The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1876-12-07


Gen. Ward spoke as follows.
Mr.. President and my Fellows
Citizens:-lm this emergency it seerrs
to me persons ought to have few
words. There come times when
words are acts. We have chosen as
we believe, a President of the Uni
ted States by majority OF moro than
three hundred thousand popular
votes, and, we believe, by q major
ity gilmore than twenty If the Elec>
toral College. The great question to
day is, shall he be inaugurated. NY
fcllow>ci1izens> | am one Of those
who believe in the observance of law.
When you choose a President you
exercise the highest of the functions
# eovereigntyo You who do it So
berbcrly and patiently investigate
before you vote, and investigate ev>
cry vote aftcrward with GOODNESS,
calmness and discretion. No wild
threats, no undue abuses of our op-
p"nent, q full recognition of the right
of every citizen to think and act for
himself, and then We 60 on and ex-
anime the returns Of the election
They should be scrutinized by the le
gal authority. We should use every
resort known to tie constitution aud
nothing to say of any ulterior pur~
pose or measure, but it the time
should cone when we have used all
legal II caus, ii tie time should come
when the deliberate Judgment OF the
American people is that they have
been dctr trapded or defeated by fraud
or force in their choice of President
there will arise for settlement q ques
lion that is too solemn to discuss in
u public meeting like lEis. l hope,
my friends, that that time in the Re,
public will never come. | believe it
will not come. | believe that the
Returning Boards will not care t.
count cut the legally elected PreSi-
dent OF the United States. (Ap-
plause) They will not dare to do SO
because the Returning Board OF
Louisiana is iDtanons in the eyes Of
the nation and OF all the civilized
world. and it will not dare to do SO
IN the tace OF the shore hand report.
ers that are akiug down what is done
aud said there. Gentlemen, | Say
quietly and Sobcrly to those who
hear me, thAt | nope there is man
mood cn"ngh lcfr in the Acerican
people to zee t. it tnat no snch
fraudulent .: violent means to suavert
the will OF he people shall ccued.
(AppIause.) counsel l'eace, coun
sci order, 81 long aa peace aud order
are consistent with constitutional
liberty, but, if the hour cnmes that
tyrants attempt to strangle con,tilu-
tl"nal liberty, he is unworthy t. b.
Counted tree man who will not do
a5 Roman trcemen did, strike FIR
yOnr country. Tie resolutions adopt
ud are mild, they are not in incen-
dla;A; they are not lhreate. ing; they
they were not intended to be 3d.
We intend to treat our fellow ctiZens
Of b"th parties as though they il
tended !" and would finally do jus
t'cr, ami We bel eve they will do 80.
Hence, we have appealed calmly to
,hosc VIII" have charge of The returns
hat they shall comply with the law.
lie, me repeat once more that when
every otEer hope ID gone--when ev-
cry measure oI law is exhausted for
the assertion If our rights, if they
are attempted to be lrample down by
military power ao 'hey have been
tor years, it it is attempted to apply
to the people of he North to the
people at tue capital, the same un-
cOnSti' i'uti"nai and lawless exercise Of
military force as has been nGed IN the
Southern States; when thar time