
proved themselves otptbie of making any
and nil sacrifices for the soke of their prin.
eiples, sink eo low aa to liny the mere priv
liege to live?even if they live slaves?by
giving up all thnl they have heretofore held
sacred, and ail that makes life iteelf worth
liavinif) Will they allow, their ae;ion to
be influenced by threats f Throats can
never govern brave men. Are they afraid
of confiscation by Congress ? If they adopt
these reconstruction AoU, they will most
assuredly suffer confiscation in Its worst
and most tyrannioal form, through the "reconstructed
" States. It is for them to de
termlne these momentous questions fur
themselves. Ihey have already carried
concession to the verge of folly. Hear
what another Northern writer says on Uiis
points . .
" The programme of the ruling party cannot
bo altered or ebangod by concessions. That
has boon tried in the Bouth. All the demands
of Congress have boeit complied with by tho
States lately in revolt. They havo altered
tbeir constitutions, adopted tho amondraont
abolishing slavery, attended to the condition
of the freedincn, repudiated the debt contracted
by them for war purposes, and in this manner
showed their anxiety to reeumo constitutional
relations with the Federal Gov
foment. But eaob concession bu been
met with a fresh demand, until, at the
pro:?pt time, ten States haVe been turned
.Into military divisions, top Governors, chosen
by the people, superseded by Are brigadier*
generals, dnd tile will of a minority Con gross
placed over and above the power and authority
of the institution, wee tq order to
carry oat ibis scheme, which waa concocted by
thy revolutionary committee of Congress, the
Sonthern States are made eutyoet to a military
tyranny, without limitation or responsibility,
or other checks or Instructions, than that
it shall use its powers literally to earryyutthe
political purposes ot the ruling party in tho
nation."
Has this policy of concession to unlawful
demands been so productive of beneflt that
wa still desire to pursne it? Are we prepared
for the sake of sprrffewry?that fatal, fallacy
which has lured ua so far on the road to destruction
thst Trojan Horse which hes
brought with it an Iliad of woos to barter
away the few rights remaining to u? Yet
this ia the eoine we must follow, if the uocpt
tern* which we know to be eontrsry to the
conditions on which we ?arrendered, which
are inimical to all true roooneiliation*, and
whieh are in open and palpable violation of the
Constitution of the United State*?of that
Oonetltntion which we swear to support, at
tho very moment wo are grossly outraging its
most sacred provisions t Would not those
who voto for thoso laws, knowing them to be
unconstitutional, be guilty of perjury f What
good ean come of laws whleh begin In fraud
and ean be carried into offset only by perjury ?
Let me not he understood ns making any re.
tlee thins en these Southern men who honestly
- 4 oonsslintisusly advocate oar acceptance
of those military billa. Any divisions
amongst us arc to be deprecated, and It is as
tin wise as it is unkind to impugn the motives
of men who, on many a Sold, kavo proved
*
*
' . *.s **
+ I. ? ? ...
h-?~????i ?
LOLINA. SEPTEMBER 4. I
their devotion to tho Sooth. Especially do I I
regret tho virulent ottocka which hare been 1
ado Ob that gallant soldier who ao long and l
w ably led tho illustrious Flrat Corpa of tho i
truiy of Northern Virginia. It haa boon bia I
lard fate, in poa?o at in war, to bo Wounded i
!>y bia own people. That charity which w hope- i
>th all things," and a natural distrust of oar i
>wn Judgment, ahoald make ua treat tho i
lonvietlons of anoh men with at leaat kindly i
ind proper oonaidoration. Bat for thoao
4 who too tho rights and yet tho wrong par- i
rue," who, while their eoantry Booms to bo i
itraggling in tho tbroca of death, consult
mly their own base (oars and low lnatincta?
who, to saro their rtie property or still more
rile persons, would degrade their Stato?who
?id us ocoopt dishonor m the prico of safhty?
angoagc baa no tcrma strong enough, to brand
heir infamy. They aro as far beyond tho
each of adequato punishment In this world
is they are beneath the soorn and contempt of
ill honorable men.
