The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1877-04-12
THE WELCOME TO HAMPTON.
Enthusiastic Demonstrations of the Peo-
ple-His Reception In Columbia-Ad-
dress of the Governor.

thusiasm. On his arrival IN CharlOtte
the grandest demonstration awaited him,
and the entire population turned out in
honor of the illustrious Governor of
South Carolina, whose popularity in the
old North State is only equalled by that
of Governor Vance. The reception was
under the auspices of the City Council,
and Mayor johnson delivered an address
of welcome, which was responded to by
Gov. Hampton in one of his happiest
efforts. He spent Thursday night in
Charlotte, and the ovation in his honor
was kept up until late hour. r
A special deputation of citizens from
South Carolina met the Governor at
Charlotte, and on Friday morning the
entire party, occupying special train,
started on triumphal journey to Colum-
bia. At every depot the train bearing
Gov. Hampton and his party was met
with the greatest enthusiasm, and large
crowds assembled to do honor to their
Chief Magistrate. Rock Hill, Chester,
Winnsboro and other points accorded
him magnificent receptions.
The arrival of the train in Columbia
produced the widest enthusiasm among
the assembled thousands, who were
around the depot awaiting his arrival, +,
and splendid procession was formed of
the military clubs, fire companies and
other organizations. Hampton occupied
n handsomely decorated carriage, and
the procession was headed by the splen.
did band of the Eighteenth United
States Infantry. The procession was
more than mile in length, and marched
to Carolina Hall, where Hampton was
inaugurated last December, and he was
conducted to a stand elaborately deco.
rated with national flags, eyergreens and
notices. Capt. W. B. Stanley delivered
an address of welcome, and the old chief
tain responded to this enthusiastic vel
come and magnificent reception in the
speech which is given below. The
ovation is said to eclipse any demonstra-
ton ever made in honor of South Car
Gilman:
THE GOVERNORS SPEECH.
Mr. Chairman and my Couatryoonsen and
Guntrzmaen of South Carolina Travel
worn and weary, I have come back
amongst you to make my report to my
constituents. Those constituents are the
true people of South Carolina; and COM
ing here to my surprise, I find welcome
which has stirred my heart to its inmost
depths. It is not welcome that con-
quered people would give to conqueror.
1 bring no blood-stained ensign. bring
no trophies from battle-6elds; but come
to say that the cause in which We fought,
the cause in which you made me your
standard bearer, the cause of truth, has
been victorious, and once more the ban
ner of South Carolina, not carried through h
bloody fields, but through those more
glorious ones of peace, floats over State,
free, disenthralled, regenerated and re-
deemed. And how has it been redeemed?
My friends! not by blood, not by vio-
lence, but by the potential agency Of the
ballot. It has been redeemed because
the honest men of South Carolina, of all
races and of all parties, determined to
wipe away the scandal which had hung
so long over her history. 1t was because
We saw that we would have to fight for
very existence; that all we held dear in
the past was sinking or being swept away !;
that the civilization of hundreds of years
was being blotted out! We saw that our
government was passing into the hands
of aliens and strangers; and placing our
cause in the hands of God on high, we
determined we would make one more
effort to redeem South Carolina, and if
we should go down it would be with our
banners floating, and with no stain to dis
grace that cause. ~.
You fought battle that has never been
equalled on the American Continent. l
scarcely realized in those days of peril
and gloom, the grave issues which were
hanging on this contest. I did not real
ize them until went to Washington. 1
tell you that musket shot in this town
would have meant civil war on this Con-
tinent; and what stopped it? Cries of
"You stopped it!' from the crowd No!
my countrymen, it was because the peo-
ple of South Carolina were the most law
abiding people in this country, and be-
cause they had risen above considerations
of party, had determined to save their
State.
I tell you that though you have won
this fight, though the men, or rather, the
women-for it was the women of South
Carolina who won the victory-there was
not a woman in the State who would
look upon a man who turned his back
upon our cause (the remainder of this
remark was lost in prolonged cheers for
the women.) You won the victory at
the ballot box; but then came in the
more insidious attacks upon us by fraud.
From the 7th day of November until this
time the verdict ofthe people ofSouth Car
olina expressed at the ballot box has been
stiHed. We have appealed, as peaceful cit
izens should, not to violence; for you know,
there is not man in Columbia who does
not know, that when that crowd was
standing out there, night after night, it
IcQulIGu UuG WO4G w AAcs'S sAS-A - VIZ
as the storm drives the leaves before it,
every vestige of opposition away. But L
felt was safe in trusting to your forbear-
ance, in relying upon you to respect the
laws, and in telling you that victory
would surely come, if you would be pa
tient and forbearing.
The courts recognized our government,
but still usurpation stood in the way,
and I knew that it would not do to resort
to force to remove it. I knew that in the
fullness of time our victory would be
completed. 1 told you so. I told you
that, if you would only wait patiently
and trust to the justice of your cause, and
to the Almighty, you would be successful,
and now am come to tell you that you
have been successful. You have now all
the practical recognition that could be
given the government of your choice in
force; and just here let me say to you
that did not 60 to Washington to q ask
recognition, I did not 60 there to otter,