Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1876-09-21
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MASS MEETING AT CLOVER.
Grand Demonstration by the Bethel Demo.
.>@-'''H cratic Club.
1000 PEOPLE IN ATTENDANCE.
Torchlight Procession and Public Speaking.

On Wednesday evening, the 18th instant,
the Bethel Democratic Club held a meeting
at Clover, station on the Chester and Lenoir
Railroad, eight miles north of Yorkville.
The Democratic Club Of this place having
chartered a train for the purpose OF attending
the meeting, a goodly number Of the citizens
of Yorkville, including several colored voters,
availed themselves Of the opportunity thus
presented Of mingling with their friends in
thatsection Of the county. : At 81 o'clock, p:
M, amid loud huzzaing, and stirring music
by the Yorkville Colored Brass Band, who
accompanied the visitors, the train departed
from the depot at Yorkville, arriving at Clo-
yer after a pleasant run Of forty minutes.
The Yorkville visitors were met by three hun:
dred mounted men bearing torches, and es-
corted to the speakers stand, around which
we're assembled about six hundred persons, at
least three hundred of whom were colored
voters. After music by the colored band, DR..
A. P. Campbell, Chairman of the Bethel
Democratic Club, called the meeting to order,
explaining as its object the purpose of hearing
the political issues now before our people fair
ly and honestly discussed by exponents of the
principles of the Democratic party, and ad-
vocates Of good and honest government. Af:
ter requesting the crowd to give way for the
colored people, who accepted an invitation to
take seats near the stand, the chairman intro
duced
I. D. wITHERsPOON, ESQ.,,
the Democratic nominee for Senator from this
county.
MI. Witherspoon opened his remarks by
alluding to the vast crowd assembled before
him, who had come together for the purpose
of peaceably discussing the affairs of the
country, and alluded, in this connection, to
the recent orders of the authorities in WASH
ington having for their effect the prevention
of this right, 80 long held sacred by every
freeman in the land. He said this and SINH
lar assemblages of the honest people of both
races in South Carolina do not indicate dis
position for disorder and violence, but simply
a determination to throw of the yoke of op.
preston and misrule under which South Car
lima has groaned for the past eight years.
He then reviewed the condition Of afains
in South Carolina after Republican admin
istration of eight years. He told his hearers
that our deplorable political condition cannot
be charged to the Democratic party, because
that party has not been in power, nor had
voice in the administration of the State gov
ernment. But now the Democrats are going
to see if they cannot, by the peaceful and po-
tent means of the ballot-box, put an end to
the misrule in this State, which has been
stigma and reproach to all lovers of good
government throughout this broad land.
He reminded his hearers that the Republi-
cans first obtained power in this State and
other Southern States by appealing to pass
ion, and creating spirit Of dislike in the
breasts of the colored people for the native
whites, who, by every tie of interest, are natur-
ally the best and truest friends ofthe colored
race. The stock in trade of the Republican
politicians has been the arraying of the color
ed man against the white man. They have
no respect for the constitution under which
we might all live in peace. Had they been
true to the constitution, both races would have
lived in peace and harmony since reconstruc-
ton and had they faithfully and honestly
administered the State government, we all, to-
day, would be prosperous and contented peo-
ple He then cited instances in which the
constitution, framed by Republicans, has
been ignored by them. He mentioned the
fact, that under our constitution the people
have the rightto elect their trial justices but
yet the Legislature has ignored that right TO-
the people and provided for the appointing of
trial justices by the Governor, for no other
reason than to throw chat much political pat.
ronage into his hands that he may bolster
himself up and keep in power. He also spoke
of the neglect Of those in power providing, as
the constitution requires, for a registration Of
the voters of the State whereby the true num-
Der might be ascertained and frauds prevent
ed at the ballot-box. To these, among other
acts, said the speaker, we are here to offer
our protest We are going to have s fair
election, and in that election, truth, right and
correct principles shall and will prevail.
The speaker said that the Republican lead
ara have encouraged official plunder and rob-