Abbeville press. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1860-1869, 1865-10-19
TO the Voters Of orangoburg, Edgefleld,
Abbevtne, Newberry, Lexington, Rich
land, and Fairfield

AbbevtHe, Newberry, Lexington, Rich
land, and Fairfield.
FELLOW CITIZENS After mucI, hesitation I
have consenteG'to be put in nomination for
your Representative ip the Congress Of the
| uuited Suites. 1 publish this card, because
the District is so large and the time before the
| election so short that could not, if desired,
canvass the DistrIct. If a oanvass were pos
s'oie, however, do not think it becoming or
des'rahie. In my judgment. this is no time for
| scramble'f"r office. 1t seems to me that no
one properly Impressed with the eolemnity of
the crisis. and the dclicacy and Importance of
| The duties to be discharged. could seek the no.
sition. For myself, declure that have no
wish hut to serve the Sinte.
In 1888, South Crrolina. through conv,,-
tion of her people. became one of the United
States. She remained member Of the. Uniou
until December. 1850. when through another
convention of her p."rle, she repealed the Or.
dinance of 1888 seced.d from the United
States. and with certnin other sister States ELL
tered into another government known az the
Confederate Government We believed that
We had the right to secede and that our securi.
~ requiredits exercise in cooperation with
our Southern sisters. South Carolina, in 1852.
proclaimed by sol"mn ordinance the right of
secession. 1t had long been the settlad lion
of the state that che was sovereign and enti
tied to all the rights of sovereignty. She as
serted self government IN order to secure her
ins'itp tons and principles from great evils, be.
lieved to he Imminent. Secession was in tho
nature OF proceeding quia timet. 1t was con.
ceived in the spirit of selfpreserv ation-not to
| injure Others but cave ourselves. It cannot
lie necessar, to say that atn ono of those who
helievedit was honest effort for honorable
purposes. The Uuited st ates Government de-
MED the right of secess on and waged war up.
ON the Confederate States. which stood upon
the defensive: A terrible war of in uvasion and
desolation followed. and finally the Confede-
rate States were overwhelmed BY force of
| numbers md dissolved. At the end of tho war
| the State Of South Carolina found the Confed
| eracy broken up, her citizens who surv ived the
terrible ordeal exhausted and impoverished,
her institutions destroyed. and the whols coun.
ted States. Under the ese pa circumstsNees
the President Of the United States invited the
States lately composing the Confederacy to re-
organize their governments and restore their
connection with the Contribution aud Govern
ment of tho United States upon certain con-
ditions the principal of which was an acouies
| cencs in the abolition of slavery, which had
been accomplished by the Military authorities
The State. wisely 10 my judgment. responded
| favorably to the invitation. It 10 true that
the mere issue OF, battle does not prove right
| any more than did the old "wpger of battle :"
tut il does prove power which cannot be dis.
! regarded. A Provisional Governor was ap
pointed, who called another ouyention of the
| people, which has lately repealed tie Ordi-
nance Of Secession. and hy an article in the
t..f ('ntS . int
| slavery aud pcohihilei its re.es,ablishment.
! By repeating That of Stcession. the Ordinance
.of 1888. through which Suuth Carolina be-
| came membrr II the Union. was ipso fdcio
| revived. nnd We arc this day in the Uaion rrs.
| risely us we became ia 1888 aid reu.aind u,,
! to 1860.
We are now in y very anomalous position.
Relying upon the good faith aud patriotic 10 in,
n'ions Of the President of the United S,atsS
we have done all that was required of US to
rest,re r old relations TO the Constitution
"ud the Union but still We have not been
received into fellowship al Washington. That
'g'portaht part Of the plan of reconstruction
reh /. ne yet to be accomplished. 1t is under.
stood, thSt party will oppose the Presidents
plan of recognizing the States and giving to
them eauality of rights, snd will insist upon
still farther despoilipg and crushing the States
radical fanstidai party opposed our. leaving the
Om2n: and now they oppose our retu rning to
IT. When wewers in the Union, they abused
US on account Of slavery. They waged swar
| upon ps because we tried to separate from
| them: and nov that We propose to return with
out slavery. they still object. In this emsr.
gency, the State needs tho assistance OF all her
true ilsn. Much remains to be done, aud not
| the least is to seSpre q prudent, faithful and
patriotic representation in Congress, 10 aosist
l-and forward the work o6 restoration which
lhs state has commenced. arrogaie not TO-
Egyseif htnesa 10 form part Of suoh a represen-
tsss9ns 1pt friends have urged me forward and
Est ssenre willing to try me, will give my
sgnsS respects, we are at,he beginning of
tS5spsticy: a, if We were new state about
70 hsspu,s neY relations with our aister States
bct weraust mol ailuw ourselves to forget that
| IN other respects We sre an old State-s State
having sntscsdentsi-a name to maiutaia snd
history to preserve. Whatever may betids
US in the uncertain future, the past at least. IA
| secure. South Carolina has never sveryed
from the path Of honor, as che conceived it,
We have record Of which mono need be al.
hamed aud when any apostats son Of hers
dlscia'ms or dnparages il, may .heS ess, him
out tasunYorthyo Of hsr. The devotion 81 every
trne son tf the State adl,erss' in adyersity A.
well - ~ pfosperity--is loyal through evil a.
we'll ss through good report aud 10 the midst
| OF The greatest fHjsfortunss, stick eth oloser
than brother. 80 -sfs~
| After: the delegations from the Southern
| tSketes snait nave been received into Congress,
many dslIvate and Important duties, will de-
yoi9s upon them; espeeislly 10 rsfsrsaessto
The freedmen of-the south, aud the control
which CopgresS or q party in Congress, msy
desire stilI to exsrciss over them. IL uay aSt
be imprppar, 10 this connecti6n, 10 say that
whilst have approved The coursS Of the State !
IN seeking toresfors her old rsfations wi,h the
iGoyernpsnt vi .tns UbIted SsatSss ~ hes bsen |
upon tie faith and tion thst The State,
assoon aSresof,stf fuSJsd. u 70 kaxo sBtffs coh
Ettipf es vBbis sub JeSts Or her d9mAstio nj
RI - Stsss, Ind the stats alone, Inust best
8 hon, shs win gitss he right |