The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1876-12-15
A Stirring and Patriotic
Address.
Brave Words from a Noble
Man.

| demonstrations of great enthusiasm. The
! memb bers of the General Assembly occu.
pied the space Immediately surrounding
the stand, with the crowd in the rear
Gen. Hampton then read his inaugural
/ address, OF which the following is an eN-
| tract:
Gentlemen Of the Senate and House o.
/ Representatives:
1t is with feelings Of the profoundest
| solicitude that | assume the srduous du-
| ties and grave sponsibiliticS oi the high
position to which the people OF South
| Carolina have called me. Ii is amid
events unprecedented in the republic
/ that take the chair as chief magistrate
| of this state In time of profoundcst
! peace, when no legal officer had been
resisted in the proper discharge of his
| functions. We have witnessed spec
tacle abhorrent to every patriotic
heart and 'stal 60 our rcpubli-
can institution - Federal troops
1 used 10 promote the success of II political
party. Undismayed, though shocked BY
| this gross violation o! the constitution of
| the country. our people. with a determi'
nation that no force could subdue and
10 fraud could defeat, kept steadily and
| peacefully in the path OF duty, resolved
10 assert their rights as American free
men at the ballot box, that great court
OF final resort, before which must
be tried the grave questions OF
/ the supremacy OF the Constitution and
/ the stability OF our institutions. What
| the verdict of the people of South Caro-
/ lima has been you need not be told 1t
has reverberated throughout the State
and its echoes come back TO us from
every land whore liberty is yonerated,
/ declaring in tones that cannot be mis-.
/ taken, that standing on the Constitution
! Of our country Te propose To obey Its
/ laws, TO preserve AS far ~ ln US lie this
| peabe and honor and TO carry out in
good faith every pledge msde by
| u for reform and honest government.
/ We intend tO prove to the world the
sincerity of our declaration that the sole
motive which inspired the grand contest
we have so successfully made, was not
the paltry ambition for party suprem-
gCy, but the sacred hope of redeeming
our State, and it was sought to wrest the
fruits Of this victory 10y gigantic fraud
and base conspiracy, When members
elect Of the General Assembly repaired
to the Capitol to take their seats, armed
soldiers Of the Fedora government con.
fronted them and their certificates Of
election were examined and passed upon
by f. corporal of the guard. 1t was amid
/ these APPALLING scenes that members Of
the General Assembly were called on 10
assume their places r. representatives, OF
free state, and that state OF the origin
al thirteen who won our independence
and framed ou- Constitution. Dsbarred
of the free exercise Of their rights
by the presence OF nm armed force,
legal quorum of the lower house.
after placing On record our protest,
quietly wsthdrew from the capitol and
proceeded to organize hat branch Of the
General Assembly. You hsy" seen "A
minority Of the House usurp the powers
of the whole body; you have seen "A
majority expelled from their hall by
threats OF force; you have seen persons
having no shadow OF Il claim "a members
admitted TO seats As Representatives. by
men who themselves were acting IN direct
violation of the constitution, and you have
I seen the last crOwniug act of Infamy bv
which candidate for the Office Of govern
ar. defeated by the popular vote mad hrfn-
self declared siectcd bV h- CouspIrators.
IL 10 due 70 my position n chief magls-
traLe ot the commonwealth 10 place on
record my solemn and indignant pro-
test agsinst the acts which ! consider IA
subversivc of civil liberty and dcs.ruc-
tive of our form OF government. a
party Of this State. They entered on
/ this contest with platform 50 broad, co
strong and so liberal that every
honest citizen could stand upon il
Trrv recognized and accepted the
amendments TO the Con stitutiOn in good
faith; they pledged Themselves 10 work
reform and establish good government; /;
they promised 10 keep upan efficient
systrn Of public education md they d.
r'grrd soiemuly that t.I citizens Of South
. CarOIlna. of both rscrs and of both par
ties. should be regarded IS cgun.- p the
c.o- ni the law, all 10 be- iuiIy protected
in the enjoyment Of every p"htIca' right
/ nov poses sed by them. To the faith.
.ul Observance Of these pledges We
.l.nd committed. !, rs y representative
/ or'ur Conservative party, hoid myself
bound by every dictate Of honor sd
gooI faith % use every effort 20 have
/ these pledges redeemed fully and
7 honestly. Let us snow to al Uf them
that the true interest Of both races can
best b. secured by cI.:iyating peace and
promoting property among all Cla'.es
! of our fellow Citizrns. ] rely confidently
on the support a. the members Of the
General Assembly in nv efforts ~ attain
these Iaudsble ends, and trust that Ell
branches Of the government Will unite
cordially in tbs patriotic work. j! 20
united, and working with n res"lu,e will
and earnest determination, wa may hope
soon T. sGe the dawn of a brighter day
fer our State God. IN His Infinite mercy.
. ,-ant that il may come speedily. and
J may He shower tho richest blessings Of
peace and happiness on cur whole
people.
At the closs Il the address. the a; b Of
Oifca va adDiu'steret by Trial Justice
. MAr.bsl - M Hampton A. GoyeruOr,
and ~ v. ID. Simpson a. LIsutsn ant
GoyerFgr, the crowd standing uns0y-
cred while the ceremony Was icing per-
formed The chair 10 which General
II Haru.Jn .as seated was then wrapped
H. istI0Es. colors and be VA borne
10 The shoulders Of dozen H4En - biz
hrtel. escorted By the entire crowd.
Several prominent gentlemen sd'
dressed the multitude from the front
g. the kotel. alter which the crowd
oa.e,lv dispersed. The Congressional
committee occupied prominent posi-
tIon on one Oi the balconies.
ArcbBuhop Baley, Of Baltimore. va