The Opelousas courier. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1852-1910, 1865-08-26
SOUTH CAROLINA.
Important Letter from General Wade
Hampton.
charleston Courier, Aug. 81

r. (Charleston Courier, Aug 81
From the Columbia Picnic Of the 9th inst
not have fgs,s lssssr sas 9 Gen Wade Hampton
twenty thousand dollarsit is dificuB Bratearoys
negative Aat ha il she public career and pri
vate integrity of the writer will pass his sngges
tons by unheeded. Words of counsel from suct
a man at this time, when the whole body polite
is disorganized, and the wheels Of Government
are clogged by the want of the energetic and
harmonious cooperation of the people, are mos
opportune and most acceptable:
To the Editor of the Columbia Phenir
SIR: Numerous communications having been
addressed to me, proposing to form colony to
emigrate, take this method of answering them,
not only on account of their number, but be-
cause of the want of all mail facilities. The de-
sire 10 leave country which has been reduced
to such deplorable condition as ours, and
whose future has so little of hope, is doubtless
as widespread as it is natural But I doubt the
propriety of this expatriation of so many of our
best men. The very fact that our State is pass
ing through so terrible an ordeal as the present,
should cause her sons to cling the more closely
to her My advice to. all of my fellow-ctzens
is. that they should devote their whole energies
= to the restoration of law and order, the re-es-
tabshment Of agriculture and commerce, the
promotion OF education and the rebuilding of
our cities and dwellings which have been laid in
ashes. To accomplish these objects--the high
est that patriotism can conceive-I recommend
that all who can do SO should take the oath of
allegiance to the United States Government, SO
that they may participate in the restoration of
civil government to our State.
War, after four years eft heroic but unsuccess-
full struggle, has failed to secure to us the rights
for which we engaged in it. To save any of our
rights to rescue nything more from the gene
Eal ruin-will require all the craftsmanship and
all the patriotism Of our citizens. If the best
men of our country-those who for years past
have risksd their lives in her defense-refuse to |
lake the oath, they will be excluded ffom the I
councils OF the State, and its destiny will be COM
mitted of necessity to those who forsook her in
her hour of need, or to those who would gladly |
pull her down to irretrievable ruin. To guard +
against such calamity. let all trne patriots de-
vote themselves, with zeal and honesty of pur-
pose, to the restoration of law, the blessings of
peace and to the rescue of whatever of liberty
may be saved from the general wreck. III, after
an honest effort to effect these objects, we fail,
we can then seek home in another country.
A distinguished citizen of our State---an hon
est and true patriot--has been appointed Gov
ernor. He will soon call convention of the
people, which will be charged with the most vi
tal interests OF our State. Choose for this con-
vention your bestand truest men; not these who
have skulked in the nour of danger, nor those
who have worshiped Mammon, while their coun-
try was bleeding at every pore /; nor the politi-
clan, who, after urging war, dared not encounter
its hardships--bus those who laid their all upon
the altar Of their country Select such men and
make them serve as your representatives. You
viii then be sure, that your rights will not be
wantonly sacrificed, nor your liberty bartered for
4 mess Of potsage. My intention IL to pursue the
course recommend 70 Others Besides theobli- G
cations i owe tony State. the are others Of 4 S
personal character which will not permit me to i
leave the country at present. shall devote