But to return to -the consideration of the
iteeonstrbctlon Acta, from which this dlgroallon
has led mo. What induoomonU do tho
advocates of these measures hold out to ua to
accept them T Can they promlao ua peace T?
Look at Tennessee, and learn what kind of
;>eacc wo are to havo. Con thoy promise na
an acccptabio State constitution?one that
aid not be interfered with by Congress T Look
it Delaware, Maryland and Kentucky?threo
14 loyal" sovereign States?which aro to be put
>n trial before a Star Chamber committee, on
tho charge of not having Republican constitutions.
Can they promise a restoration of the
Union ? Tho radical rulers expressly declaro
that tboir measures aro not " finalities." Can
thoy promise, oven that doubtful good; representation
in the Congress of the United Statosf
[ refer you to Kentucky, whoso representation
are ignuminiously rejected, because rtbtla roW<1
for them ! But suppose that tho 8tate ocBcpts
the terms proposed by the military bills ;
that she agrees to tho permanont and total
Dxclusion from her counoils of tho intelloct,
the experienoe, tho wisdom and tho patriotism,
ahich, in timos past, gavoher lustre ; that, initead
of these noble qualities and virtues, she
sommlts her political destinies to tho guidance
if ignorance, inexperience, folly and radical*
istn ; that abo adopts a constitution diafransbislng
forever tho men who, in obeying her
somniand to defend her, believed that they
a'cre acving <lod ; that aho
" Iiuys?ignominious purchase?short rcposo,
With dying curses and tho groatia of those
That served and loved, and put in her their
trust." *
Rupposo sbo doos all theso things, and that
the radicals then graciously permit her to
sond her representatives to Washington, from
what class will she select tho meg who are to
All tho places onco honored by Lowndes, Calhoun,
UcDuffic, Preston, Cheves, Hayne, linger
and their glorious compeers? The tame
body whioh has shown suoh wisdom and msg?
nanimnity in framing these Reconstruction
Acts that are to bring so many blessings in
their train, gives you the answor in the following
Act of Congress !
" h Hereafter any person olocte-1 or appointed
to any oflioe of .power or profit underthe
GoVornment of tho United States, either
in the eivil, military or naval department* of
tho public scrvioo, excepting the President of
tho United States, shall, before entering upon
the duties of suoh offloo, and before bolng en'f
tilled to any of tho salary or otbog/-emoluments
thereof, take and subscribe the followidg
oath:,
" I do solemnly swoar, that I have never voluntarily
bcurno arms against tho United
States since 1 havo been m citison thereof)
that I have voluntarily given no aid, counteuanee,
counsel or encouragement to persons
ongaged in armed hostility thereto; that X
have nolthor sought nor accoptod, nor attempt
ed to exeroise, the functions of any office
whatever, under any authority or pretended
authority In hostility to the United Stales.f.
that I have i\ot yielded a voluntary support to
any pretended Uovcrnmcnt, authority, power
or constitution within the United Suites, hoetile
or Inimical thereto. And I do further
swear, that to tho best of my knowledge aad
ability, 1 will eupy.o'fl and defend the Constitution
of the United States against all cnomios,
foreign and domestic ; that I will bear
true faith and allegiance to tho same; that I
take this obligation freely, without any mental
reservation or purpose of evasion; and
that I will woll and falthfally discharge the
duties of the office on whleh t atu about to
enter ? to help me Ood ! And any person
who shall fhlssly take the said oath shall be
guilty of perjury, %nd on conviction, in addition
to the penalties now prescribed for that
ofTenoe, shall be deprived of his office, and
fSnderod incapable of ever after holding any
oftoe or plaee under the United States."
