The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1877-01-25

Louis the delegation met Colonel Pelton
a nephew of Governor Tilden, one of tn
active, though quiet, organizers of tina
gentleman's political campaign. Will
| in St. Louis it is understood that Carolin
| politics were fully discussed by the dele
CATION with Colonel Pelton, and that tn
latter gentleman strongly advised agains
the nomination of General Hampton
He urged that some man of less promin
ence and of more known conservative
views should be selected as the candidate
and said that the nomination of Hamp
ton would injure the party at the North
1t was generally recognized that the can
didacy of Hampton would be distatefu
to Governor Tilden, because the latte
feared it would work mischief to the Ma
tional Democracy.
THE COLUMBIA CONVENTION.
In the meantime General Gary ane
others had continued to urge the nomi
nation of Hampton upon the people o.
the State, and the idea took so well tha
it soon became apparent the movemen
would be successful in spite of the siren
uous opposition which the scheme en-
countered. He had intimated willing
ness to run, and his high persona! char
acter and brilliant military record made
him fayorite with the people. When
the State Democratic Convention as
sembled in Columbia in June it was evi-
1dent that Hampton was the strongest
ticandidate before it. Governor Tilden
however, had not abandoned his opposi.
ton to this candidacy, and was repre-,
sented in Columbia during the session o.
the Convention by Colonel Coyle, oi
Washington City. This gentleman con.
ferred with the most prominent OF the
| delegates, and, in the name of his chief
warmly demonstrated against the pro
priety and policy Of the proposed step
It was explained to him that Governor
Tilden was entirely mistaken in his esti-
mate of Hampton's character-that the
| latter, instead of being an ultra Demo.
crat and fire eater, was very prudent
cautious. and conservative, would unite
all factions and make stronger race
than almost any man in the State
| Moved by these statements Colonel
Coyle finally proposed to telegraph to
headquarters on the subject. He sent
telegram to Colonel Pelton, who had
been with the Carolina delegation at St.
Louis, asking his opinions. The answer
was short and to the point. 1t was sub
stantially as follows: General Kennedy
knows my views with regard to the nomi:
nation of General Hampton" General
Kennedy knew that,Governor Tilden was
strongly opposed to such nomination
and so stated. Unless I am misinformed.
General Bratton subsequently went into
| the Convention, as a candidate against
General Hampton, but was defeated.
Those who know General Hampton will
not be surprised to learn that when he
heard of this interference and opposition
he was deeply angered, and was inclined
to withdraw his name from the consider
alton of the Convention. He was final
" oyerruled by his friends and consented
to run for Governor.
LETTER THAT WAS NOT ANSWERED.
After this matter had been arranged
and the Democracy had fairly com
menced that memorable canvass which
attracted the attention of the whole ma
ton, still other things occurred tending
to widen the breach between Hampton
and Tilden. learn that with view Of
restoring that entente cord'ate winch
should exist between the Democratic can
dida,e for Governor of State and the
Democratic candidate for President OF
tbe United States, General Hampton
wrote a letter to the latter. after his nom-
Iination, assuring him of his hope OF car
-ryiny the State. This letter. received no
reply, though common civility should
have dictated an answer. understand
that Governor Tilden's explanation is
that he was too busy to attend to the
matter. This is scarcely valid excuse
from one who had a regiment of clerks at
his command. But this was not all:
The Carolina Democrats were poor and
needed money for campaign purposes.
The State Democratic Executive Com
mittee wrote to Hon. Abram S. Hewitt,
Chairman of the National Executive
Committee, reciting their necessities and
asking for some assistance. Mr.. Hewitt
replied that he had no money to give
them. aud said, in effect, they must take
care of themselves. These successive
rebufs, taken in connection with Tilden's
opposition to Hampton's nomination,
naturally enough irritated the latter and
made the Democratic Presidential nomi-
nee anything but favorite with him
Who can we'll wonder at his feelings
| when these facts are remembered?
T1LpEN's CANDIDACY NOT RECOGNIZED.
It is not astonishing, then, that in the
campaign which ensued General Hamp-
ton confined himself to making votes for
the State ticket, and let national politics
and the candidacy of Governor Tilden
severely alone. am credibly Informed
that from the opening of the canvass at
Anderson c. H. to its close in the city OF
Columbia, Hampton had scarcely word
to say on the subject of national politics,
and almost refused to recognize the cam
didacy of Tilden. In his Darlington
speech, when he said he should vote for
Tilden, he also complimented Hayes, and
said he accorded to the latter all the Ca
pacity and patriotic worth attributed to
him by his most ardent supporters.
Hampton invariably took the position
that he stood on platform higher than
party, viz: the platform of honesty, re-
form, economy and good governments
platform on which whites and blacks,
Radicals and Democrats, could all stand.
PROPOSED ABANDONMENT OF .TILDEN.
But this is not all. i will be remem-
bered that at one tims it was reported
that proposition had been made by GER
tain Republican Leaders in South Caroli-
ma to support Hampton against Chamber
lain if the former w1uld have the Tilden
electoral ticket withdrawn. 1t was gen.
orally believed tIat General Hampton
declined to consiier such a proposition.
This is not the fct l am informed that
he favored suci course when it was
suggested, andt chat want of time, alone,
prevented it fom being taken. Judges
| Mookev ond Cooke who saw that Hamp-