The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1870-10-12
THEREFORM MOVEMENT

THE REFORM MOVEMENT
IN EMPH4rIC LETTER FROM GEN.
EaA1 WADE HAMPTON.
What the Bayard Of South Carolina
uhfpks OF our Cause and Candidates.
The following letter has been addressed oy
General Wade Hampton to Colonel Charles H.
Simonton, Of this city:
COLUMBIA, October 8.
My Dear .Sir-Some time since your lettef
asking my opinion as to the Reform move
ment In our State reached me, and whist res'-
sons both of public and private character
hove restrained me from taking an active part
In tbe canvass which has grown out OF TINS
movement. I have never had the sliShtest
hesitation az to the course should pursue, nor
reluctance in expressing to my friends what
tbat course would be. Whatever differences
Of opinion may have existed among the honest
citizens of the State as to the best mode OF re-
dressing the grievous evils under which they
have labored for the last few years, there were
and could be none as to the existence OF those
evils and of the vital necessity OF making
VIGOROUS effort to reform them. twas this
conviction on the part of our people which
gave birth to and now lends impetus to the
Reform movement. 1t was this which In
duced the orlginators Of this movement
If estimate their motives correctly, to make
an earnest and patriotic struggle to res
cue the State from those who are disgracing
her hitherto proud name and dragging her to
ruin. No aim can be higher, nc OBJECT Wor
thier than this, and though the means adopted
to accomplish the purpose are not such as
should have suggested, sympathtze too fully
with the object in view, to withhold any as
sistance In my power from those whose mo-
tives are the same as my own and whose
Judgment may be better. If this movement
has for its Sole purpose, what trust it has, the
redemption Of our State, the nominees OF the
Reform party should. command the support OF
every true son Of hers. The effort TO save the
State deserves success. even should 1t fall to
win 1t, and as have not yet made 1t the chief
article in my political creed, that success can
sancitify q cause that's wrong, or justify apos-
tacy from one that is right, regard 1t as my
duty to support the candidates of the Reform
party. Believing that they are moving In
the right direction, shall not, from mere
pride of opinion, refuse 10 accompany them,
because they have taken a different rOad
from the one should have chosen. cannot
vote for the nominees Of the Republican party
because, to queto the emphatic, though un-
grammatical language of one whose high OIL
clal position in that party makes him an au-
thoritative exponent Of Its true condition, as
his political character renders him ut type Oh
It's officials, sin some Of its departments Re-
trenchment and Reform is, doubtless, greatly
needed. Some of its offices are filed by In
competent and corrupt men, who should be
driven from the high places they occupy. More
economy in the appropriation and disburse-
meut of public money should be practiced."
Because their nominee for Governor is, to my
certain knowledge, false and treacherous; De-
cause this party Is notoriously corrupt, venal
and protligate, and because in my opinion, any
native white citizen of South Carolina VINO
votes for that ticket will cover himselfwith de-
served disgrace. can well understand how
honest and true men may doubt as to the pro
priety of the Reform movement, and question
the soundness Of its platform, but / cannot COM
.prehend how any South Carolinian can identify
himself with set Of adventurers and plumber
ers. who have made the government Of his
State what an influential Radical paper has
iustly characterized as ia disgrace to civiliza-
tion,n and am uncharitable enough to believe
that none will do so, except such as have
been, or expect to be, paid for forming an ALL
.ance which they must feel is dsgraceful. l
could as readily be persuaded that Benedict
Arnold acted from conscientious motives, and
In aood faith to his countrymen, as that any
true son of fSouth Carolina who venerates the
ancient honor of his State, who Is jealous OF
her past fame, and desirous of her future wei
fare, could, from patriotic impulse, afhliate
with men whose only tie to bind them to our
State is the cohesive power OF public plum
,dern Some of the recent converts to, this
newiaith-that faith whose cardinal doctrine
It is that the; strongest side Is always right
NAV boast ottheir devotion to theic State, and !,
as proof, point to the scars they have rece ived
in her defence; but to these I beg to COM
mend a reply once made to this same pa
triot Arnold, who asked friend what the
Americans would do with him if he was cap
tured. '.They worid Jury the leg which was
wounded In their service with military h onors
and hang the rest of your body" was the
prompt and suitable answer. .. Unfortuna tely
for our State, this wholesome discipline cannot
he administered to the patriots of this same
stamp among us, whe parade their patriotism
while they are selling their country; but 1t Is
in the power, as it is the duty Of every honor
able man, to treat them with the scorn their
treachery so richly merits. Let them find, If
they can, in the price for which they have sold
themselves and their kindred, compensation
for the loss of their own selfrespect and the
esteem of all honorable men. "The OK Know
eth Its owner, and the ass his masters crib"
The few who have joined the ranks or the
enemies of their State in this supreme hour
of her trial, can neither give character to
nsol, boua them -