The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1870-07-28
The Radical Meeting on Friday Might.


public meeting on last Friday night, for the
purpose of enlightening the colored voters as
to their duties in the approaching election.
The fact was heralded all over the county, and
hundreds of handbills were circulated five or
six days in advance, inviting grand rally of
the party. Yet, Notwithstanding this effort to
bring together large number of the adherents
of Radicalism, it was failure so far as the as
semblage was concerned. Not more than three
hundred persons, of all ages, sexes, races and
colors, to say nothing of previous condition"
were in attendance upon the meeting. About
fifty white men were upon the ground, and
nearly all of these are unhinching opponents
of the present Radical administration.
The meeting was held in the open air, on the
lot near the building for several years occupied
as a school-house for the freedmen. A small
platform had been erected, and seats were pro-
vided, amply sufficient to accommodate the en-
tire crowd We were not present at the open
ing of the proceedings, but have been informed
that Mr.. John r. Cochran, the head-centre of
Radicalism in this county, explained the object
of the meeting in few remarks, and introduce
ed the first speaker of the evening, no less a
parsonage than the Honorable Solomon l..
Hoge, by the favor of Congress acting as Rep
resentative of the Third Congressional District
and who is seeking the nomination of the Radi-
cal party for that position. Judge Hoge was
well under way when we arrived upon the
ground 1t was the first time it had been our
fortune to hear the distinguished ~ speaker,
and we can truly congratulate all others in like
predicament that is to say, unless he possesses
more force and ability than was displayed on
this occasion, those who have not heard him
are hardly deprived of an intellectual treat.
His speech was taken up with abuse Of the
Democratic party, the Union Reform candi-
dates for Governor and Lieutenant Governor,
and the white people of this county generally,
interspersed with stale anecdotes and not un-
frequent appeals to the passions and prejudices
of the colored people. In connection with the
campaign just entered upon, he made the start
ling announcement that he beat Mr.. Reed for
Congress two years ago, and it was his calcula-
ton to do the same for any competitor this
time, if he was lucky enough to retain the ia
vor of his party, and secure the nomination.
Of course, the country has been laborng under
an hallucination for two long, weary years, in
believing that Mr.. Reed had majority of over
three thousand votes, and it was cruel in Judge
Hoge to dispel this belief by a sudden declara-
tion to the contrary. He ought to have some
regard for the peoples feelings, and not tear
down the column of facts and figures, so i'm
plicitly relied upon, with such a ruthless hand.
At any rate, he will be ready for all competi
tors, even if "there be six Richmonds in the
field" and it is his intention to distance every
his record in Congress, but we presume that
this invitation was extended only to those of
his constituents who cannot read. All others,
capable of examining the official proceedings
of Congress, will find that he has made no
record, so far as the interests of the country
involved. 1t is stated, on the authority of the
New York Tribune, that he was absent from his
seat Just one-half of the last session. Judge
Hoge likewise went into the prophetic business,
and boldly declared that the Radical party
would carry the coming election by forty thou
sand majority! He was frequently applauded,
but sometimes very feebly, especially when he
appealed to the colored man to vote for Rcpub-
licans without regard to color. His hearers did
not seem to relish the advice of Mr.. Hoge in
this respect, and evidently were disposed to
differ with him. Unless they can secure more
fitting Representative than Hoge among their
white allies, we would earnestly advise them to
choose one of their own color, capable of re-
lectiug credit upon their judgment and discre-
ton. He is undoubtedly weak, if not an
erring brother, and his speech on Friday night
sustained the assertion.
The next speaker was introduced as an old
line abolitionist, native of Maryland, and an
ex-member of Congress, Gen. Worthington,
who took the stand, and launched forth in an
eloquent manner upon the beauties of Radical
ism, and their peculiar adoption to the wants
of his colored hearers together with gloomy
picture as to the Nervousness of the Democratic
party in all stages of its existence. Itwas prin-
cipally upon these two points that the speaker
entertained the audience for more than an hour.
Hedeclared that hispurpose was purely patriotic
and unselfish in coming here to diffuse light and
instruction among this benighted people, and
that he WAS not a candidate for any office. He
urged the colored people to stand by the Radi-
cal party, and grew pathetic over the labors and
sacrifices of that bcncfccnt organization. He
was equally in earnest depicting the horrors of
slavery, and denouncing the political sins of
former shareholders and, united with this sort
of argument, dealt severely with the colored
man who would so far forget the past as to
affiliate with his white neighbors in opposition