The Newberry herald. [volume] (Newberry, S.C.) 1865-1884, 1874-08-19
For TIE HERALD.
To the Voters of she Third Com
greSSional District Of South
Carolina.

gressional District Of South
Carolina.
FELLow-CITlzESS I offer myself
as a candidate for your votes in the
election which takes place in Novem-
Der next, to select member OF Con =
gress for this Congressional District.
Deplorable as is the condition Of The
State, l think you will agree with me
that State party organization DIES
not promise US relief. In the whole
State the Republican party is in Il ma
jority, although that majority is uu-
doubtedly enormously exaggerated
But, still. an organized party opposi-
tion brings the Republican party to
the support Of its candidates in every
portion of the State, and thus where
Ne are locally strong, we are not allow
ed simply to fight our own battles, but
are forced into conflict with the whole
strength Of the Republican orsaulza-
ton. Worse still, in the present con-
ditiou of national parties. a State party
organization is sure to be misrcpresen-
ted as being all opposition, not to the
iniquitous administration Of the Re-
publican party in South Carolina, but
as au opposition to the republican par
ty Of the Union, aud especially to the
administration Of Gen. Grant, and
the prcjudices and power Of the Fed
eral Government are thus enlisted
against us. Now: | am perfectly
safe in saying that, ct present, to the
people Of this State, Federal politics
arc obsolete. Their Que absorbing, vital
interest is the honest administration
Of the State Government. and they
ask for power ouly so far as events
have proved that power III the hands
OF the propcrty-holderS and taxpayers
Of the State is absolutely necessary
to secure such honest administration.
And they need representation in
Washington, to be heard before the
Congress Of the Nation AID by the
President, in order that the truth as
to their condition and feelings should
be known; in order that the inAu-
eucc vi the General Government shall
not be used against them, iu entire
misconccpiiou OF their sentiment and
their purpose. This representation
has been parposely and peltlnacious-
ly denied us. Take your own Con-
gressional District as an Illustration.
Whatever may be the strength Of the
Republican party in the whole State,
or iu other portions Of the State,
here certainly they are not majority.
That there are some Republicans,
| admit-sumc of them selected with
out reference to party affiliations
holding County Offices and seats i'll the
Legislature, and they have proved
useful and faithful officers. This CON
dition Of things was well known
to Tic Republican Legislature, when
last winter it undertook the re district
ing of the State. What did it d. !
The Act Of Congress, of 1862, requir,
ed that each congressional District
should be composed Of contiguous ter.
ritory." So when they had grouped
together Oconee, Pickeus, Anderson,
Abbeyille, Laurcns and Ncwbcrry,
in which a reasonable effort would
have secured the people such L repre-
sentative as they really desired: they
added Richland, which is not ':con-
tiguous territory;' which touches the
rest OF the District at no one point.
simply and only because Richland was
entirely il the bands Of the Republican
party. and experience had shown that
any number Of Republican votes could
be manufactured to order in that
County to meet the requirements Of a
contested election. This CongrcsSion-
al District, has, therefore, for the ex-
press purpose Of excluding you from
representation, been constructed IN
deliberate and fraudulent violation Of
the law Of the land. If there were 10
other issue, this is one which YOU
ought 10 make in vindication Of the
suprcmeSt right which belongs to free
men: and one in which you can appeal
from the narrow and selfish tyranny
of the Republican party of the State,
70 the Justice and to the lawful author
ity Of the Republican party Of the
Cnion.
But there are other reasons why
you should earnestly cndcaror to Sc
cure fox yourselves a fitting represen-
tation. The section of the State in
which we live and with which our
fortunes arc Identified, is the only Que
in which there is marked evidence Of
material improvement. We have a
homogeneous population; the advau-
taces of our soil and climate offer sure
if slow inducements to immigration,
our population is increasing, and the
opening Of new channels Of communal
cation is fast bringing this up,cOuntry,
hitherto 81 isolated. iato direct rela
tons with our ncighbors: West and