The news and herald. [volume] (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1876-1881, 1877-01-25
HASKELL ON HAMPTON,
AN AUTHORITATIVE REPLY TO "a
TILDEN DEMOCRAT"

TILDEN DDA1OCRAT."
slanders and Misrepresentation E;x-
posed and Denounced.
A coMent and conclusive letter
from Col. A. G. Haskell, chairman of
the State Democratic executive COM
mittce, in reply to GA liltlcn Demo
cr@t, is published by the Augusta
Chronicle 0n0 Sentinel No one
could answer the charges made by
"a Thden Democrat" more authoYi
tativeiy than Col. Haskell, for he
was necessarily cognizant Of every
detail Of the campaign, what was
done ana only proposed to be done.
*s'le lottor is too long to reproduce
entire, but wo give some Of tho
strongest Of its many strong points.
Unless "a Tiiden Democrat" is
ready to acknowledge the error of
his way, it is to be hoped he viii
hereafter hold his peace. Col.
Haskell says:
There have been sclurilous articles
written against Gen. Hampton in u
few Of the extreme Radical sheets,
but no enemy in the North has pub
hshed SO base slanIer us that con-
tanned in the article in your COLI
1lmns The piece could not have
boen published in this State; it is
matter of regret that it has appear
~ i'll any Southern State or Donlo-
cratic paper.
The grounds upon which the
writer bases his insidious comments
arc ei ither entirely without fountn-
tion or are pcrvers;ons Of facts
which occurred. And it is to de-
clare the truth with regard to the
assertions made in the article that
I now address you. Dcfenco Of
Gen. Hampton and Governor Til
den, or the other gentlemen, would
bo out Of place, and, still more, un~
necessary. L shall speak but OF
the facts, and of them, only what I
cnn s:.y nutholitntively, and Of my
personal knowledge:
The policy adopted by the State
in the August Convention was not
the work Of u few inAivd;1als or
leaders, but was with more unani.ni
ty than has ever been seon-thc
uttoranca Of the will and fixod de-
termination which sprung from the
nlass Of the people.
The policy having been settled,
there wnS brt ono difference Of
opinion us to the nomination Of can-
didatcs Whether it should be
Hampton, the man the people want
ed, but who had conspicuous war
record, which it WAS feared might
1njure the national party, o. shoa!d
it be Il ulhn against whom this Oh
lection Gid not lie, and who wonld
yAmmant! the respect Of tao pcup;e
of the State. This question VAS
calmly and freely discussed. I
speak as mc:ni,er OF tHe Convcr-
tion, where I herd tne debate
Gen. Hampton Was also member
he was At my house ns Il guest. [
was constantly with him, md his
views wero expressed to me fully
and freely. He entered into the
cnny;.ss at great personal sacrifice,
and would haze been muciA ststiho'l
could he have conscientioua!y de-
chned to enter upon the duties
which the people demanded Of him.
He 80 stated TO the cunvenlion, AMI
urged tho nomination Of the canli.
date who could o'le"t most good for
the cnuse, anu in either event prom
ised his porson;L aid The views Of
the National Democratic party wure
not intrulod upon the convention,
but were invited, and were lesarded
rs Of great weight. It was undcr~
stood that the National Executive
Committee regarded the nomination
of Hampton as dangerous. TINS
opinion met with earnest support
from some of our best and ab:est
mon, and certainly gave no offence
to Gen. Hampton. The final de-
eision was that in the depressed con
dition of our people we could not
afford to take any but the one MIN
upoIAyhom all honrts would unite,
and for whose election men, women
and children wonld strive Tie
Convention felt assured that by
prudent policy the fears entertained
by the Northern Democrats would
DO disappointed Hampton WAS
thus nominated by the unanimous
vote of tho Convention, nnd the
balance of the State ticket was filled
by men of either opinion, al diyisi IN
having ceusod the moment the ques-
tion debated had been settled. I
cannot speak positively as to the
statement 'it was generally rocog-
nized that tho candidicy Of Hamp-
ton would be distasteful to Gover~
nor Tilden, because the latter feared
it would work mischief to the Nation
nj Democracy It certainly was
stated that such was the view Of
e2mo Of the committee and working
members, but my impression is that
it WAS said Mr.. Tilden's own view
was in favor Of Gen. Hampton nomi-
naan.
General Hampton was not '.over-
ruled by his friends" bnt asking the
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