The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1877-04-19
Governor Hampton's Address upon the
Reception in Columbia.

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Travel worn and weary, / have come
back among you to make my report.
This welcome pcnetratos my very,
henfts 1t is not tho welcome given to
ii visitor returning from the bloody.
field. l bring no trophy, but l have
como to say that the cause of truth
has boen victorious, and the banner OF
South Carolina regenerated, disenk
tkralled and redeemed. And how bas,
1t been redeemed, my friends? Not
by blood, but by the peaceful ballot.
The good men Of all races and parties
rose up in their might and determined
to wipe out the stain from her fair
escutcheon which had been cast upon
1t by foul hands. We had seen almost
everything oxcopt our very existence
disappearing from us, for the benefit
of those who arc not of us, who had
no feeling in kind with us. We saw
that our government was in the hands
of strangers and aliens, and we detor-
mined to make one grand, glorious
struggle, and if we must go down, we
would 60 together. We fought tho
battle of tho peopKo of South Carolina,
and never was this baltic equalled on
this continent. You can hardly real~
izc it, my friends, but beliove mo,
when those largo crowds were in the
city last fall q single muskot shot
would have started q civil war in
America. What stopped it? [Cries
of "You| "You!"] No people on
earth could have obcyed moro willing,
ly, and it was this that saved Our
country. Though tho victory has
been won, we can not claim the honor;
it is duo to the patriotic women who
would not look upon a man who would
turn his back upon the Democratic
cause. Tho victory at the ballot box
on tho 7th Of November was met by
usurpation and fraud. But we appeal>
cd not to violence, not to unconstitu.
tional means for redress in Columbia,
for VIC knew that tho crowds which
frequently came here could have
swept this usurpation away like leaf
But wo said be patient for little
whio, and we went TO the courts,
which respected good government
We said it would not do TO resort to
force to wipo out this usurpation, but
if you wait littlo longer your cause
would prove successful, Now, my
friends, como to tell YOU that
have returned from Washington suco
cessful. The order for tho removal Of
the troops is practical recognition.
But did not 60 there to ask for any
recognition or offer or accept any
compromise. l hold my title from the
people of South Carolina, and 80 help
mo God, so long as they tell mo to do
so, will hold it. went to Washing.
ton from personal courtesy to the
President of tho United States. In
justice to Mr.. Hayes, l will say that
from respect to his official station, ro>
spect for himself, respect for tho peo-
pie of South Carolina, and, hope res
spect for myself, he offered no COM
promise, no terms and no conditions
whatever. And rs long as ho follows
in good faith tho pledges mado in his
inaugural to deal out justice fairly to
every State, if he adhoros to Tho Cons
stituLion and tho laws of the land, so
long as ho does this, SO long will |
support him. We havo not fought in
South Carolina for party. The fight
has boon between good and bad men.
We must forgot for the next four
years all about politics. Democrats
and Republicans, all and evory one,
must work for South Carolina. We
must invite immigration from the
North. We must show our Northern
brother that he is welcome here. We
must struggle for the State, and not
for its potty offices, anG bring back
prosperity again. You will remember
that on the night OF my nomination |
said if elected l would bo tho Cover
nor of tho whole people; that would
know 70 race, no party, no man, but
would mete out equal iustice IN oll