Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1870-08-26
a. @ "A. R D .

My namc has been announced rs n candidate
for re election to tho Legislature. In declining
this nomination, l have few words to say to
our people.
The time has come when unity, in voting for
local and Statc ofliccrs is u necessity. Without
it, defeat must and will cnsue in this and 'overy
county in the State. As an abstract principle,
repudiatc party nominations as contrary to
the true spirit of our government; but there
may be. and (as think) is now. such state
Of things us requires, at tho hands Of every
good citizen, the sacriGce of personal prefer
enccs to tho general good Tho State is div.
dcd into two great fnctions, the Radical and
anti Radical. The former has been built up
on the passions and preudices of an ignorant
class, and threatens the total ruin Of the Stnte.
The latter, possessing the intelligence and
property of the country, identified with it by
birth and interest are striving to restore
good government low taxes and common pros
perty The Radicals are under thorough dis.
ciplinc. both from their powerful political en-
gines--the Lcagucs-and because there arc so
(ow men in tho party who can, with any coun-
| tenance, aspire to position. However nnmo'
rous their candidates and apparent divisions
| among them may be, in the ehd tho bulk OF u o
vote will, in every instance, be cast for tho
candidates whose hopes Of success arc briShtesS.
Knowing this, shall we, in vain effort to elect
friend or to secure our own prcferment. sac.
riGcc what Of power and good our united action
&C uld secure7 is not such % course suicidal
Will it not subvcrt our own and the interests
Of the friend whom we would serve when
tie proper time comes, no one will be moro
ready to burst the bands Of party and assert
his freedom aud pure Republican Govern
mont than myself. Tho present cundition is
distastclul to every good citizen. bnt adherence
to it is dictated by that high sense of self pres
| ervation, which is paramount to cvcrything.-
I can remember when, our people voted for
their friends without entertaining any fears
from the election of thcropponents The cit
| izcns then enjoyed good !nws, administered y
| honest and competent men. Public economy
| ensured low taxes, and good feeling nnt gene
raj prosperity flowed, rs natural consequences
| A chanrc has come over the land. war has
occurred developing many great social aud po-
| litical changes. A new element has been m
troduccl into tho body polite, andadSenturcrs,
seeking personal cmolumcnt have taken ad-
vantage of tho ignorance of tho colored race,
|
New Offices, cntailing additional expenses. have
been created; prodigal appropriations have
be.n made, and unless stay of public cxtrav'
agancc can lie effected. there is no hope for O.
State short of utter financial rum. - clrb
this wanton spirit of prodi isality is ono OF the
objects of party nominations. 10 insure sue
cess, personal preferences must be sacrlinch.-
| Patriotism, our duty to our ia'n'es, and or
present and future interest require this. will
not hc stumbling block to a FREQ and TAR
nomination. ! do not desire the position.
| am too poor ta be politician With g"od
government prosperity will return to tho coun'
try. and my profession, in cannon with eccry
o .cupaion will flourish. The int,re. can he
p' oiabiy spent in preparation i,r this per" Il.
Business daily c.k> itsetanncI, and the absenco
| Of Il professional man fnr several III ,nths d, =
! ring the year must cripple lis prospects as
| well ns the income of his profession. or course
no good citizen would or should reject The call
nf his country bur, happily, there is now no
dcnr,h Of compcten; anon willing to accept tho
position.
have hccn twice h,nnrab!y c'cctcil to tho
Legislature. In the character Of repre- >cn,a.
tive have cndtavnre,l t, li>cbnrgc my duties
| honestly anu conSSeaCDN5if. LII lSo0. onpn-
| ard those severe partisan measures which father
many Of the troubles Of to day. ricr a!n,st
alone frnm the upper districts | supported! tho
bill 10 encourage immigration, and favored Il
larger appropriation f,r ,hat purpose. When
the evils, it designed to prevent cnrc,
came upon us. never f,rsook the ballot box,
the only custodian of Republican liberty
! While the intelligence of the cnunty, to a great
| degree. s,nal al,,f, | cast my vMe in 1863
against convention and for the best mon las
| thms!lr Cor delegates. After tho Cnnstitu-
ton was ratified, nt the argent re1ncSt"f many
good citizens, | accepted tie nomination to the
Legislature. In that body the Democratic e'e-
ment was so small as to Dc powcrlcss for & 'od (;
but tho record tcstiies our futile opposition to
those measures which arc t!i@tnstcful and op
prcssivo to our people This was all VIC could
do When the assessed value Of the property
of our county was db,.le,l, my colleagues and
myself used all our cxcrlions for the benefit
Of our constituents.
My acts, ns citizen and officer are open to-
tho just criticism Of the people: Politically,
would not alter my past record. am satisfied
with it. have met and fought every aggres'
sion on our constitutional rights, As ono for
tress after another Of constitutional liberty has
been undermined and tumblcd down, havc'
| boen rnodv n noet tho in yndera apain. / am