Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1877-06-28
GOVERNOR HAMPTON AT AUBURN.

visited Auburn, New York, last week, the
occasion being reunion of the "Shields
Guards" The Governor arrived at Auburn
on the morning of the goth, and was escorted
to the Ross Homestead. At noon the parade
took place, the procession marching to the
grove in which preparations had been made
for the speaking. The display is represented
as having been exceedingly fine. Governor
Hampton and General Shields shook hands
with hundreds of persons, and the enthusiasm
rapidly heightened. Governor Robinson, of
New York, said that the heroism displayed
BY Governor Hampton during the last three
months had fixed his fame forever in the
hearts of his countrymen. For the American
people it now remains to accomplish the great.
est work of ALTO wipe out the stain of NAL.
feasance in office, and in this great work New
York halls South Carolina as a worthy CO.
worker. Governor Hampton, who was cheer
ed vociferously, presented the Shields Guards
with rich Palmetto Flag, saying that he had
come to Auburn to bring to that honorable
body flag which derives lustre from the ex-
plots of the heroic Shields. As the flag was
unfurled, the grove rang with cheers. Gov.
Hampton then spoke as follows:
Your distinguished Governor has been
pleased to alude to the contest in South Car
olina. That, my friends, was not political
struggle. 1t rose far higher than any such
contest ever waged on this continent. 1t was
a contest for civilization, for home rule, for
good government, for life itself. 1t was
contest waged BY the people of South Carroll
ma, not, as demagogues would tell you, against
Northern men, but contest waged against
carpet-baggers-and when l say carpet-bag-
gers mean by that thieves. We do not call
any Northern man, any Irishman, any Ger
man, any Englishman, who settles in our
midst as an honest citizen, carpet.bagger.
We welcome such with open arms. We tell
them to come to our genial skies and fertile
soil, come one and all, and l pledge them, in
the name of the State, a hospitable, warm
hearted reception. We do not ask whether
they are Republicans or Democrats.
| want to impress this upon your minds,
and will do it by illustration. What was done
by the Democratic Legislature of South Car
olina in almost its first action? A vacancy
occurred on the supreme bench Of the State;
a Chief Justice was to be elected; it was a
place which had been filled by men of the
very highest reputation 10 our commonwealth;
the names of honored sons of Carolina, who
would have done honor to any Eench in any
country, were presented, but that Democratic
Legislature elected to the Supreme Ccrrt a
citizen of New York, who came to the State
as soldier, and who is Republican. What
further proof do you want that we are not
governed by proscriptive feelingS Does it
not show that we have fulfilled the pledges
and promises made through the last canvass
to make no distinction on account of race,
color or party?
We wanted to show you people of the
North that we were actuated by the highest
and most patriotic feelings. We did not
wage political canvass; we were fighting
for every interest dear to freemen, and thanks
to brave and true men and glorious women Of
South Carolina, this war for good government
was successful. They have established it in
every department of the State government.
They accomplished this, and they now pro-
pose to fill to the very letter the pledges I
made, and appealed to High Heaven to wit
ness that they should be carried out. I de-
clared that if elected I would be Governor of
the whole people of South Carolina; that
should know no race or party, no color; that
all men who stood on the soil of South Caro-
lima, native or foreign born, white or black,
should be equal before the law, and, so help
ME God, it shall be done.
am glad to say the bitterness which mark
ed that strife is passing away, and L say to
you, men of New York, as [ say at home, |
owe nv election to the colored men of South
Carolina. Thousands of them voted for me,
knowing that I had been a good friend of the
race knowing that was the first man after
the war to recommend that they should be
given the right of suffrage; and I never yet
changed OH that subject, knowing they sus
tanned me in large numbers, and | am happy
to say the fears of the ignorant are passing
away, and they are satisfied they will be dealt
with in all respects as citizens of South Caro-.
lima. We intend to try and elevate them, to
educate them, and try to show them the re-
sponsibilties as we'll as the blessings of liberty.
We want them, as other citizens of America
and South Carolina, to he worthy of the great
boon of citizenship of this great republic.
My friends, must again thank you for this
most cordial greeting, doubly gratifying be-
cause it is the voice of New York reverbera-
ting to South Carolina. came, as I said, to
do honor to my distinguished friend, Gen.
Shields He wore the blue and l wore the
gray but we can let the curtain drop over