Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1865-08-17
From the Columbia PhnniS.
LETTER FROM GEN. HAMPTON.


. SIR Numerous communications having
been addressed to me, proposing to form o
colony to emigrate, I take this method Of
answering them, not only on account OF
their number, but because of the want Of
all mail facilities. The desire to leave a
country which has been reduced to such a
deplorable condition as ours, and whose fu-
ture has SO little Of hope, is doubtless rs
wide spread as it is natural. But / doubt
the propriety of this expatriation of SO many
of our best men. The very fact that our
State is passing through SO terrible an Or
deal as the present, should cause her sons
to cling the more closely to her. My ad-
vice to all of my fellow.citizens is, that
they should devote their whole energies
to. the restoration of law and order, the
re-establishment of agriculture and com.
meree, the promotion of education and
the rebuilding Of our cities and dwellings
which have been laid in ashes. To accom-
plish these objects the highest that patriot,
ism can. conoelve-I recommend that all
who can do 80 should take the cath of alle-
glance to the United States Government, SO
that they may participate in the restoration
of civil government to our State. War,
after four years of heroic but unsuccessful
struggle, has failed to secure to us the rights
for which we engaged in it. To,save any
Of our .rights-to rescue anything more
from the general 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 risked their
lives in her defence-refuse to take the oath,
they will be excluded from the councils of
the State, and its destiny will be commit.
ted of necessity to those who forsook her
in the hour of need, or to those who would
gladly pull her down to irretrievable ruin.
To guard against such calamity, let all
true patriots devote themselves, with zeal
and honesty of purpose, to the restoration
of law, the blessings of peace and to the
rescue of whatever of liberty may be
saved from the general wreck. If, after an
honest effort to effect these objects, We fail,
we can then seek home in another coun-
try. A distinguished citizen of our State
-an honest man and true patriot-bas
been appointed Governor. He. will soon
call convention of the people, which will
be charged with the most vital interests of
our State. Choose for this Convention your
best and truest men j; not those who have
skulked in the hour Of danger-nor those
who have worshipped Mammon, while theit
country was bleeding at every pore---nor
the politician, who, after urging war, dared
not encounter its hardships-but those who
laid their all upon the altar of their ooun-
try. Select such men and make them
serve as your representatives You will:
then be sure. that your rights will not be.
wantonly sacrificed, nor your liberty barter
ed for mess of pottage. My intention is
to pursue the course I recommend to 9TH
ers. Besides the obligations L owe my
State, there are others of personal charac.
ter which will not permit me to leave the
country ut present. I shall devote myself
earnestly, if allowed to do so, to the dis
charge of these obligations both public and
private. In the meantime, 1 shall obtain
all information which would be desirable in
the establishment of colony, in case we
should be ultimately be forced to leave the
country. / invoke my fellow-citizens-es-
pecially those who have shared with me the
perils and the glories of the last four years
TO stand by our State manfulfy and truly.
The Roman Senate voted thanks to one Or
their generals, because in The darkest hour
of the Republic, he did not despair. Let
Us emulate the example of the Roman, and
thus entitle ourselves to the gratitude Of
our country. Respectfully, yours,
WADE HAMPTON.
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