The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1870-07-04
THE BALL OPENED.
FIFTEENTH AMENDMENT cELE-
BRdEION IN EDGEFIELD.
IMMENSE GATHER1NG
Speeches by Judge Carpenter, General
Butler, Congressman Hoge, Elliott,
Delaney and others.
THE BARBE EcUE.
Al OILY TIM E.
TEE COOP CAUSE PRosPsRsi
THE BALL OPENED.
AN IMMENSE GATHERING.
THE BAR B f C U E.


TIE GOOD CAUSE PR0SPERsi
[FRox OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT
EDGEFIELD G. H., SATURDAY, July 2.
This town has to-day been the scene Of the
largest gathering Of people ever assembled
w&hin its limits. True, the chief object of the
occasion was to celebrate, In suitable man.
ner, the adoption OF the fifteenth amendment
but the announcement that Judge R. B. Car.
penter, the gubernatorial candidate Of the
Union Reform party, General N. C. Butler, the
nominee for Lieutenant Governor, and others
would address the meeting, lent to it addition
al interest, and attracted a crowd, the equal OF
which cannot be recalled in the memory Of
the oldest inhabitant. AS early as o'clock
this morning the colored citizens were
vending their way hither from points even
twenty-five miles distant, and by o'clock
every road leading to Nge6eld was emptying
its streams of humanity into the heart Of the
town. Men, women and children came plod-
ding in, covered with dust and perspiration-
as motley and yet as pertinaciously enthusas-
tic q throng as you ever saw in your life
while special train of cars from Augusta and
Aiken brought three or four colored military
companies, well armed, though otherwise got
up with reckless disregard of tactics and
uniform.
A large number of white citizens were also
present from the neighborhood, curious no
doubt to witness the Inauguration of the new
era in the politics Of the State, which was to
be marked on this occasion by the appearance
upon the speakers platform ofspen who here
tofore have been denied public hearing by
the opposition.
Until few hours preceding the meeting, 1t
was believed that the Republicans would re-
fuse permission to Messrs Carpenter and But
ler to address the multitude, and, indeed, to
this end strong effort was made by certain
white Radicals; but to the credit of the mass
of colored men, be 1t said. they insisted that
the courtesy OF a hearing should be extended
to the candidates. The whites conceded 80 far
as 10 limit the Reform speakers to half an
hour each.
The utmost good feeling appeared to pre-
vail after the settlement of this ve1ed ques:
ton, and the presence Of brigade Of police
men could not have added an iota to the order
and harmony everywhere observable.
Soon after II O'Clock, H., q procession of say
one thousand colored men, preceded by a
band OF music, formed and marched through
the town to pleasant locality, known as the
Academy Grove. Here platform had been
erected for the speakers, and not far away
several lines Of long tables promised In due
season to bestow on hungry stomachs the
blessings OF q barbecue.
Unfortunately shower of rain delayed the
proceedings for half an hour or more but
when the sun shone out again there were at
least four thousand persons on the ground.
The meeting was called to order by Mr.. P.
A. Elchelberger, the coroner Of the county,
who introduced as the first speaker, according
to:the programme adopted, Rev. B. F. jack
son, a member OF the Legislature.
Mr. Jackson, In the main, avoided the dis
cr1fsion of the politics Of the day, temporarily
combining himself to review Of the history OF
the Republican movement, and consideration
of its results as they are embodied In the Fif-
'-SikiC1 GhkkohS, VAASoS osSSS-
ings, he said, was the establishment Of q gov
ernment in which all people, irrespective Of
race. condition or, color, had voice and q
vote, and 1t was a. government which COM
mended itself to the support of every true
man. For those who were to follow him, who
had heretofore stood on the other side, he.
asked courteous and respectful hearing, with
out prejudice. He believed in the utterance
and the influence of truth, and he desired that
truth to be weighed in the light of present
events.
The remarks OF Mr.. Jackson evidently struck
the keynote of sympathy which was prevail
ing In the audience, and they were well re-
ceived.
Mr.. P. A. Eichelberger then introduced Ma
ior John E. Bacon, OF Edgeaeld, taking occa-
sion TO say that he was "a Democrat" en-
phasizing the epithet in horrid sort Of way,
as If he thought it was synonymous with the
iniquity which is supposed to attach to his
Satanic majesty.
Major Bacon said that the remarks OF the
preceding speaker (Rev. Mr. Jackson) met
with his hearty approval. 1t was immaterial
to him whether man was born in Massachu-
setts or South Carolina, when, in the language
ofdeatriotism, he stood before the public and
uttered sentiments to which every true citizen
of the country could say amen"
There could be no difference Of opinion on
this subject, for his heart and the heart of his
people now beat as loyal to the flag of the
Union as it did ten years ago. He would not
undertake to discuss the questions Of right or
wrong involved in the recent contest. ut
was enough" said Mr.. Bacon, "that the God
of battles was against us, and when that deci-
sion was made, we gave you our pledge that
the Union was ours, If you would allow us to
come back to you. In that resolve we have
been honest What said In 1865, I repeat to-
day, namely, that the United States Govern
ment had made US all equal, without reference
to race, condition or color, and while we live
In this country we are bound to obey Its laws.
twas in this spirit that he could congratu-
late his audience upon those blessings which
had been secured to them by the Fifteenth
amendment. Progress was the watchword OF
the civilized world. When in Russia, ne had
witnessed its results there in the general
emancipation of the serfs. In Germany, the
- D,,,,orob bod likewise introduced re-