Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1870-10-21
An Emphatic Letter from General Wade
Hampton

Al Emphatic Letter from General Wade
Hampton.
Tho following letter has been addressed by
General Wade Hampton to Colonel Charles
III. Simouton, OF Charleston:
1t. COLUMBIA, Octobcr 8.
My DEAR Srn: Some time since your letter,
asking my opinion Us to the Reform move
mcnt,i in our State reached mo, aud whilst.
rsasons both OF public and private character,
havc restrained mo from tuking an active,
part in the canvuss which hus grown out of
this movement have never had the slightest
hesitation as to the course | should pur~ue.'
nor reluctance in expressing to my friends.
what that course would be. Whatever differ
cnces Of opinion may have existed among the.
honest citizens Of the State as to the best,
mode Of redressing thcgrevous evils under,
which they have lanorcd for the last fcwS
years, there were aud could he none MS to the,
existeuce Of those evils, aud Of tic vital nc
cessty ot making vigorous effort to reform
them. 1t was this conviction OH the part of
our people which gave birth to aud nov lcndsS
impetus to the Reform movement. 1t was,
this which induced the originat,rs Of tn s.
movement, if | estimate their motives cor.
rcctly to make an earnest and patriotic strug
glo to rescue the State from those who urr|
disgracing her hitherto proud name and drag
ging her to ruin No uim can be higher, no'
object worthicr than thi', and though thu
means adopted to accomplish the pUrpose arc!
not such us l should have suggested, sym
path:ze too fully with the object in vitw, TO-
withhold any assistance i'll my power from;
those whose motives are the same us my own
and whose judgement may be better. Ifthis
movement has for its sole purpose, what trust
it has, the redemption of our State, the non'i
necs Of the Reform party should command
the support of every true son of hers. The
effort to save tho State deserves success, even
should it fail to win it, and as have not yet
made it the chief article in my political creed.
that success can sanctify cause that is wrong,
or justify apostacy from one chat is right, |
regard it as my duty to support the candi
dates of the Reform party Believing that
they arc moving in the right direction, |
shall not, from mere pride of opinion, refuse
to accompany them, because they have taken
different road from the one [ should have
chosen. cannot vote for the nominees
of the Republican party, because. to quote
the emphatic, though ungramnaticn language
Of one whose high official position in that
party makes him an authoritative exponent
of its true condition. as his political character
of it's departments, rctrcnchmcnt and reform
is,, doubtless greatly needed Some Of its
offices are filed ny incompetent and corrupt
men, who should be driven from the high
places they occupy More economy in the
appropriation and disbursement of public
money should he practiccd Because their
nominee for Governor is, to my certain knowl
edge, false aud trcachcrous because this
party is notoriously corrupt, vrnal and profit
gate, aud because, in my opinion, any native
white citizen Of South Carolina who votes .or
that ticket will cover himself with deserved
disgrace. l can well understand how honest
and true men may doubt as to the propricty
of the Reform movement and question tic
soundncss of its Platform. but caunot com
prchcnd how any South Carolininn can itlcn
tify himself with a set Of advcnturers and
plunderers, who have madc the vcrn.nn,
of his State what nh influential radical paper
has Justly characterized as "a disgrace tn
civilization" and am uncharitable enough
to believe that none Will do so, except such
rs have been, or expect to be, paid frr form
ing M alliance which they must feel is dis
graceful. | could as readily be persuaded
that Benedict Arnold acted from conscicn
tious motives and in good faith to lis coun
trymcn, as that any true sou of South Carroll.
Ta VINO VcneTatcS inc ancient nDnnf or his
State, who is jealous of her paso fame, and
desirous of her future welfare, could from,
patriotic impulse, affiliate with men who's,
only tie to bind them to our State is the "co
hesivc power of public plunder.' Some OF
tho recent converts to this new faith-that
faith whose cardinal doctrine it is that the
strongest side is always right-may boas,
Of their devotion to their State and, us proof
point to the scars they have received in lie,
defence; but to these beg to commend a re
ply once made to this same patriot Arnold
who asked friend what the Americans would
do with him if he was cup.ared "Thcy
would bury the leg which was wounded in
their. service with military honors and hang
the rest your body" was the prompt and
suitable answer. Unfortunately Tor our State
this wholesome discipline cannot be admins
tered to the patriots of this same stamp among
US, who parade their patriotism while they
are selling their country; but it is in the
power, az it is the duty of every honorable
man, to treat them with the scorn treachcry
so richly merits Let them find they can,
in the price for which they have sold them
selves and their kindred, compensation for
the loss Of their own self respect and the cs
TEEN Of all honorable men. "The OK know
eth its owner, and the ass his masters crib .
The few who have joined the ranks of the
enemies Of their State in this supreme hour
Of her trial, can neither give character TO .hc