The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1876-11-23
Eow Edgefeld Won Her Victory.
EDGEFIELD G, H., Nov. II, 1876.
Editors Columbia Re1i.fer.

EDGEFIELD {, b., Nov. ii 1876.
Editors Columbia Reyister:
We have gained such glorious victory
in old Edge.ield, have SO nobly, under
the leadership of our gallant and fearless
county chairman, General Gary, re-
deemed our county, that must give you
an account of it and the CAUSES that lead
to the same. In the first place, Edge
field, from time immemorial, has been
Democratic in her principles, imbued
and taught her sons by McDuffie, Senator
Butler, Hammond, Preston Brooks aud
other leading statesmen.
Second. Edgcficld has never cast her
full vote since the war, on account Of the
siissefltions that have been made in the
party by compromises with the Rcpubli-
can party.
Third. That a roster of the voters pre-
pared during the campaign shows whites
1888: cOlored 5,l77-total 9,9i5. Now
from this deduct the total number cast,
9,2S9, and it will be seen that 627 voters
did not exercise the right of suffrage.
Fourth. That Edgefeld County has,
by the census Of 1870, white voters 1864 !;
blacks 5,240; aggregate 1904; ard that
the vote of this year is 9,289. The diff
ference in these votes has been brought
about by the number Of youths who
have arrived at the age of twenty -one
years and the great influx Of cmigrants
that have poured into our county since
1870, and the additional fact that the
Radical negroes repeated their votes on
Tuesday last some twice, others as many
as four times. This can be proven, as
many Of them were detected in the act
by responsible white gentlemen.
Fifth. That the former leader of the
Radical party here, McDcvitt, our quon-
dam Treasurer, had nbscOndcd, was
caught, and was in Jail up to within three
or four days of the election, and that l..
Cain, who had aspired to the leadership
of the Radicals, tried to run the same
Schedule" of repeating that McDevitt
had so openly practiced, and which
would have succeeded had he not been
foiled by General Gary, i'll his usual mas
terly, victorious manner. Another power
iul help to cur cause was John A. Barker,
leading Radical and member of the
Legislature, who, although he voted for
Hayes and Wheeler, came out boldly and
espouscd the cause of Hampton and re-
form, and stumped our county i'll the in
tercst of Gary and the other gallant gen.
tlemcn who were oK the Democratic
ticket, and no doubt carried as many as
400 negro voters with him. II. Strom,
ex-County Commissioner, and leading
Radical, also voted with us, and did
yeoman service i'll canvassing the county
for goo.; government under Hampton
and Democracy. +. A. Bcllanger, County
Auditor; Louis Simmons, cx-member Of
the Legislature; Willis Merriwether, one
Of Ned Tenants lieutenants during the
"riot" some years ago; Ambrose Cart
ledge, ex-County Commissioner, who
was put in jnil at this place for intimi-
dation, together with four other negroes
of his company, who were pardoned by
Governor Chamberlain, through l.. Gains
influence, with the understanding that
the Edgeiield Radical delegation were to
vote for him (Chamberlain) for renomi-
nation for Governor Mabin Griffin, Geo
| Nix, and learn that Dave Graham. nj
present member of the Legislature,
also vnted the Democratic ticket.
But, to show the feeling that pcrvades
| the minds of our enemies, assure you
that Paris Simkins, Gus Simkins, Bill
Ramey and other prominent Radicals are
| so thoroughly convinced of the fairness
IF the election, that they utterly refuse tc
JOIN Cain. Boncy and other ultra Radi-
calls in their protest to the State Board OF
CanvasscrS.
Another reason why Edge6eld went so
| strongly Democratic was the disgustcd
feeling that was stamped upon the minds
of the colored people by the action OF
the County Nominating Convention,
which was in session three days and
nights, and which, owing to the mali
cious influence of J.. Cain, Jesse Jones
and II. n. Boney, failed to make the
| complete nominations because there
were at least twenty-five candidates fol
the Legislature and IN equal number fol
the county ofiiccrs-Judge of Probate
Sheriff, &c.-and, at last, it had to be re-
ferred to the Radical Executive Commit.
tee, who, under the direction of Cain
placed i'll nomination the worst ticket
than we have had yet. For instance, in
! the place of j. A. Barker, they put upon
their ticket for the Legislature E. b
Harris, County Commissioner and 6
brother of Carey Harris, the negro who
having perpetrated rape upon re
spectacle white woman of our county.
| AS final and convincing cause of oui
success, must say that nil the honor
all the high honor, belongs to our chirak
rou., 6rars and adsjatiga5E County Chair
man, N. w. Gary. He was the righ
man in the right place. Day and nigh
he toiled and worked, and to his grea
and comprehensive administrative a6ilit,
we are indebted for all the success ant
victory that is ours; for through his in
fuencc the men Of Elgefield carried ou
his .plnr" and perfected the glorious
work. His conduct in the campaign
has won him prestige that should never
be obliteratcd in the future. He CAV,
up everything to the noble cause. III,
devoted his heart, his purse, his tim,
and talents to tho redemption of Edge
field and South Carolina, and in tn,
sacrifice he has won for himself the graft
tude of every true patriot in the State.
JUNIUs.