The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1876-05-11
For the anderson h,telligencer.

For the anderson Intelfgencer.
MEssRs. EDITORS: Now that the Demo-
cratic party of the County is thoroughly
organized, it is gratifying to every lover of
good order and good government to know
that with harmonious action the future of
our County at least is secure-the success of
the party at the approaching election being
fully assured. To insure the continuance
of the harmony now manifestly existing
throughout the organization, let every good
citizen earnestly labor; and ignoring all
personal and selfish considerations, address
himself with earnestness and enthusiasm
to the work which sound policy and patri-
otism alike dictate.
That the nominations of the party for the
coming campaign are to be made by prima-
ry election is now regarded as the settled
policy OF the party. Many believed and
still believe that there are serious objections
to the plan; but this is simply mentioned
here to state further, that inasmuch as it
was clearly demonstrated at the late County
Convention that large majority of Democ-
racy favored that plan, the minority cheer
fully acquiesced, as they will certainly do in
the future, even though the question may
be of a much graver nature and the majority
ever so small.
The question next to be considered is,
"At what time is the primary election to be
holden?" 1t is presumed lat there will be
a County Convention called sometime du-
ring the summer to settle that and other
questions that may arise, or the Executive
Committee may order it. In either case,
discussion as to time and manner of holding
it cannot be amiss.
There are many and substantial reasons
for delaying the primary elections until
very short time before the general election
time for the circulation of the County papers
giving the result Of the election seems to be
sufficient. Let candidates announce them
selves or their friends announce them as
usual; let everybody run that wants to,
whether nominated by local club or not;
let them canvass the County, exchanging
views with the farmers, and the people viii
have ample opportunity to judge of their
respective merits, and make up their minds
deliberately for whom they will give their
suffrage. Let their be no hurry before the
primary election. Let all the hurry be af-
forwards. Give no time for "sore heads' to
compare notes; no time for outsiders or
insiders to tamper with the disaffected and
disappointed.
But to return to the candidates. To avoid
all mistakes they should be required to
answer through the public press the follow
ing interrogatives: Are you member of
any Democratic, Club in the County, Do
you pledge yourself to abide in good faith
by the results of the primary election,
whether you receive the nomination or not?
Do you pledge yourself to vote for and use
your influence in favor of the election Of
the persons who are declared by the mana
gers of the primary election to be the choice
of the party?
Let no candidate be voted for at the pri-
mary election who fails to answer these
questions unqualifedly in the affirmative.
IF this course is pursued there can be no
cause to apprehend dissension and division
at the last moment. All we will have to do
will be to get all of our neighbors, go to the
polls, vote 'the ticket, the whole ticket and
nothing but the ticket" and we will show
majority that will give quietus to the Re-
publican party in this County for all time
to come, besides giving wholesome lesson
for the edifcation Of all "weak-backed'
ofice-seekers who, for the jokes sake, are
miss-named independent, as they are inde-
pendent of nothing, save political princi-
pies.
There are many amongst us who have
almost dispaired of ever witnessing better
times in South Carolina. At great sacri-
fee Of principle they have heretofore voted
the mongrel ticket which their leaders have
recommended, and walked to find that the
sacrifice was in vain. They sold their birth
right for a mess of pottage, and then didn't
get the pottage. They have met with defeat
and disappointment till they have not cour-
age to make another effort. But there is
every reason to believe that the time has
come when the Democracy, placing them
selves squarely before the people, holding
fast to their time-honored principles, will
make fight which should reanimate all
such and awaken them to new life and
hope. No such enthusiasm, energy and
determination has been evinced by the party
since reconstruction as at this moment.
This zeal is harbinger of the triumph of
decency and honesty in South Carolina.
There are better times in store for US, and
they are in the very near future. We have
faith in the purity of Democratic principles,
and faith that the people have the honesty
and patriotism to maintain them. If we all
work together with determination to win,
We will win, and we will make this centen-
NAL year indeed year of jubilee in South
Carolina. J.P.B,
Fork, HAY 8. 1876