i> representation m congress so very uosirable,
that wo should tend won there who Mis
take that oath, rather than that we should re*
main unrepresented longer T Can the people
of the gtute trust tiro so who oould or would
tako it? For tbo honor of our 9tate, I should
prefer that she should not be represented la
the halls of Congress until! her delegates can
eater them as free men, representing a sovereign
State, with all her " dignity, equality and
rights unimpaired." When that day comes,
thShs may bo a restoration Bf the Union in
fact, as as woll as in theory ; whon North and
Rogth, forgiving tho past, oven if they cannot
forgot it, may moot as equals on some common
ground, where the honor, tho rights and the
fbcllng* of both ean be recognised and respect,
ed. Hut until that day docs some, in tho
words of Putriek Ifenry, " Oeutlumen may
ory firnee ! peace / but there in as peace f"
It Is sear eel v necessary for ine to say that,
cntertaiuiug tho views 1 have expressed,I think
it far pfofcrablo lite State should remain in its
present oondltion, under military rale, than
that it should giro its rnnotion to measures
which wi believe to bo illegal, uucoiutitutiou
L
ESVJSINr TB
i i 111 i i * i
,
. _ _ _ ^ . ^ .
*1 and rainooa. It ta jny. honest and Arm belief,
that thu voluntary acceptance of those
measures bjr our poopj^ would purely b(in(,
not oniy to me south, but to tho whole country*
evils far greater than any we have yet
suffered. The North, flushed with success,
and drunk with power, may not be ablo to roalise
this faet; but as surely as the South falls
a victim to irresponsible and anlieeneed power,
10 surely will the North lose Its liberties.?
Ruin tO the South Will ro\aot on tho North,
and if we are orushod into the dust, the Northern
people will see Mt the foreshadowing of
their own certain doom. Recognise, as an established
principle, the right of any political
party that may bo in tho oaoondanoy to fix
upou ail wbo differ with them laws unauthor*
ited by tho Constitution of the United Statos,
and we shall begin that downward career
whieh will lead us steadily through conlhslofl,
anarchy and blood, to tho certain overthrow
of rapubiiean institutions and free government.
Believing this, I rogftrd it at ths duty
of every man, In tho oxerciso of the right he*
cordod to ail by Ihoee military bills, to oppose
their adoption by all lawful means. As tto
people have tho privilege, then, of expressing
either assont or dlssont on this quostion, I advise
them, earnestly, to record tho latter as
fully and solemnly as possible. Lit rtnry Man
riyliter, find cost ill vets npn'nit 7l? CoswFntion,
since the quostion #ilt bo made on that
Issue.
fheSO, gentlemen, are tho conolustons t0
which I have boon brought t>y the most anxious
consideration of those " important matter*
soon to be subtnittod to the people of tho
Stato." Thoy havo boon laid before you at
greater length than I intended, but it seemed
to mo best to let you havo my preinisos, as
well as my conclusions, in order that you
might judge of tho correctness of both. I
can only say that I havo diacussod this momentous
quostion with the singlo desire to arrive
at tho truth, and I hope that it has at
loast been discussed in atoinpcrato and dispassionate
spirit. Let me bring ono other subject,
suggested by your letter, to your consideration,
and I shall tax your paticnoe no farther.
*<>u say, iruiy, iuu 1, ma won db yourselves,
"have ho pod mnd striven for ontire harmony
of motion among our people.'* It has boon my
most earnest desiro to aocure this harmony, ma
it has boon my constant effort to mlimy excitement,
and to counsel obodionce to tha laws.?
This has boon the prevailing sentiment among
our people, mnd if it fmils of its object, il will
not be our fault.
Aa it is of the Imat conacquenee to maintain
the same amicable relatione which have hpre.
tofore exlatod between the whites and tho
blaota, I oannot too stjrcngly reiterate my
counsel, that all classes should cultivate harmony
and cxcrciso forboarnnce. Lot our people
remember that tho nogroos have, as n general
rule, behaved admirably, and that they
are in no inannor responsible for the present
condition of affairs. Should they, in the. Ibtnro,
bo fhisled by wicked or dosigning men,
lot'flt oonsidor how ignorant tliay necessarily
arc, and lot us, only tho mote, try to convince
them that wo are tholr best friends. Deal
with them with perfect jus'.ice, and thus abow
that you wish. to. prypmte their advanccinont
and enlightenment. Do this, and tho negroes
will not only learn to trust you, but tboy will
soon appreciate the fact so evident to us, thrft,
?c caa do without tit<-ni far belter tktu they can
do without u*. y
On a lata publics occasion, wbero many of
you were present, I expressed my perfect willingness
to see impartial suffrage .established
at tho South, and I belicvo that this opinion ft
entertained, nqt only by a largo majority of
tho intelligent and reflecting whites, but also
oi ino same class among tno blacks, l doprccato
universal suffrage, not only on general
principles, but especially In the caSe befprq u|,
beefuse I deny the right of Congress to prescribe
ltd ruloi cf.cl Hied ship hi tile fiutaa.?
