Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1867-09-14
p O Il I n T Q a Il .
From the Columbia Phoenix.
LETTER FROM GEN. HAMPTON.

GENTLEMEN beg to acknowledge the
receipt of the letter in which you do inc the
honor to ask "my advice with regard to your
action in the very important mnttcrs snon to
DC submitted to tho people of the St,te"-
Though | cannot but feel that many Of those
whose names are signed to this c0mnIunca-
ton are far more competent to offer counsel
on the grave topics now aSitating the public
mind than myself, MS | deem il to be the du
ty of every man, whcu called Oh by his fcl.
low-citizons in tinlcs of peril, to contribute ull
in lis power to promote the general welfare,
or to ward of the common danger 7 willing
ly comply with your nattering request.
Recognizing, then, the duty imposed on me
,vssYys estii, diHtpciiol,
respect feel for those who have thus hon.
CURED me, 1 shall state with perfect candour
the Imminent dangers surrounding us, and
point out with equal haukncss the only course
which, in my Judgment, We can pursue with
honour, or with any hope Of ultimate safety
Before proceeding to e diouus5iun CT tie
present condition OF affairs, it is proper to lot
you know what were the views entertained by
myself Immediately hftGr the cessation of &C
tive hostiltiGs, and what was the course
thought our people should then follow. This
cannot be done more couciscy than by giving
u
&. Gibbcs, Esq, chairman OF public meet
ing, which was held here in August, 1865 -
Not being in the city at that time, wrote the
following letter. which. yielding to the views
of others, afterwards determined not to pub
lisb:
AuGusr 20, 1865.
10 His Honor lanes e. GiJdcs, lN,yor az
(nlunb't
SIR: Having been absent when the late
public meeting was held in the city, ] take
this method of expressing my views on the
subjects discussed on that occasion. 1t il
with some reluctance that l express these
views, ns do not collcur in the policy advoca
tod by the meeting. Is il desirable that the
people of the State shnnld take any action
looking to restoration Of civil government
ut prcscut? / think not and for these rea.
sons:
The State is either member Of tho FEEDER
al Union, or it is not. If member. then
met only is it work Of supc -crogation for her
to ask admission to tho Uninn, but she is, by
fhc Constitution OF tho United States, gnar-
zr,aHea arcw,hlican form of government, and
she las the right to administer her govern
snent under such constitution mud BY such
laws as she chooses. But if she, on the con
trasy,is not mcmhcr Of the Union, she must
BE regarded either as a territory, or as con
SInered province. In either condition, the
United States authorities arc charged with
the duty Of providing proper government
for her, and ] think the true policy Of the
State is to remain passive until such gov
ernmcnt is given to her, or is forced upon her
If the course indicated by the meeting here
is followed by tho State, what will be the re-
sultY Will Il lead to the restoration of the
Union as it existed, and to the re establish
ment Of the constitution and laws OF this
this State2 7 do not think that such will DC
tho case TO restore tile State to the Union
by tho plan contemplated in the resolutions
adopted by tho meeting here, it will be nec
,essary to call a convention of tho State
That a convention, chosen MS that will be,
will represent the wishes Of the people OF
tho State, is an impossibility But passing
over this grave objection, there remains the
still grayer oyic as to tho adoption of a consti.
tuition. Arosthe people of tho State willing
by the adoption of a. now and totally different
constitution, to ignoreall the teachings of the
past, to sobyort the whole order Of society, to
change, in a moment, It's whole organization
and, In a word, to commit (f the expression
may be used) political ;suioide? Yet this Il
& the inevitable tendency of the course, recon-
1nendSd BY tho meeting. No one; for a mo
mont, supposes chat the State will be admit
ted into the Union, with its present constitu
etion. TO gain admisaibn, 4, the State mus
come with: a constitution representing nottll
views. and interests Of the people Sof. South
Carolina, but those, Of Massachusetts, ]