Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1876-12-15

Gov. ChamSerlain's inaugural.

Gentlemen of the Senate and House OF
Representatives. accept the Office to which.
by the voice of the majority Of the people OF
this State, | have second time been called,
with full knowledge of the grave respon-
siblities aud difficulties by which it is now
attended No considerations except the
clearest conviction of duty would be sufi-
cient to induce me to accept this great trust
under the circumstances which now surround
Us. regard the present hour in South Car
DINA as crisis in which no patriotic citi-
zen should shrink from any part to which
the public may call him. In my sober judy
ment, our present struggle is in defence of
the foundations of our government and in
situations If we fail now our government
- the government of South Caroina-will
no longer rest on the consent of the governed.
expressed by free vote of majority of our
people. If our opponents triumph, | care
not under what guise of legal forms, We
shall witness the overthrow OF free govern
nent in our state. My chief personal anx-
iety is that may have the tirmness and wis
dom TO act in a manner worthy of the great
interests so largely committed to my keeping
Ny chief public care shall be to contribute
my utmost efforts to defend the rights,
to guard the peace, and to promote the
welfare of all the people of our State. =
Our greatest interest, our most commanding
duty, now is to stand firmly each in his ap-
pointed place against the aggression and al
lurement Of our political opponents. Our
position up to the present time has been
within the clear limits of our constitution
and laws. Nothing except the cowardice or
weakness or treachery OF our own friends
can rob US OF the victory.
state what facts show. what overwhe In
ing evidence proves, when say that if we
yield now we shall witness the consumation
of a deliberate and cruel conspiracy on the
part of the Democratic party of this State to
overcome by brute force the will OF n ma
jority of 20 600 Of the lawful voters Of this
State. have mournea over public aliases
which have heretofore arisen here | have,
according to the measure of my ability, Ia
bored to make the conduct of our public al
fairs honest and honorable. But stand APP
pa.led at the crimes against freedom, against
public or der, against good government, nav,
against government Itself, which our recent
political experience here has presented and
| am the more appalled, when see the North.
that portion Of our country which i
secure in its freedom and civil order and the
great political party which has con-
trolled the republic for l6 years, divided in
its sympathes and judgment upon such
questions /: is written in blood on the
pages Of our recent national history that no
government can rest with safety upon the
enforced slavery or degradation Of a race In
the full blaze Of the great example Of re
trlbutiye justice which swept away half
million OF the best lives Of our country,
we see the American people divided by
party lines upon the question Oh deiran-
chisement and degradation Of the same race
whose physical freedom was purchased at
such cost And what i more astonishing.
there are Republicans who permit the error,
which have attended the first effort Of this
race in selfgoycrnmeut to chill their sym
pathy to such an extent that they stand
colily by and practically say that the peace
Of political seryitulc is better than the
abuse and di>quiet which newly acquired
freedom has brought.
ienounce the conduct of the recent cleo
ton on the part of our political opponents
in this state a. a vast outrage. Fraud, pc
cription-, intimidation in all forms, violence,
ranging through all it, degrees up TO wan
ton murder, were is effective methods. The
circumstances under which We nave assem-
blel to-day, show Us how nearly successful
has been this great conspiracy. II Is for u,
in the face Of all dangers, in the face of false
or timl friend, in the face Of open enemies, to
show that We understand the cause in which
We are engaged, AMI that no earthly ,acri-
fee j, ioJ great 10 socurc it- triumph.