The Greenville enterprise. [volume] (Greenville, S.C.) 1870-1873, 1872-07-17

such men as COL William 9. Pres.
ton and Col Wade, Hampton de
clare that he was the most highly
'gifted and promising young man
in the State. he was extremely
hshdsomes in shis syonngef DAYS,
and soon married Mics Fitzsim.
mons, the sister of Col. Wade
Hampton's wife, and q lady, OF
verySs largo. fortune. Hammond
took charge of the estate, which
consisted Of lands and negroes,
and managed it. very prudently.
He made tine crops, and, improved
the property very, much, sIn,tte
meantime he seemed disposed to
live. like a.. gentleman and enjoy
his fortune. He built himself o
magnificent residence in Coluln.
bia, and gave splendid entertain.
ments, not surpassed by those oi
any gentleman in South Carolina.
He wrote a series Of articles in re.
ply to the abolitionists of England
and America, which attracted
great attention, and endearcd him
to the. planters of the South as the
great champ pion of African slavery.
lie was nominated for Congress
in the. District composed of Barn
well, Richland, Orangeburg and
Lexington, and was, elected with
out opposition, Col. Franklin, T.
Elmore, afterwards United States
Senator, and President of the State
Bank, was for a short time in the
field against him, but withdrew
before the election came off .aa,, "a.
In Congress Governor Ham
mond made a speech on the slave
ry question, which was regarded
as the ablest vindication of the
tSouth that had then appeared
from any quarter. He remained
in Congress only three or four
years, when he resigned his seat,
or declined a re election. He then
made the tour Of Europe with his
family, and was absent a year or
two. On his return home he was
a candidate for Governor and
beaten by Governor Richardson.
His friends put him in nomination
two years afterwards, and he was
elected by atew votes over Gov,
ernor Allston, who was not can
didate, and declared in the Senate
on the eve of tire election that he
did not desire, the Office at that
time. Governor Hammond dis.
charged all the, duties as Chief
Magistrate of the State with signal
ability and integrity. Iheard Col.
Beaufort Watts say that he had
been the Private Secretary Of a
great many Governors, but had
never seen one more accurate or
impartial, or more prudent and
firm. Whilst he filled the Exec>
ntive chair he made war against
the Bank of the State, and sent
the Legislature some very able
messages, urging that the Institu-
tion should be wound up. Col.
Elmore, the President of the Bank,
replied to his argument in his an
nual report on the condition of the
Bank. Governor Hammond told
me that he had spent weeks in the
investigation of the Bank and
making his calculations, which
were submitted to the Legislature.
He said lie had determined to do
his duty boldly and faithfully, aud
leave the responsibility with the
Legislature. The State was then
divided into two parties, Bank and
Anti,Bank. But the Bank, with
its three or four millions of capi.
tai to lend out, proved too much
for the Executive, and wac rechar
tered. y 80 ,e. !" saw saw ~ 7' ~ enc E'll {
Governor Hammond was also
opposed to the State taking stock
in all the railroads which were
chartered by the Legislature. He
wrote several able articles or til is
subject, which were extensively
circulated But his opposition
proved unavaihng, as it had done
on tile Bank question. Whilst
Governor there was a mysterious
between him and his
most Intimate friends in Columbia,
which caused him to oleave the cap
ital Immediately after the expira.
ton of his term of Office, and he
did not return for fifteen or twen-
ty years. de was brought forward
twice during this time as a candi.
date for the United States Senate,
but his supporters could not pre-
vail on him to come to Columbia
and show himself TO the Legisla
ture. He seemed to be disgnsted
with the State and everything in
IL; and IL was said, sought to
drown his vexations and disap
pointments in free living. az
When Judge Butler was elected
to the United States Senate, Gov,
Ha,~,oo,l ,.,oo -. - =