Randolph journal. [volume] (Winchester, Indiana) 1865-186?, 1867-04-11
Nr. Wade Hampton on the SITUATION.


Columbia which was addressed by Mr..
Wade Hampton ana other white per
sons, are Very significant. They show
the utmost good sense upon the part
Of the orators. They are, of course,
attempts 10 gain the control of the
colcrel vote; but that i legitimate
purpose, and they are exactly the re-
ults whiph wehave always anticipated
from the wise, Radical policy of Con-
oress. II the freedmen had not been
made voters by power which he could
not resist. when would Mr.. Wade
Hampton have asked them "to give
their friends ai thc South a fair trial2"
I'm Government ike turs, when you
give large disfranchiscd class boliti-
cal power, yOu have secured their good
treatment We do not mean TO be un-
just 10 Mr. Hampton in saying that
he has probably as much sympathy
for the colorod people as Mr.. Belmont
and the Manhattan Club have for the
Irish. Who so courteous and fair
spoken to his fcllow-cit of Irish
descent rs the Fifth avenue Democrat
ic orator? The reason il obvious.
They have votes. Does any body sup
pose that the Democratic High Priests
would burn perpetual incense before
y. Patrick if his children hal no votes?
Human nature is the same in the city
OF Columbia as in the city of New
York. The freedman without vote
. IS being to be treated ns the laws of
JOAi-auizcd South Carolina treated
him. But freedman tciM .ote---
at. then indeed listen to Mf. Wade
Hampton. "IIis prosperity rs a citi-
zen of tho State necessarily depends
upon that Of the State itself and ii his
friends in the State were found want
ing, II would be time enough 10 go
abroad for new friends"
This IS perfectly true, and it is the
most healthy sign we have seen in the
Southern States. Ii il the practical
application of the sagacious speech OF
Ex-Governor Brown. II is practical
acceptance Of the situation, and il
leads straight to that development of
free party competition To which we
must look for the political rcgcnera-
ton O: that part of the country. The
Bourbons who counsel inaction, and
the zanics who nominate "the white
mans ticket will be let utterly in
the lurch. All that the friends of
equal suffrage ask j. a fair trial. They
arc willing to abide the scyult.
The stout assertion Of Tho Dnsbo..snt- {
ic leaders, both IT Tic North and
south, that the freedmen would be
sure To vote with their oX-mastcrs. has
never seemed Ia rs very important;
for We observed that the same Demo
Gratis always stoutly resisted their en-
f.ancli~emeIt and To suppose tl.at a
party which depended Tor success, rs
IN Ncw York, for instance, upon the
Irish vote, WAS squcaMish about edu-
cation and Intelligence, was quite i'm
possible. We are perfectly willing 10
trust the trial, 50 il be fairly made.
The freedmen of Columbia probably
understand MIR. Wade Hampton quite
IS well - he understands them. They
certainly did not believe him to be
their chief friend when he was in arms
for the glorious ight vi onslaving them
hopelcssly forever, and they are prob
ably Of the opinion that il was Gener-
nj sherman and the army of the
United States which defeated Mr..
Hampton's plan. II instinctively ti.ey
would not fight with him when the
chances seemed to favor him, they
viii hardly vote with him now tiat he
IS de!catcd and they understand the
ease even better.
But however the now voters may
vote, we cordially congratulate Mr..
Hampton upon his conduct 1t il
that ola citizen who thoroughly COM
prehepds the situation, and of "A soldier
who comedies that his cause is lost.
Such man will either leave the coun-
try, or, ii he remains, Will adapt him.
self 10 its changed conditions when he
pcrceivcs that they are changed. The
Presidents policy prevented such men
as Mr.. Hampton from seeing II. They
really believed that they might still
save by diplomacy what they had lost
by arms. But the policy of Congress,
approved by the country, Is an eye
opener" The leaders Ike Mr. Ilamp-
ton Weld To The only argument which
they acknowledge, irresistible force,
and perceive that they must either
sulk in sullcn inaciign or use the
meaus offered them for renewed pros
perity. The "bomb-proof' editors
viii probably continue to repeat tiie
hcroics Of the war. The soldiers will
follow Messrs. Longstreet and Iamp-
ton. Horpcr's IFc.k}y.
TIE New York Tribune makes
lust estimate of the result OF the Con-
I'll.