The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1870-07-29

The call of Secession in 1861 met his hearty
response, as In early life he was fully lndoc-
trinated in the belief OF State Sovereignty. AS
early as 1852, when secession was tirst
talked of, it met his approval, and he did not
But said he, while I entertained these sentl-
merts, the question of slavery had naught 10
do with it, being entirely foreign to it. l saw
that in separation lay our only hope, as the ma
jority in the United States were determined
to rule US, who were in the minority, whether
it was done lawfully OF unlawilliy. Entertain Is
to vindicate them on the battlefield when the
call to arms was made. L commenced my
military career at Fort Sumter In 1861, and
closed 1t in Fort Warren in 1865. often dur
ing that time and since have analyzed my
motives for my course in the cause, and while
car see no fault in my logical position, yet
say that teel that 1t was devolved upon me
to dc all in my power to regain all of the civil
rights of South Carolina, and 10 heal all OF the
breaches caused by the war. In my earnest
ness to do all could In this direction, i nave
caught at straws and found them to sink with
me. But now have found platform on
which all good and honest men, OF al par
ties and classes, can stand with me, ana au
work together for the redemption OF the state.
In 1865, when q guest Of the United states
at Fort Warren, where I with other Confede-
rate officers was entertained at the pubic ex-
pense for our services on our SIDE OF tne strug-
gle, l was permitted to return on taxing the
amnesty oath. In taking this oath did no
more than has every other Southern man VINO
has held office, and in taking which we bound
ourselves anew to the Constitution Of the
United States, different, it is true, from the
one we seeded trom,) deprived ourselves OF
the right of secession, and also bound our
selves to the principles of universal freedom
and suffrage 10 the African, ana 70 tne Snr aoSa.
ton of slavery. When / and my brother
offcers at Fort Warren consulted together and
decided to take the proposed oath, we deter
mined to stand by it. have stood by 1t.
accepted not only the situation, but all OF the
logical consequences Of that position; also all
the responsibilities of emancipation on the
people Of South Carolina, which, think, nave
not yet been properly felt by the people.
| Here the speaker related how himself and
General Chesnlt, encouraged by the white
people Of Kershaw, labored earnestly to Sc
cure the cooperation Of the colored people in
restoring the State to its former prosperity;
how their efforts were nearly crowned with
success, when one OF those serpents with which
the State was then becoming infested, distri-
buted his poison in the political Eden, organ
lied Loyal League, and destroyed the good
seed which had been sown. General Kershaw,
continuing, said:
In 1867 was called upon to give my sup
port to the movement started for the purpose
of electlng Democratic President, and in OPP
position to the Republican party, which had
trodden the constitution under foot, and
robbed the people OF their rights and liberties.
gave my support to the movement, and pur-
sued the vain course Of attempting to persuade
the colored man to vote for his own dlsfran-
the freedmen had too much political sagaclty
and declined to do so. All know the result.
Since then, the people Of South Carolina have
been permitted to establish sort Of connec-
ton with the Federal Government. Now, we
are In slavery under 1t, but we are suffering a
more intoleraple slavery under our State Coy
ernment, as it is now administered by the
..Ring."
In March last movement was inauSurated to
defeat the present "Ring," which with wanton
and violent hands took the bread out of your
childrens mouths, and clothed Its members IN
purple and fine linen, to roll In gorgeous
equlpages, and revel in every species OF lux
taxed the people until the taxes were trebled;
nay. quintupfed A resident OF this county
has paid five times more taxes this year than
he did in 1860, when he owned two-thirds more
of property than he does now. After having
endured all this, our press, which had la6ored
diligently to check, the corruption OF the
ssRing," met in Columbia, and there pro-
nounced the verdict OF the people and initiated
the movement which, II properly supported,
win lead to the defea; Of the men who have
go long proved upon us There platform Of
two resolutlons was adopted, pledging adhe-
renee to the LAWS granting universal suffrage,
and admitting the right of all to hold office.
These men there sounded the tocsin which
was 70 restore the rights OF the people OF South
ray the conservative people OF the United
States on the same broad platform.
When the convention called by the press
met in Columbia in June last, went as pri-
Yate citizen, intending to take no part IN IT De.
yond endorsing 1t. When arrived, found
that no definite plan for Its guidance haI been
presented and drew up platform, which met
the approval of the convention. Since then
have been assalled on all sides, and my mo-
tives impugned. Some Of my Democratic
friends said I had gone over to the Radicals. and
was also condemned by the Scott faction. God
forbid that should ever be applauded by the
Scott faction. While my motives were thus
impugned, ] steadily pursued the course had
chosen, feeling that was working for the best
interests oil the State. / have been accused OF
seeking Office; but was unjustly charged.
could not become a candidate for office ii
would, as I en- one Of that class excluded in
the Omnibus bill as objectionable rebels.
To show that this Is no party movement, we
have both Republican and a Democrat on
our ticket Judge Carpenter, the nominee for
Governor, whom am proud to call my friend,
IS endorsed by ChieEJustice Dunkin, Hon. w.
G. DeSaussure, and the entire Bar OF Charles
ton. With my gallant and patriotic friend, Gen
eral Butler, most Of you are well acquainted, US
many of you have shared danger with him on
the Battlefield, and witnessed his sacrifices for
the State he loves 80 well. In our ranks are
our oldest and most loved soldiers General
Hampton has pledged himself, under certain
contingencies, to stump the State. General
Conner has endorsed the movement. Here
let me read an extract from letter Of this
gallant soldier to me.
In the letter, in question, after paying de-
served compliment to Gen. Kershaw, the writer
says that the address Of the executive COM
mittee sis powerful appeal to the sound
sense and good judgment Of the intelligent
portion of the community, and truthfully pre-
sents the real issue and questions Of the day.
For fve years we have drifted. 1t Is time to
take observations and ascertain where we are,
and what surrounds US. We see many things
that we think ought not to be, but there they
are-fxed facts; we can't ignore them; we
cannot alter them. The wise course Is to get
the true bearing OF them and use them. In
all that we do now We must be guided by rea'