Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1877-01-20
HAMPTON's VINDICArION.


His Object In Writing the somewhat
Celebrated Letter to Gov. Hayes.
A special dispatch 10 the New Yor
World, dated Charlotte, n. c., Jan. q
has tho following:
The following letter received by 4
gentleman ofthis city fron an intimatA
friend Of Governor Hampton aud "A.
law partner Of Colonel A. @. HASKELL
! Chairman of the Democratic State tx
ecutive Committee OF South Carolina
so plainly and unexceptionably delin
Gates his reasons for writing TO Hayes
as well as Tilden, that BY It's publicaI
ton the world may see how grievOuslS
Governor Hampton has been wr0nRed
by the criticism from the press Of tn,
country:
COLUMBIA, S. O., Jan. 8, 1S77.-Mj
Dear Sir-YOurs of the Sd inst. ha
been received, and | agree with yOt
that tae duplicate letter Of Governo
Hampton to Messrs. Tilden and HayeI
has been entirely miscoDstrued, and id
object Observation-Disclosures. The
notion that he intended, directly u
obliquely, to favor the election Of Mr.
Hayes or to imply an opinion that b
was elected, is simply absurd. Mr.
Tilden has had no warmer suppOrte
than he, and no one believes m0r
fully that Mr.. Tilden has been elected
not only BY a majority OF the Who'll
people, but By the electoral vote. Th,
objective points in Governor Hamp
tons letter have been strangely over
looked. Of course, good men ma
differ as to the policy of writing th
letter at all, but the point Of the lette
was obvious enough. Governor Hamp
ton thought that by forwarding TO Ia
two most prominent men now befor
the country his inaugural address, an,
making the same q part Of his com
munication TO each, be would thu
bring the facts aud views, thereiI
stated and expressed, more clearl
within the observation Of q Target
audience than those facts and view
would otherwise obtain. IL IL ant
was of the utmost importance that thi
whole country should understand th
true condition of South Carolina. i
was truly and ably presented in tina
inaugural address; and what more Ger
tain mode, let me ask, for IL 10 reac
the whole country than through th
chiefs of each party? Let us reflec
for a moment. We are told on
sides, and by none more earnestly tina
by Governor Hampton, that our polio
is peace-that the talk Of settling th
Presidential question by force is folly
We accept this view. At the sam
time it IS admitted, even BY the hotties
of Mr.. Hayes, that he is
gentleman aud fair-miHde
man. 1t is further said Of him, by b
that he is opposed to the id
famous carpet-bag governments at Oh
South. To increase, then, the volum
Of public opinion drawn from bot
parties against these vile government
and to secure the safe judgment Of I'd
whole people and ofall parties in favd
Of peaceful solution Of our dificultid
and the quiet Inauguration Of the rigl
man, in Governor HAM
toms judgment, being Mr.. Tilden-l
addresses, not partisan letter, but oT
in spirit 70 the heads Of bot
parties, and calls for peace aud justi'
10 ell aud good local government I,
the South, and particularly for dow
Erodden South Carolina. This is ei
lctly what Governor Hampton's lett
more nor less. Th
such letter, read in as kindly a spin
IS it was written, must bear goo
fruit, / have not the least doubt.
L causes the fair-minded Republica
1t the North-and there are ma
such-tO pause and to read with calr
ness the inaugural address Of Govern
Hampton, and to considerthe fright
iacts therein stated, il will be 4 gre
work for peace and for Constitution
government ia this country. III
more years of such government AZ
have had in South Carolina for the L
ZEN years will reduce our unhap
State TO the condition Of the Neth(
ands under the government Of
Duke Of Alva, and il, in the spirit
owe OF country that actuated
Prince Of Orange, Governor Hampt
,alls alike on friend and foe for trJ
If bitterness and battle, and il that
De considered a misdemeanoT, then
he be guilty Of mistake otherw
not. ln my opinion, when the coun
hall be again restored 20 tranquil
Ehen Mr.. Tilden shall have b
luietly inducted into Office, when q
,rnor Hampton shall be recognized
III sides as the Governor Of SOU
and when general cOnfdet
ind prosperity shall have returned
bless the land, then will the posit
ind judgment of our present covert
n this matter be fully vindicated.
nave said TO you much more tina
Intended TO say in acknowledging "
etter, but as error viii run a a
While truth is putting on his boot
rope what has been said has b
lily spoken. Yours truly,
j. ID. POPH
To Con. Thos IT. Daayton.