The southern enterprise. [volume] (Greenville, S.C.) 1854-1870, 1868-08-26
Prseeedings Of the Democratic State Con-

Pseeedings Of the Democratic State Con-
REMARKS or GoL. MULLINS, OF MARION :.
Colonel Mullins. Of Marion, called
for the reading Of the third resolution,
and said that the latter part Ut that
resolution was calculated to strengthen
the bands Of tire Democracy Of the
North. The great staple Of argumen,
there, the point agains, which IN
whole artillery Of the Republican par
ty was being directed, was that The
Democratic platform and the declara
tons Of General blair were really evi.
dences Of iaiention 10 appeal to force.
More than that, when the speeches of
his friend, General Hampton, appeared
in the New York Herald, that fiienda
cious sheet charged tha, the illustrious
gentleman was endesvoriug TO fire the
Southern heart. We know il was FALSE.
hence II was eminently proper that
declaration Of the Kind contained in the
resolution should he made. II asked
oncei he bad been asked one hundred
times during his Northern trip, To tell
his people TO use no language that
could possibly he distorted by those
who have no regard for truth. The
only hope Of success Of the Republican
party was in keeping alive the bitter
ness Of war by denuncia,ion, falsehood
and appeals to slumbsring preiudices,
Tue great battle of Novembei was TO be
fought on the line reaching from New
York to the West. II the electoral vote
OF the Northern States should be cast
for Seymour and blair, he felt satisfied
that The freemen of the North meant TO
inaugurate their candidates. This de-
termination WAS expressed by even the
calmest Northern men--by men who,
while voting with the Republican par
| ty, heretofore, did not recognize, in the
extension of the doctrine of universal
suffrage, the right Of The negto To- rule
these States. They were not prepared
to validate the action Of the African In
the Sonth, or 10 recognize the idea that
the white man Of the North shall be
set aside BY the large negro msiorities
Of the South, upheld and maintained bv
the bayonet. The influence Of these
negro governments upon the finances
OF the country, upon its prosperity and
future career. were beginning to ope-
rate upon the minds Of the most dis
Gnguished men. who realized in the
success Of Radical measures, the de.
structives at the North, by combining
with the negroes of the South. will
have it in their power to rule or ruin
the best interests Of hat section. In
this view he thought it advisable TO
adopt resolution which would strength
en- the Northern feeling, and hence
hoped that the Convention would not
strike out the resolutions in question.
REMARKS OF GENERAL WADE HAMPTON.
| concur in very much that my friend
from Marion has said, and there are.
portions Of that resolution which il is
very important that this Convention
shall. adopt. Il may properly be
amended or qualified. and shall move,
before taking my seat, that il be re-
committed for the purpose.
I am glad that the reference made by
the gentleman from Marion affords me
an opportunity TO say few words con
cerning myself If these misrepresenta
,ions Of language which l have utter
ed, II the perversions Of facts which /
have stated reflected only upon me, l
should not only bear the infliction with
patience, but treat il with the contempt
it deserves. When, however, | am
told that these falsehoods are q source
Of injary to our cause, and that they
weaken the Democratic party-lhst
party upon which our life and salvation
depend@-I am glad to have an oppor.
tunity to denounce them and their au.
tbors.
| | have said more TO the people Of
New York than TO any Southern audi
ence. / told them that We believed VIC
were right, but that'we were wiilitg TO
accord 10 Others what we claimed for
ourselves, viz: perfec, sincerity in our
convictions aud unquestioned devotion
TO principle. l told the Northern beo
| pl- that we spoke with no double tongue,
that We were earnest and truthful in
our desire to suppor: the Union and the
constitution, and in THAT spirit we nc
cepted the hand 40 freely extended 10
Ne by the great Democracy Of the North.
Il told them we wanted the constitu-
tiou restored; tha, we looked for no
remedies in our platform that We did
not propose to incorporate into that in,
strument anything in the shape Of a
remedy. and We SIMPLY asked that this
platform should declare these Recon
s,ruction acts to be unconstitutional -
Indeed, I had the honor 10 offer in that
body resolution providing for the ar.
bitrament.of this question by iha Su.
preme Court. and had such decision
been rendered, there is not man in