New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1876-11-02

10 ten. hampton III liil> CdHN as, 'h''i wv
trast Which is 50 frequently drawn by bis speakers
in the presence of colored voters between these ope
manly. advanced views of Hampton, expressed III
public speech to the colored people of Columbia and
the utterances of Mr. Morton at the same time IN
Indiana in reference to the utter unfitness OF the
negro for the elective franchise.
Ii is difficult for a Southern man to comprehend
the prejudice to which this writer would appeal
when he asserts that Gen. HamptOn's anti-war
wealth was 81 900 slaves and 90, 600 acres OF land
and that he sis now the wealthiest man in the
Southern States y that he is the incarnation OF
Calhounisn, jeff Davisism, anti-Northernlsm ana
Southern intolerance ~" the arstOcrat OF arSto-
crats7 1t is impossible to read this description Of
Cen Hampton without amazement at the prejudice
which evoked 1t and pity for the heart that con
ceived it. "Aristocrat of aristocrats = " Down
with the arstocrats" was the slibboleth of oppreS-
sion during the Reign of Terror i'll France. Can 1t
be an unconscious association of ideas that has led
this writer to appeal like prejudice here, with the
hone of nstgating like expressions of the Southern
pcople2 Down with the aristOcrats' was the cry
that in France followed the disarmng of the people
Ominous parallel The prejudice to which your
correspondent appeals Il believe vainly appeals
was the inspiration of all those atrocities upon I'M
armed men, women, and children which made
France the theater of vast tragedy of blood and
terror
As to Gen. Hampton's wealth it was, as is well
known. very great before the war; but your CORE
spondent's alusion to him wealthy now, or " the
wealthiest" &C., would seem to be heartless mock
cry. / notice these misrepresentation Of tins
writer, which are no more erroneous than the grave
charges with which his letter is filled. only proof
beyond cav that he has either been most unfor-
tunatc in his sources of information or Is
RI ne tlp character
statements Truly melancholy is the fate OF
a people whose destiny hangs upon testimony
like this and scarcely less deplorabc is the fact
that one Of the foremost journals of the land
whose great founder was supported Tor the lrcSi-
dency by the Southern people with such remarhaple
uuaul,nity should be induced by such testimony 10
condemn that whole people. and 10 suppose them
in love with ruin and enamored of their own cN-
tinction"
Nothing could be moro unjust nor more false than
your correspondents charge Of warkc demons'ra-
tons and hostile purposes by Gen. Hampton ana ms
supporters, and that from the political meetings
the people diSpeTsc with war-war for their cry
war TO the knife" | assert from personal ohSerNa-
ton in that very section of the State where yo"r
correspondent locates the origin of this "movc-
mcut" and where the negroes are il the minority,
that more orderly peaceful. political meetings were
never held in any State IN the Union. The most
earnest appeals were made by Gen. Hampton and
his colleagues 10 both races for peace. harmony and
good will. AT SpartanbUrg, in that "scctlon 0i
the state where the whites outnumbcr the color"d
people" there were held upon the same day and III
the same village large meetings of both political
rartics. the white Democrats and black Rcpuhh-
cans minglng together on the streets both before
aud after their respective meetings, and yet there
was no disturbance of the peace There was not an
individual difficulty: there was not drunken man
upon the streets; there was not nile not
musket, not a shotgun not a pistol carried IN
the procession. nor by white or black outside of It,
so far as could ASCERTAIN. And the artillery, whose
roar seems to have so affected the Imagination of
your correspondent, consisted of two backsmith's
anvils. placed one upon the other with charge and
fuse between them, or ball of Irvine charged with
powder-both favoritc explosives with negroes aud
bows in the south on holiday occasions.
am thus particular in giving the exact facts
which came under my own observation, because
they are a complete refutation Of the charge that
the people of South Carolina are seeking TO carry
this election by force Of arms and intimidation "f
the blacks. That:arms have been carried at other
points in the State, and by the ifc clubs, presume
is true but believe that political professions COM
posed Of fire companies, military organizations WIN
artillery interspcrsed culivcned by fife and drum
a. so ominous in South Carolina not altogether
unknown il the Northern aud Western states.
Whatever NAV be true in regard TO the
carving OF arms in those localities where
the whites are in the minority, the sober
second thought Of the American people VIII not im
70 accord to ina. minority tie right If Sclf?Tserva
ton. Whatever may have been the mistakes, the
follics or even the isolated crimes OF few indi-
yidaas il will scarcely be denied that the people Of
south Carolina have exhibited spirit of most CON-
mcndable forbcarauce, under prOyOeations most
baras.ne. financial dstresscs most poignant, and
nolitical wrongs most mtocrablr, al the hands of
State G. Government the worst perhaps thar has ever
been imposed upon any people IN civilized or bar
barrie history. When it Is remembered too, that the
arms intended by the General Government for dis
ribution to tic citizens of the state have been de-
liycreG almost without exception, to the blacks,
who are a large majority Of the popnla-
ton: that these blacks, docile and conidng
by nature have been for years estTanaed from the
whites. and encouraged g. aggressive violence by
tLcir white leaders through appeals 20 their worst
passions. is it strange that the white population
thus outnumbcred and thus outraged shonld organ
ize for the protection of their lives their homes, and
families What would the inhabitants OF any com
munitvin this Union do undcr smiiarclrtumstances
II is perhaps unfortunate for South Carolina that
this effort to throw off such government and elect
one composed of citizens whose interests are bound
for veal OF woe with the fortunes OF the state has
occurred in the same year with the Presidential
election But for the passions incident to this gen
eral political contest there could be but one answer
10 the above questions Is 1t possible for
the Northern people to conceive of white and
black Republicans in South Carolina, armed
as they are by the State comprising almost the en-
tire militia organization Of the state, protected by
al The civil power Of the State, its H0vornor us