The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1877-04-05
Interviews with President Hayes.LThe
Charlesten Committee lend Help
: Ing Han&-Hampton's Position before
B the Country.
WAsHINaroN March %. |

posing the political differences which
now unhappily distract the people of
South Carolina. ! beg you to believe
that my anxiety to bring about the per-
manent paciication of that State, paci-
fcation in which the rights of all shall
be safe ana the interests of all shall be
protected, ia as sincere as I feel assured
is your OWE for the accomplishment of
of the same ends. My position for years
past in reference to the political rights
of colored citizens, and my solemn
pledges given during the late canvass in
South Carolina, that under my Admins
tration all their rights should be abso-
lutely secure, should furnish a sufficient
guarantee OF my sincerity on these points
which appear to be the subject of special
anxiety. T have the honor to ask at
what hour il will be your pleasure to re-
ceive me?
I am, sir, very truly your obedient SER
want,
.r WADE HAMPTON,
(. -, Governor of South Carolina.
The President returned an immediate
answer by Co.. Rogers, his private secre-
tary,- for. Governor Hampton, accom-
panied by Senator Gordon and Attorney
General Conner, to wait on the President
at o'clock!
The Charleston committee, by appoint
ment, met the President at 5 o'clock,
viz: Messrs. Adger, Bee, Pelzer, DeSaus-
sure, Tupper, Gibbes, Bollmann, ". B.
Smith, Amory, Fairly and Dawson. The
committee were introduced by Mr.. Adger,
and Mr.. Bee then, in a brief address,
showed the iamentable condition of the
State. He said that South Carolina was
an agricultural State, and that upon agri-
culture all depended. Yet planters
everywhere cultivated a half less than
they did last gear. Laborers were will
ing to work, bat capitalists were unable
Ito give the planters the means to employ
them, so that che blacks and'whites alike
were affected. If Hampton were recog-
nized, confidence would be restored,
money employed, and all trades revived !;
but, if it was not soon done, it would be
too late. dI,ke interests of whites and
blacks were tie same, and, under Hamp-
ton, all the conditions and aims of the
Presidents Inaugural Address would be
satisfied, and peace, happiness, religion
and piety prevail everywhere.
MI. Adger ;hen, i'll aforcible and lucid
manner, insisted on the necessity of i'm
mediate action, and invited Capt. S. Y.
Upper, president of the Chamber of
Commerce, to communicate their views
as to the great detriment being done to
the State by the present delay.
Capt. Tupper, in an eloquent and COM
prehensive address, exposed the present
fanguishing condition Of business grow
ling out of'the uncertainty of political
affairs in the present and future, and in
sisted, as the representative of the COM
mercial interests, that nothing but the
absolute and universal recognition of
Hampton, as Governor, could give peace
and progress to the State.
Mr.. F. J. Pelzer said that his firm had
been induced by the condition of affairs
to be unusually cautious in making adj
vances 10 planners, and that in his opinion
Hampton's administration could give
peace and ultimate prosperity to the State
Mr.. w. B. Smith followed and said
that the banking capital of Charleston is
not more thar one-ffth of what it was
before the war, and nevertheless such was
the present want of confidence that even
that limited capital could not be loaned
out satisfactorily, and that the settlement
or our political troubles would harmonic
the two races ald restore lost confidence
to the whole people:
Can't. Louis D. DeSaussure then ex-
planned the character of the disturbances
in the State as requiring immediate rem
edy. and demonstrated that Hampton had
been declared Governor by the only body
capable of that act. A large majority Of
the Judges in the State had so decided,
and Hampton was gradually absorbing
the whole power in the State, as was
evidenced by the payment of the volun-
tary tax, the support of public institu-
tions, &c. In conclusion he said that the
people would accept no other government
than that of Eampton's. 1t was either
that or territorial condition for Carolina.
The President said that it might have
been supposed that he could have acted
earlier, but he could not act until his
constitutional advisers had been appoint
ed, and when appointed he and they were
obliged to give attention to vacancies
held to exist in the civil service. Most
of such vacancies it was found could lie
over and his successor would not be en-
barrassed as he was. He had now reach
ed South Carolina, and was confident
that his ultimate purposes were the same
as those of the committee. He had in
vited Hampton aud Chamberlain to
Washington as the persons most likely to
be able to give an intelligent statement
of affairs, and he was confident that
satisfactory solution would be found.
The whole interview was very pleasant,
and the committee were received with
marked courtesy by the President.
In the course Of the interview Capt.
Tupper asked the President if he appre-
hended any difficulties or disorderin the
State.
The, President said he wes glad to say
that he had no such fear.
Capt. Tupper then asked if there was
any reason for Executive interference to
keep peace and order in Carolina.
The President, laughingly, said that
he could not answer such pointed ques-
tons.
Governor Hampton, Senator Gordon
and Attorney General Conner met the
President at o'clock according to ap-
pointment, and lunched with him at 2
o'clock. r.,
In the afternoon the same parties had
an interview with the President by ap-
pointment. The conversation was of q
free and general character. 1t related
primarily to the question as to the prob
able condition Of the State in case the
troops should be withdrawn. The points
urged by Governor Hampton and his
friends were as follows:
First, they claimed that there is an
imperative necessity for speedy action,
as the planting interests of South Carroll
na are in absolute danger of destruction
by reason of the present unsettled state
Of affairs, the labor system being now in
process of disintegration, and although
the season for planting is already at