Tho Supreme Court has decided that a nogui;
is tot ? eitisen of the United States, andttpgrees
eanpot reverse that decision by
Tho States, however, are competent to rxwt fee
citUensliip on Uio negro, and I think it U the
part of wisdom that such action should be taken
by tho Southern State*. Wo have reco?nisod
tho froodoo^ cf , the blaeks> sndbavo
placed this fact beyond all probability of
donht, denial or recall. Let ns recognise in
the same frank manner, and as fully, their
political rights also. For myself, I confess
that I am perfectly willing to see a constitution
adopted bjr onr State, conferring th<; elective
franchise on the negro, on precisely the
same terms as It is to fo eAccreisod by the
white man, guarding against the abuso of this
privilege by establishing a slight educational
and ^iroperty qualifications for nil elau>t?.
I havo thus, gontlemen, endeavored to oom
pry, as fully a? possible, with the request conveyed
in your letter. A sense of duty to the
State, and an eminent desiVo to show my respect
to my fellow-cltisonu, from whom I havo
received so many in ark a of kindness and confidence,
are the only nioUvea which could
hare Induced me to take any part in public affairs.
If the crude views thrown out for your
consideration, ate instrumental in arousing
any one to a aenao of the dangers surrounding
ua, or if they ean bo of the slightest benefit
to those who bare called for them, they will
have accomplished their ends. Thanking you
again for the honor yon hava done me, and
in asking oowttscl of me, and praying that our
efforts to save onr beloved fttata from rain
may be sneeeasful, I pas, with great respect
and esteem, yourifrioud and lellow eiiisen,
WADE HAMPTON.
Columbia, August 17th, 1MT.
To Massas. 0. W. Rav, W. H. Tallmt,
J. If. TuottAft, . M Law, and others.
The Newberry HtraUl states that Mr. W.
W. Par row. whs live on the line between Nowberry
dn1 Laurens LHstrieU, mot with a severe
lorn on Frldsy last, by the burning of his
dwulling, kitchen and lumber house, together
with their evlituit"
I
$
(Bp
a.
T '' r
*NO. 15.
Granitovillc- .
The following,extract fropi * letter writtea
by. the President of the Granitevllle
ConVj>eny to,A stockholder, contains the full
particulars of the extest of tho damage
done by the Is to freshet:
, August ltf, 1867. ,
DkabBiR: We bod the most disastrous
freshet last week, that.was ever known In
Horse Greek% All tlie mUJ dams abovo
here, sod In the vielnity, hsvebceoj swept
away. I was absent lo Columbia, attending
to the business of the Penitentiary, and
If aerographed, to return immediately, as
our d?m waq badly broken, which I found
to be the Qeeo.. ,,|The rain duriog Wednesday
was incessant, Rod my soo James was
up all night in .the cuta,, with, all the available
working foroe;on the dams. At two
o'elock, t|>ey excluded that all was safe;
but soon after, the water .f^oro dams which
gave way above, oame down end raised the
water until it covered the shone wall on the
canal bnoV from end to end, ran over the
lower eod and washed holce on both sides
of thq shore, went through Ike iron gate ,
middle of pfchet fence on cansl,.bnok, in a
stream six inches deep for sn hour, was en
the d*tn injifty places, and running over
lightly before 1 o'oloek; hut when the
rush eame, It was thought advisable to out
the dAm in a oafo place, bpf. that precaution
did not prevent its breaking in a vital
point,causing great damage, and .which
will take two weeks or more to .repair.
