The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1874-08-20
ANDERSON, S. c., Aug. Is, 1874

ANDERSON, S. c., Aug. 15 1874.
Friends and Fellow- Citizens After thanking
you for the great compliment conferred upon
me in extending an invitation to address you
to-day, will briefly state that circumstances
over which have no control, will prevent my
having the honor Of meeting with you, and
the unpleasant duty of laying before you
Carolinas wrongs and misfortunes l ex-
pccted at the same time to suggest what | con-
ceive to be the remedy for existing evils. |
assure you 1 will do so soon. Owing to the
embarrassed condition of my private business
caused by my continued absence from homo
for the last few years, have not had the time or
mind to give attention to public affairs l
hope in a few days to have my business so ar
ranged that I can devote large portion of my
time to the redemption of South Carolina and
the unity of her citizens, be they democrats or
republicans white or black, in one solid column
marching on for an honest just and economl-
cal government TO secure this great object
should be the aim and study of all her citizens,
irrespectiye of race or color; for it can never
be accomplished without both races bury the
hatchet of distrust and prejudice, and sit togeth-
er under the olive tree of unity, prosperity and
peace. l favor united and persistent action
against all manner of misgorcrnment, and the
eradication of fraud and peculation among the
representatives of the people 1t is time for
white and colored to discuss the situation coolly,
calmly and dspassionately, and agree to adopt
measures of reform and retrcnchment, and re-
fuse to vote for candidate tor any position,
unless YOU have good reason to believe he has
the ability, the courage and integrity to carry
out your interests in spirit and IN truth.
Although desire unity in our State affairs,
still, wish it distinctly understood that 90
not ask it at the expense OF the rights of the
people, or the interests of the upper portion OF
the State. I will now only mention one great
source of trouble, namely: the nomination and
election of unworthy men to the highest posi-
tions of honor and trust, r. the large republl-
can maioritics in the lower counties of the
State. If the republican party, with its I'M
mense majority, through its nominating conven-
tion neglect or refuse to accord to that consld-
Grafton to which wearc entitled, and fail to nom
mate a candidate for Governor upon whose re-
cord not even the shadow of suspicion can fall,
as being connected with the past reckless and
eytrayagant management Of our finances, then
it behooves the people of the upper counties to
unite and elect Il man whose character and re-
cord is unimpeachable. We cannot, and we
will not be controlled as heretofore, by the
lower portion Of the State. Before the war we
were controlled by them under the Parish sys-
TEN, which entitled them to representation &C
cording to the number of slaves owned, conse-
quently our interests were, i'll my OPINION, to-
tally ignored by that portion OF the State. Be-
hold the result! Secession, war and all the
train of evils that have followed lis with
pain, admit, that we are still controlled by
the lower counties, and it is time for the white
and colored men of upper Caroline. to rise up
4 l..
and shake off these CALLING shackles which
were long worn under democratic influence ana
power, and are now being firmly rlyeted on Us
and our children by the nomination and cleo
ton of unworthy men by those counties. II
they will persist in this unjust and oppres-
siye course, we of the upper counties must
unite as one man, putting party issues
in the back ground, and in this way
compel them to nominate and vote for bet
ter men, or lose all their political power IN
the State. As we stand to-day, the upper por-
ton m Of the State is utterly powerless, from the
fact that we are divided, while in the lower
counties they have large republican majorities,
giving them entire control of the State. When
united, we will be in position to combat
them, and defeat the monstrous wrongs heaped
upon the people. We can by this course force
them to give us better men, which they will
do, if from no other motive, than fear and poll
CIV. / consider the Tax Unions the most ETH.
cicnt means of bringing about that unity ana
strength which will secure this most desirable
end. Let white and coored join hearts and
hands in this great "Union." | feel that /:
may result in much good and will certainly 40
no harm. Therefore, they have my unqualified
approval, and my whole power shall be thrown
in their favor, provided they remain non-par-
tizan, and party issues are not considered or
discussed in their deliberations.
Again thanking you, gentlemen, for the hon
or shown me, and assuring you that appre-
ciate it, with promise to lay before you very
soon a full account of my stewardship, with
my policy and plans for the redemption of
Carolina,
I have the honor to be your most obedient
servant JOHN II. COCHRAN.