The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1876-12-15
WADE HAMPTON,

'A0 0oVernor OF the State OF
South Carolina. His grandfather, Gen
wade Hampton, was distinguished par
tizsn officer during the Revolutionary
war for American independence. HIS
father, Col. Wade Hampton, was an.ofi-
Ger of the American army during the
war of 1872, and served on the staff Of
Gen. Andrew Jackson at the battle of
New Orleans. The present Wade
Hampton was born at the ancestral
homestead near Columbia, South Caro-
Llama, in the year 1918, and is conse-
quently 6S years of age. He was not only
baptized with the name OF his father and
grandfather, but inherited their sccum-
ulsted fortunes At the breaking out of
the late war GeN. HAMPTON was the
weslthiest man in South Carolina; he
WAS the owner OF three thousand negroes
and three of the finest plantations in the
South-one in South Carolina, one in
Mississippi and one in Louisians, but to-
day he Is poor man.
He entered the service of the Southern
Coniederacy in 1861 with the rank of
Colonel, and in command of body OF
cav@'r' known as the champion Legion"
be Was promoted successlvely to the
ranks of Brigsdier General, Major Cen
ersl and Lieutenant General. At the
close of the war he was corps comman-
der and IN command of all the cavalry of
LEES army, having succeeded STUART
after the death of that officer. As
cavalry leader he ranked among
the foremost of his contemporaries He
had that daring, wstchfulness, love of
adventure, GOODNESS aid the elan in an
attack which make leader irresistible.
At the close of the war he returned TO
South Carolina to fud the old home
stead burned down, his lands in bad
condition, the family circle broken up,
some having been killed and others died
in the war. His heroic nature would not
permit him to yelld to dependency, but
accepting the situation with all its re.
alities, he addressed himself ~ the work
of repairing his broken fortunes So far as
he could; and while not becoming prom
inent in the events of his own State, he
all the time took deep interest IN the
welfare OF his people and aided them
with his wise counsel.
This year be was brought forward by
the best people of the States to be
their candidate for Governor and the
vigorous canvass he made, and the Won
derful success following il, gives the key
to the character of the man, and the deep
hold ne has upon the affections of the
people of South Carolina. His wisdom,
prudence and noble conduct in the
struggle against the outrages of the
tyrant GRANT and his tool CHAMBER
LAIN, within the last few weeks, have ex-
torted praise from his worst enemies.
Gen. HAMPTON is q man of very pure
life and devout. aud childlike in his re-
ligious faith. He is a man who would
never have anything to do with the
humors of the vulgar, and has kept him-
self sloof from the tsint of such inter
course with a sort of noble hateur,
though his soldiers can testify that no
man WAS more frank and gay on the
march, in bivouac and by the camp fire.
Too poor to rebuild his own home,
he had been occupying one belonging 10
his sister, until short time since, when
il was burned by his enemies and his
family again turned out. The ladies OF
the State at once started to work to raise
funds to build him home, but too
modest and noble to receive contribu-
tions under the circumstances, he
addressed letter to the Charleston
papers in which he says:
"Mv attention has Just been called to
a verv kind proposition, made through
yeur paper, that the women OF the State
ioin in presenting house to me. need
not saw how deeply this proposition has
touched my heart. 1t ADDS "nother To
the many obligations under which my
friends have placed me, and l hope they
will consider me as neither unSrateIui
nor ungracious, when beg them to
,sLc no further action IN this matter
1ba women of South Carolina have
discharged nobly their whole duty IN the
Glorious struggle to save the State, ana
To them is due, In large measure, Inc
success that has crowned our efforts. LII
Lrhsi, of the State, and for myself per-
sonslly, | thank them gratefully tor their
notr;oti ic and pIous work. The redemp-
t,on of our State will bring to me my
most coveted reward, and the continued
confidence and regard OF my trends VIII
satisfy my highest ambition.
This language is worthy OF the early
dsvs Of the Republic. 1t is unnecessary
+, po,nt out its vivid contrast to the
pr.ctice of the men now i'll power ana
" mo have none of the pretexts OF adver-
sirv snd misfortune which WADE HAMP-
TON might have urged for accepting
presents.