Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1877-04-20
The Withdrawal Of chamberlain.

|
in line and moved out of the State House
at noon to-day. Mr.. Chamberlain has
issued the following address, retiring
from the contest for the Governorship:
To the Republicans of South Carolina:
BY your choice | was made Governor OF
this State in 1874. At the election on the nth
OF November last was again, by your votes,
elected to the same Office My title to Office
upon every legal and moral ground is to-day
clear and perfect. By the recent decision and
action of the President of the United
States l find myself unable longer to main
tain my official rights with prospect of final
success, and hereby announce to you that
| am unwilling TO prolong a struggle which
can only bring further suffering upon those
who engaged in It,
In announcing this conclusion 1t is my
duty to say for you that the Republicans Of
South Carolina entered upon their recent
political struggle for the maintenance of
their political and civil rights, constituting
| beyond question large majority of the law.
full voters of the State. You allied your
selves with that political party whose central
aud inspiring principle has hitherto been
| civil and political freedom of all men under
the Constitution and laws of our country.
| by heroic efforts and sacrifices, which the
| just verdict of history will rescue from the
cowardly sCorn now cast upon them by
political placemen and traders, you secured
Hayes and Wheeler. In accomplishing this
result you became the victims of every form OF
| persecution and injury. From authentic evi-
dence 1t Is shown that no less than 100 of
your number were murdered because they
were faithful to their principles, and exer-
cised the rights sUlemnly guaranteed them
by the nation. You were denied employ
ment, driven from your homes, robbed Of
| the earnings of your honest industry hunted
for your lives like wild beasts, your families
outraged and scattered for no offense, ex-
cept your peaceful and firm determination to
exercise your political rights. You trusted
as you had right to trust, that il by such
efforts you established the lawful supremacy
OF your political party in the nation, the
Government of the United States, in the dis.
charge OF its constitutional duty, would pro
tect the lawful Government OF the State from
| overthrow at the hands of your political en-
| emies.
From causes patent to all men and ques.
TONED by none who regard the truth, you
have been unable to overcome the unlawful
combinations and obstacles which have op-
| posed the practical supremacy of the Gov
ernment which your votes have established
For many weary months You have waited for
| your deliverance. While the long struggle
for the Presidency was in progress you were
exhorted by every representative and organ
OF the National Republican party to keep
your allegiance true to that party iu order
that your deliverance from the hands of your
! oppressors might be certain and complete
| Not the faintest whisper of the possibility of
disappointment in these hopes and promises
ever reached you while the struggle was
pending.
To-day, April 10, 1877, by order of the Pres
ident, whom your votes rescued from an
overwhelming defeat, the Government of the
United States abandons you; deliberately
withdraws from you its support, with the full
knowledge that the lawful Government OF
l hnS Sfafa mill
new Interpretation of the Constitution of the
United States, at variance alike with the pre-
| vious practices of the Government and with
the decisions of the Supreme Court, the Ex-
| ecutive of the United States evades the duty
OF ascertaining which of the two rival State
| Governments Is the lawful one, ana, by the
| withdrawal of the troops now protecting the
| State from domestic violence abandons the
lawful State Government to struggle with an
insurrectionary force too powerful to be re-
sisted. The grounds of policy upon which
the action is defended are startling.
1t is said the North is weary of long South
ern troubles. 1t was weary, too, of the long
| troubles which sprung from the stupendous
crime of chattel slavery and longed for re-
pose 1t sought to cover them from sight
by wicked compromises with the wrong
which disturbed its peace, but God held it to
its duty until, through conflict which
racked and agonized the nation, the great
crime was put away and freedom was or
dained for all. 1t is said that if the majority
of the people of the State are unable, by
physical force, to maintain their rights they
must be left to political servitude. Is this a
doctrine ever before heard in our history? If
| 1t shall prevail, its consequences will not
long be confined to South Carolina or Louis
lana. 1t is said Democratic House of
Representatives will refuse an appropriation
for the army of the United States IL the law
tul Governor of South Carolina Is maintained
by the military forces. The submission to
| such coercion marks the degeneracy of the
political party or people which endures it.
A government worthy the name, a political
party fit to wicld power, never before blanched
at such threat.
But the edict has gone forth. No argu.
ment or considerations which your friends
could present have suficed to avert the dis.
aster. No effective means of resistance to
the consummatiOn Of the wrong are left. The
struggle cannot be prolonged. MY strict le-
gal rights are of course wholly unaffected by
the action of the President. No court of the
State has jurisdiction to pass upon the title
| tony office. No lawful Legislature can be
convened, except upon my call. If the use
OF these powers promised ultimate success
| to our cause / should not shrink from any
sacrifices which might confront me. 1t is a
cause in which by the light of reason and
| conscience man might well lay down his
| life; but to my mind my present responsible
ity involves the consideration of the effect
Of my action upon those whose representa-
| tive am.
l have hitherto been willing to ask you,
Republicans of South Carolina, TO risk all
dangers and endure all hardships until relief
should come from the Government of the
| United States. That relief will never come
cannot ask you TO follow me further. In
| my Judgment l can no longer serve you by
| further resistance to the heimpeDding calamity
With gratitude to God for the measure Of
endurance with which He has hitherto in
spired me; with gratitude TO you for your
boundless confidence in me; with profound
admiration for your matchless fidelity to the
lin which we have struggled, now an
nounee to you aud to the people of the State
that shall nolonger actively assert my right
10 the Office OF Governor of South Carolina
The motives and purpose of the President
OF the United States, in the policy which
compels me TO pursue my present course, are
unquestionably honorable and patriotic. |
| deyoutly pray that events may vindicate the
wisdom OF his action, and that peace, Justice,
freedom and prosperity may hereafter be the
portion OF every citizen of South Carolina.
ID. II. CHAMBERLAN,
Governor Of South Carolina.
A communication to Gov. Chamberlain
from Atty. Gen. Elliott, Comptroller
Dunn, Superintendent of Education Tai
bert, Treasurer CORDOBA, Adjt. Gen
Kennedy and Secretary of STATE Hayne
is also published, in which they say:
! Whilst we are no less inspired with admi-
ration for the dignliled and resolute manner
| In which you consistently maintained your
claims TO the gubernatorial chair, by virtue
OF the election held in November last, than
we are solemnly impressed with the validity
OF your title to the office, we are unanimous
10 the belief that to prolong the contest, In
the absence OF that moral aid 10 which we
feel ourselves and our party Justly entitled
at the hands of the National Naturalization, A
instituted in a large measure through the
same agencies which are now held to be In
sufficient for our maintenance, will be TO In
cur the responsibility OF keeping alive parti.
san prejudlces, which arc in the last degree
detrimental TO the best interests OF the
people Of the State, and perhaps Of
precipitating a physical conflict that could
have but one result to our defenseless con-
sttuency. We cannot afford 10 contribute,
however Indirectly, 10 such a catastrophe
even In the advocacy OF what we know TO be
our rights. We are agreed, therefore, In
counseling you TO discontinue the struggle
for the occupancy of the guhernatorial chair,
convinced, as We are, that, In view OF the