The independent press. (Abbeville C.H., S.C.) 1853-1860, 1860-09-07
From the anderson Gazette.
SENATOR HAMMOND,S LETTER

|
The Chairman of the Committee of ir
v'tation Of the late public meeting at Wi
l'amston-received the following letter frou
Lion. ). Il. Hammond. Coming from tn
eurce it does, it will be read with inte,es
by every one.
REDcLIrF, August S, 1860.
DEAR SIR: have just received YOU
polite invitation to dinner to be given O,
the 9th inst, at Williamson, to my es
tecmed friend and able Representative, Col
Ashmore. If the weather was not so un
usually hot, my engagements would no
permit me, on so short notice, to do more
than thank you very sincerely for your kline
remembrance. The shortness of the no
t'ce, however, is not due to you, for YOU,
letter is dated a week ago, and might bave
reached me in "a hours. But this humbuo
OF cheap POSTAGE so gratifying to those
| VINO live on Railroads, and are not aware
that by other methods of taxation, tbey
pay twice the nominal charges, in the Somt b
tour times, has, under system of ec6rfomy
which strikes down the weak rural routes.
reduced this route, once daily, to weekly
one.
lhe political exigency Of the day, is the
election of the next President. It gives
me great pleasure to find that South Caro-
lima, having with her usual promptness and
unanimity, made her choice, is properly and
consistently pursuing the same quiet course
In reference to it, that she has so long pur-
sued. ltnever was sounder policy thanIat
this time. Every man in America knows
where she stands, and the whole influence
OF her undivided support Of Messrs. Breck-
lnrldge and Lane is as fully felt, though
she says nothing as it would be, we're she
ever so vociferous; while any departure
from the course she has SO long followed
and any Unusual expression Of interest would
perhaps be damaging to the candidates of
her choice. South Carolina is notoriouslv
charged with disuuion proclivi,es, and the
charge cannot be we'll denied, though really
IT'S not true in regard to a Constitutional
Union. 1t is loudly proclaimed that the
tickets, and any uncommon effort in its be-
half on her part, will have the effect Of sus
tanning this charge.
l have had the pleasure of somewhat
intimate acquaintance with the Vice. Presi.
dent and Gen. Lane during the last three
Sessions of Congress, and while l deem
them emincntIy qualified for the exalted
positions for which they have been named,
dnsnot believe that any two men could be
found in America, who would so promptly,
and without second thought, lay down
their lives, if needed, for the preservation of
the Union. confess, 1 am myself, very
lar behind them in that particular. In my
humble judgement every vote given to them
IS vote for the Union, and every vote
given to any other candidate in the field is
whether intended or not, a vote against
the Union. And it is to me, passing
strange, that. while every sensible man in
this country must know that the election
OF Mr.. Lincoln will put the Union at imni.
nent and instant hazard, and that neither
Mr.. Bell nor Mr.. Douglas can lay claim to
one single authenticated and sassured elec
toral vote, any Southern man, or any North
ern, Eastern or Western patriot, should up.
der any pretence, withhold his ardent sun.
port from the only men, who, in this great.
est OF all the crises which our country has
known since the adoption of the Constitu.
lion, can.. under the circumstances prolone.
and perhaps make permanent this Con.
!ederacy. | cannot help believing tha,
they will benklected. /. is the best next
step for the success of which every thing
but principle should be sacrificed.
Very truly yours,
J. II. HAMMOND.
To J. T. BRoYLEs, ESQ.