The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1868-07-18
The PASSAGE in General Wade Hampton
speech at he Union square ratification meet
ing, which the Times holds up to Ieprobatlon,

| Ihe PASSAGE IN General Waoe damptou
speech at he Union square ratification meet
is the following:
We can have no relief unless this great Democrauc
party Will come out and pledge itself that we snaH l
have fair electon-that the white people o. Tue
oath that when they do vote that these Votee sna oe
counted, and if there is majority OF wn,te v0tes,
that you will place Ses and bIar ID tne MniIe
House. in spite of all the bayonets that snaI I, pc
brought against them. only want to see the elec'
ton fair, and If they do that even Win tne ncuous
Of black rule, we can carry the Southern States.
We can find nothing in this to disapprove.
We should deprecate the necessity OF resort
to force, but we pour soorn upon the craven,
the pusilanimous notion that freemen may
not vindicate their rights by arms. Courage
to resist oppression is the ultimate security
for good government. This, at least, was the
opinion Of our brave forefathers when they
took care to provide in the constitution that
''the right Of the people to keep and bear
arms shall not be inhinged." The right to
bear arms implies the right, on o sufficient
provocation, to use them. The only debatable
| question relates to the suficiercy Of the pro-
vocation.
| II the Democratic party should fairly elect
the next President. and the Republican Con-
gress, by miscounting or throwing out votes,
should declare General Grant elected, nothing
| could be palmer than the right OF the people
| 10 yindicate their actual choice. Suppose, to
illustrate the principle, that the result OF the
election should depend upon the electosal
votes OF the newly admitted, State OF FLORIDA;
that the three votes of Florida should be
Democratic; and that Congress should throw
| them out and declare General Grant elected.
Now, on the suppositicn of fair election IN
Florida, ought the Democratic party sub
NIT 2. The question answers itself only
cratic party would resist, and make its resis-
tance effectual, We have no manner OF doubt.
We should have on our side the two main ele-
ments Of success-right and numbers. The
superiority OF our numbers would be the foun-
dation OF our right for if the Republican party
fairly outyoted US, it would be our duty 10 SUD-
NIT. But if the election shall show that the
shall, nevertheless, declare the Republican
candidafe~elected, our right to resist will be
unuuestionable, and our power to resist suc-
cessfully will depend upon the same superiorl-
ty in numbers which made us majority. =,
The chief advantage Of republican instltu.,
tons is, that they keep the prepon ierance OF
physical force always on the side OF the gov
ernment. If the minority grows into MAORI
ty, they have only to await the next election 70
come peaceably into power; and for this reason
resort to force il. always inexcusable under
republican institutions, so long as the elecVlons
are fairly conducted. But if, by change IN
public sentiment, the minority have control OF
Keep themselves in power by refusing to count
the votes by which they are defeated, the very
case arises for which the constitution grlaran-
tees the right of all citizens to bear arms. Ihe
power of forcible resistance by a swlndled ma,
jorty is in the last resort, the cnly security OF
republican institutions. Deny the right and
you give full license to any unscrupulous min
ority, which happens to be in power, to render
it's authority perpetual.
It is quite true that the Republicans will
have the counting Of the electoral votes in the
coming Presidential election, and that If they |
dishonesty exclude those given to Mr. Sey-
mour, the constitution provides no peaceable
method Of redress. II is all in vain to say that
We may wait four years and try the result OF
another election; for if We submit to the d!s-
honest precedent we have no security that we
shall not be. again cheated and our
electoral votes Nagain thrown out. This ls
an, evil that must be met on the frontier. 1t
is not in the power Of Congress TO prevent
the Democratic party from ascertaining. IN
November, whether it is a majority. The +
votes which they refuse to recognize officially
they cannot prevent us from counting unofl-
cially.- No political swinding can prevent our
knowing by the middle Of November whether
the preponderance Of physical strength is on
our side, or on their side. II they are in a ma
jority We shall submit Like good citizens, and
swallow our chagrin as best We may. Butif
We fairly carry the election and are cheated out
Of our victory by q dishonest counting OF the
votes, ne shall find some other way to make
the demonstrated superiority of our mum bers
York World, July Is.