Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1877-04-26

was their prime object and disposition to keep
the laws; that they we're true South Carolin-
ians in heart, and held her interests nearest
and dearest.
Gov. Hampton expressed his sincere pleas.
ure at the utterance of these sentiments, and
said that he recognized in them citizens of
South Carolina, and trusted that they, as all
other citizens of the State, would assist him in
upholding her Constitution and laws. Wheth-
er they were Republicans or Democrats, he
said, made no difference to him-they were
South Carolinians, and as such he recognized
in them the equals, under the law, Of every
citizen of the State.
At the Washington Light Infantry celebra-
ton on Wednesday night, to which the Gov
ernor was an invited guest, on being loudly
called, he came forward and spoke as follows:
Ladies and Gentlemen When you did me
the honor to invite me here tonight, l had no
anticipation that was to be called upon to
take any active part in this glorious demon
stration. I was not put down in the pro-
gramme. daughter and Cheers And l have
said 30 much in the last few months to the
people of Carolina that am afraid that they
have become tired of having me as their
spokesman. Never! Never! Cheers. Twill
say to you, men and women Of Carolina, that
never on Gods earth was there more glo-
rious people for whom man could speak.
Cheers. In all the trials and suffering
through which we have passed since August
last, in your forbearance, in your heroic tor
titude, in your endurance, in your sublime
devotion to duty, you have made a record
never before parslleled upon this earth.
[Cheers.] You have placed, again, the name
of Carolina high, higherthan itever stood upon
the roll of fame, and in the name of Carolina,
women and men of the glorious old State, l
thank you from the depths of my heart.
Prolonged cheers. When went to Wash.
ington the other day, leaving my State, think
ing that was going quietly, at every station
and wayside in North Carolina and Virginia,
the people came out to bid Gods speed to old
Carolina. Cheers And as was coming
back bringing to you the redemption of the
State Immense cheering "a redemption not
won by any compromise cheers won only
by the great power Of right and truth-when
I was bringing that back, the people of Vir.
ginia and North Carolina came again and
poured in their congratulations to South Car
olins. Cheers. You do not know how
proud I felt when in Washington I saw the
representatives of this Republic assembled
there-Republicans and Democrats s-the most
bitter Republicans-the most extreme Demo.
Gratis, when they were forced to come out and
say that the people of South Carolina, my peo'
pie, [cbeers,] had saved the peace of the
country. That you who had been so misrep-
resented in the past, had shown yourselves
worthy to be the descendants of the men who
had fought under that flag. [Cheers. You
have now, people of Carolina, your destiny in
your own hands! 1t is for you to say wheth-
er you will 60 on, step by step, until you have
achieved all the glorious destiny that is before
you, or by rashness and impradence to dash
away that bright prospect. It is for you to
determine what shall be the future of South
Carolina. ..... .-.. ....... ...a
You have achieved wonders in the past.
Through you, through the people of South
Carolina, l was able to bear the glorious ban
ner that you gave me to victory, and it has
been placed on the very highest pinnacle OF
the citadel, and it waves there now over q
free, redeemed, disenthralled and regenerated
State. Immense and prolonged applause. ]
See, people of South Carolina, that no dishon.
or comes to it See that it always waves over
free people. 1--WE WILL I can do nothing
more! I can do nothing unless sustained BY
the people of South Carolina! [Applause.
I appeal to you to help me still. I appeal to
you to hold up my hands and take part of the
responsibility which is upon me from my
shoulders [Cheers.] And l appeal to you
with the proud confidence that my appeal will
not be made in vain. [Cheers. Not once,
during this exciting contest, have / appealed
to the people Of South Carolina, that you have
not responded with one voice. [Applause.] l
say to you now for the sake of that dear old
mother of ours, say to you now, to devote
yourselves, heart and mind and body and
soul, to the great work of lifting her up once
more to the high position which is rightfully
hers. Place her upon that pedestal where she
has right to claim to be-, where, free and
happy and prosperous, she can extend her
arms over all her children, all who are Caro-
linians, and give to them mothers bless
ing. Deafening and prolonged applause
On Thursday the Governor held a public
reception at the City Hall, which attracted
an immense concourse Of people, white and
black, to the vicinity. Here, again, loud
calls were made upon the Governor for a
speech, to which be responded as follows:
My Friends of Charleston: 1t gives me
great pleasure to meet you, and particularly
so, to meet so many of the colored citizens Of
Charleston on this occasion. want you par
tcularly, not only here, but throughout the
whole State. to understand precisely the con-
dition of affairs and the policy that l repre-
sented in the late election. know that it is
very natural for you to suppose, having been
misled in so many instances, that although a
man who is candidate for Office may make
promises, you cannot know what will be the
result of those pledges until you see how the
policy has been carried out ,:,. .ta hia.-.
All that I have to say to you now, and /
say it when victory has crowned our efforts,
is that stand now precisely where l stood
twelve years ago. I was the FIRST man in
America, certainly the first man in the South,
who advocated the granting of the right to
vote to the colored man.. Applause.] That
is on record. Only q few days ago / saw in
the New York Tribune statement made by
its editor, Whitelaw Reid, that in 1865 told
him that the Northern Republicans would
want to take away the right Of voting from
the colored people long before the South ever
would. "A voice: That's so.] Doring the
late canvass made prediction that the
colored people would very soon find that the
only protection they had for their elective
franchise would be from the white men of the
South. You will live to see it |! -.
meant to tell you an incident which has
happened since my election. When l was in
Waeb;noton recentlv. five or six or more