The cost to the company will probably
reach $4,000 or $6,000. Inoluded in this
estimate is ths eost of a fine covered bridge
across the canal, which was sqrept away.?
The large, public bridge just above the factory
In the village fw carried away, as
well as all our prlvato bridges about the
mill. Our. lumber yard wss swept clean of
6,000 or 6,000 feet of itiprfftr. t.You are
aware of our having a gate in the stone
dain of four feet diameter under twenty
feet head, which will discharge more than
ten times the voiume.of the creek at its or
dinary stage. The stone dam, 160 feet
wide where the water pours over, bad four
feet depth of waff 911 it, Aa soon as the
dam gave way, an express-was sent t inform
them at Kalmla.Miljs and,Batli Paper Mills.
The water was,seven hours in Us progress
to the latter'point, eo>that there fras sufficient
time to draw down the pond and
save t^em from, diss star. Jhe dam at KaJmia
Mills was not built aeioss- the creek '
therefore they sustained but little.darn ago.
At Vauejlose, above Gratiitsvillc, the,,prater
was higher by three or four feet than ever
known before, ev$n when their fof-tpjer. immense
pond was emptied by a break jn that
dam. The blacksmith shop and o'l house,
also the fine bridge thereover Horse Creek,
were carried pway., A fine new buggy,
which s^aa. in the Yaucluse iron and wood
shop for repair*, was.taken off by the flood,
and oof; yet found. - I mpj add, too, that
great atuftge Wlte done to the Columbia
and Adgueta Railroad by the washing
away of a quantity of earth-work, and
datpnge ^. bridges which had been eoniplsisd,?rhotnix.
M rv?.A.-? * 1.:?
? >i a?i i?\? ?Vj (yn(li,ivir, mt?n ii icpu, uv
the oily,* few day a ago, handed ua a Ul)
of charges a*ot him ly * Columbia meiphsnt,
The good* in quoation were tep doten
blooms, brought here by th? Sea Oul>k
from Baltimore, and forwarded by the i
South Carolina Railroad Company. t'ruin
the bill, we lea?n \liat tbo Baltimore whir',
age on these tap, packogeij $'as ten cents,
the Charleston wharfage ninety cents, and
the dra^ge sixty-fi ve cents. The Columbia
s merchsWcomplains of tlitee charger, and wo
were palled fo look Into the matter. We did
eo,*nd foapd the ninety eeota charged for the
wharfage.to be the^fealar rate?only nine
times its much aa laualtiittora, and thrco
times as much aa in Bsvannah. A rerjn
niae arrangement, eertainly, for the what'
owners, but, It would seem to ua, not on$
calculated to attract trade toonr city. Tlio
shipper avore that he can even now get bin
good* From the Worth to'Columbia, via 8*- .
vannah, at lea* expense then via Charleston
notwithslahding the sitauitunsneas of tho
routs. The drayage, we are .informed ,
should have been Iwfefdj-hve and not elxtyfiv#
cents, having been inadvertently charged
aa a full dray loitd. 4 - . . ..
We regret exceedingly that thehe should
be any cause for oomplsints like these.The
trade of this city la threatened and tapped
In so many different directions, that the utmost
efforts, at** necessary, on the port ojf
our merchants, to correct scutes of all
kinds, to as to hold out inducements tp
msrehants to aome.herei instead of repelling
them, ahd driving them off to othor
markets nn?l other ports.? Chartr?t<m AVim.
Tkk following is' tlilUr from ^familpm
College Observatory, Clinton, N. Y., anted
<* ? i r * l . / '
* Yesterday morning early, July 1, astronoutiea)
datsj a new itjetnber of th>; group
nl nsleroida wsa discovered here, in twentyone
hours [nod twentyone minutes right
necensloo, and twsaly oae degrees end
thirty one minutes of Southern declination.
This morning^ It wsa found |v have mo* ed in
twenty-tonr hours^abouttwenty fire sheohdn
to the West and sis minutes to the Pooth.
Tletng of the eleventh magnitude, Ah<3 sffH
about one month before opposition tK*
ann, tlie planet promises to !> ; s . . ,
, , brijth*
no. 1
A