The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1877-04-26
PARTY ORGANIZATION.

fairs, and it required almost unceasing
work to bring the entire element opposed
to Radicalism into close, compact and
thorough organization, bent upon effect
ing deliverance from oppressive evils,
and effectively disciplined in such man.
ner as to achieve success. The work was
slow and tedious in many portions of the
State, and there was fearful 1ukewarm-
ness among prominent leaders here and
there as to the necessity for party organi-
zation. When the May Convention was
held, the chief argument against imme-
diate and forward action was that this
organization had not been effected, and it
was agreed to use the most strenuous eff
forts to perfect the organization before a
policy was decided upon. Three months
were employed thereafter in the attain
ment of this object, and the united press
of the State, in alignment with the
Democracy, vigorously urged the neces-
sity and Importance for welding together
as a unit the conservative citizens of the
State in o supreme effort to secure our
political redemption. These efforts were
largely successful, and when the August
Convention brought together the repre-
sentatives of the people, that body was
prepared tospeak the sentiments ola large
and growing constituency. 1t is needless
for our purpose to recount the familiar
scenes of the campaign, which exhibited
almost every day the power and efficiency
of a disciplined organization. The re-
suits attained were due in very large
measure to the party machinery thus set
in motion, and no sane man will deny
that without this effective agency the
triumph of our ticket was not possible in
the recent campaign. Anderson County
gave the largest majority in the State,
according to the extent Of its population,
and it resulted from the splendid and
compact organization within its borders.
Edgefeld could not have achieved its
glorious victory without the discipline
and strength of its Democratic Clubs.
Abbeville was wrested from the unholy
GRASP of ruthless cormorants by its eff
cient and thorough mobilization of its
gallant hosts. Laurens was brought from
under the heels of the oppressor by the
same untiring means. Barnwell was res
cued from the despoiler by constant, un-
ceasing work through its vigilant Clubs,
white and colored. Greenville, Spartan
burg, Pickens, Oconee and the rest were
made to contribute strongly to the gener-
al result by the thoroughness, efficiency
and zeal of their respective organizations.
Are we to forget these things? In the
general rejoicing over the fulfllment OF
our hopes, and the complete victory OF
the gifted and noble Hampton, are we to
relax party discipline, and allow the
fruits of our victory to be turned into
ashes upon our lips?
We do not sound needless alarm when
we say that immediate danger lies before
US. The willy and astute leaders of the
Radical party are not yet willing to fore
20 all efforts to break down the Democ-
racy. Their weapons are changed, it is
true, and they are not using the means
so familiar to our people to regain what
has been lost to them. Yet they are al.
ready concocting measures to bring about
divisions and dissentions in the Demo
cratic ranks, and unless vigilance and
unceasing watchfulness are displayed by
our leaders, these men will secure by in
trigue and dissimulation the opening
wedge to their desires. The point of
immediate attack is in the approaching
election for Chief Justice. The plan is
to throw a solid vote of the Radical party
in favor of the moderate Democrat, who
can command the suffrage of a few Dem
ocratie members of the Legislature, and
thus defeat the election of any one upon
whom the main body of Democrats may
unite. This scheme is the creation of
Carpenter, Melton and others, who were
ostensibly silent in the last campaign,
and whose object in defeating the Demo
Gratis virtually in this initial movement
will be to galvanize anew the expiring
party to which they belong, assume the
leadership in its ranks, and prepare for
the next campaign. Neither Carpenter
nor Melton care anything about the Office
of Chief Justice, or have any genuine de-
sire to place Democrat in that position.
Their sole object is to break the ranks of
the Democracy, and they are content to
work for any one who is willing to allow
such base intrigue to lift him into high
position. We have no fear that their
present plans will succeed, because they
cannot find any prominent Democrat in
the State who would knowingly permit
such a proceeding in his favor to gain
headway, and because the Democratic
members of the Legislature will assured
ly place an estoppel upon this scheme by
making caucus nomination. Indeed,
the success of Governor Hampton's ad-
ministration will depend largely upon the
unity of action on the part of the Demo-
cratic members. The small majority on
Joint ballot cannot be risked by any ideas
of individual or separate action, and when
it comes to the selection of Chief JUS
tice, it will be necessary to stand together
as one man. A caucus can and will de-
eide as to the choice of the Democrats,