Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1874-10-29

less full benefit therefor has been received, and
that no officer shall receive his salary unless
his services have been rendered and his duties
faithfully performed.
Nor is this all. Good government means
that the public debt now hanging over the
State in bonds and stocks, shall be reduced to
the lowest dollar consistent with honor. 70
litical opponents have charged that the speak
er was so connected with the debt of the State,
that if elected Governor, the people would be
required tc pay that portion Of the claims
deemed by many unjust. In reply to this, he
had to say that no man can charge that he Is
under the slightest pledge to do anything with
the public debt inconsistent with honor. He
would stand by the reduction made by acts of
the last Legislature; by that settlement he
was willing to stand and abide, and would do
no act to reopen discussion upon the question.
Of Blue Ridge railroad scrip, conversion
bonds, or legislative pay certificates, he never
owned dollar, nor had he any interest what
ever in them. He desired every fraudulent
cent of the debt to be taken from the people
of South Carolina, and that the amount
should be reduced as much as possible South
Carolina owes several millions of borrowed
money which should be paid but not dollar
ought to be paid until the claim is ascertained
to be honest and just
Public offices should be filled with honest
officials. The position Of public officer is
one of public trust; be bears the same rela-
ton as public trustee; and if elected, while
he should fill Offices of appointment with Re-
publicans, yet it would be done with regard
to their honesty and competency.
But to secure the desirable ends of good
government, above all things else, the Legis-
Iature should be filled by honest and compe-
tent Republicans. The Legislature can re-
move the Governor or the Judges of our
Courts. 1t is the supreme head Of the State,
which nothing but revolution can impeach and
remove, and to ensure good government, must
be composed ofhonest, competent men. Elect
men whose votes cannot be bought, and we
will have good government. Fill your seats
in the House of Representatives with men of
the integrity of Senator White, of York coun-
ty, and you may expect honest legislation !;
butgood government need not be looked for
from such Legislatures as we have had in Go.
lumbia.
In conclusion, he said he was embarrassed
in speaking by reason of his position as can
didate-to which he had never looked with
longing eyes, and never sought. It was con-
ferred without any act of his own, and if
elected he would enter upon the office free
and untramelled-free from everything ex-
cept his solemn pledges that he will be true
to the best interests Of all the people, While
he felt confident of 10000 majority, yet he
wanted better victory than numbers-he
wanted the voice of York county and Of South
Carolina to be for honest government, compe-
tent officers, wise legislation for the interests
of whites and blacks alike, when harmony
and prosperity will prevail.
Mr.. Chamberlain was followed by Messrs.
Minton, Parmele and Northrop, each Of whom
spoke in behalf of the Regular Republican
ticket
In closing our report Of this meeting, we
feel constrained to allude to one important
feature that characterized the various
speeches, which was the absence Of passion.
ate appeals designed to array the colored race
againstth whites. The speakers, in the main,
confined themselves to legitimate political
tactics; and Col. Parmele went so far as to
disabuse the minds of the freedmen regarding
the absurd notion that if the Democrats gain
ed power in the State the negroes would be
remanded to slavery. He told them plainly
that such arguments were puerile. He ap-
peaed to his hearers to vote the Republican
ticket solely on political grounds, admitting
that in business transactions, and in every re-
lation outside of politics, the former Demo:
cratic slave-owner is the best friend Of the
black people, and would do more for them
than the Northern white man. He counselled
them to be quiet, orderly and sober, before,
during and after the election, and to do moth
ing, in case of success or defeat, rendering
themselves obnoxious to the opposite party.
This, and similar advice, was in marked con-
trast with the tone of Republican speeches in
previous campaigns, which, to say the least,
augurs better state of feeling than has here
tofore existed between the races.