Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1865-11-25
Address OF Gen. Wade Hampton.

ces of lis people"
Address OF Gen. Wade Hampton.
General Wade Hampton, OF South
Carolina, being abou. 10 leave that State
for an uncertain period, has issued an ad-
dress TO his lellow.clllzens thanking them
for the large vote they gave him for Gov
IeInor. He says he was not candidate,
having Withdrawn in favor cf Mr.. Orr,
who consented TO run a, the earnest re-
lauest Of The State Convention. and at
great personal inconvenience. Gen. h.
gives other reasons Tor refusing to be
candidate. Among them the following:
II wa. unwilling 10 do anything that
nigh. cause a political COMES. IN the
State. thought that no good could arise
al home from such contest, whilst II
nigh, do us Infinite mischief abroad.
The Presiden, OF the United States had
exhibited not only a strong disposition 10
tprolecI the South from the rsdIcalism oi
the North, bat TO reinslale us in our civil
and political rights. feared that my
eleclion-by embarrassing him in bis la,
bors and policy-might incidentally DO
harm 10 the Stale.
Gen. Hampton then proceeds 10 give
! his ideas OF what he corcelves 10 be The
duly Of the people of The State under
present circumstances. The following Is
what he says on the subject:
For years past il has been the boast OF
our State that there was but one party
within her limits. Commensurate and vi.
tai as tina, state of affairs was during the
war, it is scarcely, if at all, less so now
Every association Of the past, every duty
of the present, every hope OF the future,
! bid us stand "shouIder 10 shoulder.
/ The work before us demands all the pa
I,riu,lsm. ali the courage, all the endu'
lance OF our whole people. Let no par
~ strife, no minor issues, no petty poll
tics, divert US from The great and pressing
work of The hour. That Of terminating.
as far as possible. our PROSTATE and
bleeding State, and rshabllalng her as
speedily as may be with the inrrns, the
rights and the sanclily OF government end
Of law.
TIE bark which was launched a few
years ago, amid such joyous acclamalons,
which was freighted with such precious
hopes, and which was waited on by such
earnes, prayers. has suffered shipwreCk
1t behcUves US, as wise men, 20 bulld OIL
its broken linbers, as best we may, a
raft, whenever we may hope TO reach a
haven Of rest and safety.
1t may be that when forms OF govern.
ment are restored end freedom OF speech
allowed 10 US, your late convention will
be subjected to har.h criticism and H ac-
ton impugneL. SAO-ld such, UNHAPPY,
be the case, remember that you, the peo-
pie Of South Carolina, accepted this con.
ven,ion as par, and parcel Of the terms OF
your srrrender. Tie President had no
shadow Of authority, ] admlt-uader The
constitution OF the Unired Staies-to or
der convention in lhls or any DINER
Sta'e; but, as a conqueror, he had HE
right 10 offer, if not 10 dictate terms. The
terms offered by him YOU have accepted,
and you ale bonnd by every dictate o.
honor and manliness to abide bY them
honestly, and TO keep III good tam The
pledges you have gwen. do not concur
fully in all the measures adopted by the
convention; hut shall cheerIuIiy acqui.
esce in the action ii took 10 carry oui
faithfully the terms agreed on, and | will
lingIy accord TO i, high praise for the
manner in which il discharged It's arduous
and unwelcome labors. No similar body
ever represented more largely than il did
the dignity, the learning, The virtue and
the patriotism of lhe State, and | am sure
tina, it was ac,ua,ed by pure and high mo-
tves. Entertaining these views, think
that it is our duty 10 sustain the action OF
the convention in recognizing the aooli-
ton of slavery. to support the President
of the United States, SO long as he mani
tests disposition TO restore all our rights
as sovereign State, and 10 give 10 our
newly elected Governor cordial co-ope'
ration in his grave and responsible duties.
Above all, lie, US stand by our Sisis-her
record is honorable, her escutcheon IN
furnished. Hero is our country-ihe
land Of our nativity. the home OF our 81
fec,ion. Here all our hopes should CEN
ire: here, amid charred and blackened
ruins, are the spots we once fondly called
our homes; here Ne have worshipped
The God Of our fathers; and here we bu-
ried The ashes of our kindred. All these
sacred ties bind US to our Stale, and they
are intensified by her suffering and her
des olaton.
Gen. Hampton concludes by saying
,ha, he Is induced TO issue his address
solely by an homes, and sincere hope OF