The Republican journal., 1876-09-28
OF NEW YORK.
Suffering South Carolina.

Suffering South Carolina.
The future of South Carolina is prob
lem that should possess every thoughtful
mind not only with interest, but fill it with
anxiety. 1t is almost incredible that state,
at one time so prosperous and high spirit
ed, should be brought down to the depths
of poverty and despair. But it is never
theless true that such is the case, and Il
truth disreputable to the country and dis
graceful to the party that administers its
affairs If not relieved by a change of
rulers, OF through the influences of con-
sentative national administration, Heaven
only knows what may be in store for her.
An independent newspaper of the north,
in reviewing the condition of that state
says that in South Carolina-plundered
PROSTATE South Carolina-the issue is one
of life and death. No talk there of the
Missouri Compromise or the terms OF
Lees surrender, nor of income returns or
mileage accounts; no talk even of Tilden
or Hayes. A people for long years depress-
ed in spirit stripped of worldly goods by
thieving officials, ground under the heel
of ignorance and vice, slandered and Will
| Go,1 at -horaa aud alrnad. e'matic .lg't. aanr
desperate effort to redeem their State and
place it once more On the high road to
prosperity SO long by them untrodden
"My God" said General Hampton to the
correspondent Of a republican paper,
1--WE cannot stand it! Our subsistence is
consumed, and the very name of South
Carolina has become a by-word and re-
proach. We are in the gulf of despair.
If the Northern people yes, even the
Northern Republicans-knew our condi-
ton; knew it just as it is knew how we
have suffered and how we have been rob-
bed, their sympathies would be extended
to us in this struggle. What we want is
relief from the robbers" An enthusiasm
has been born of this desperation, and the
result is seen in a conservative canvass
which has had no parallel in our history,
unless it be found in the Log Cabin and
Hard Cider demonstrations of 1870 The
election is nearly two months away, but
the campfire blazes on every hill. Where
hundreds came together in former polili-
cal contests thousands now gather Every
man who can speak is on the stump; clubs
are active in every township; torches, fire.
works, music, flags and flowers are press
ed into service, and the women vie with
the men in what is termed the patriotic
revival. A favorite device on the trans
parencies tells the story. 1t is repre-
sentation Of a female figure bursting asun-
der her chains, and the legend Hereunder
reads 1.-The PROSTATE State Aroused. "
The campaign is one OF sentiment, in
deed, but of stern reality as we'll
We have indicated the characteristics of
the Conservative line of battle. What of
the array on the other side? Within the
last week the frightened robbers, realiz-
ing the earnestness of their victims, have
patched peace among themselves and
organized as we'll to defend their booty as
to perpetuate their power. The Charles
ton papers bring full reports Of the pro-
ceedings of the State Republican Conven-
ton. at which nominations were made in
opposition to the Reform ticket. 1t was
motley gathering. If there was an hon
est man in it he does not seem to have
opened his mouth The leading spirits
were Elliott, the most corrupt, though,
perhaps, the ablest. colored man in politi-
cal life; Jones, of Georgetown, who sold
himself thrice in the Republican Conven-
ton Of 1874 Patterson, the purchaser of
seat in the United States Senate; White
more, the Congressman expelled for ca
detship- peddling; Bowen. the bigamist;
Mobley, the incendiary, and a dozen other
notorious fellows tarred with the stick of
corruption. The speeches were marked by
open assaults upon the integrity of every
candidate before the convention. One
man openly declared that if the worst
man in the party was nominated he would
vote for him, and said with glee, THAT if
there was five years of stealing yet left in
South Carolina he was glad of it, rs it
would serve the Democrats right" At
last the charges and counter charges be-
came so bitter and disgracerul that the
went into secret session, and
for nine hours washed their dirty linen
with closed doors. After such scenes the
ticket presented was such an one as might
have been expected of such body. For
Governor, they named Chamberlain, who,
having put his hand to the pillow OF re-
form, turned back to get nomination
from the men whom he had pilloried as
the worst that ever cursed free country
for Treasurer. Cardozo, who escaped i'm