The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1877-04-12

ment OF tlelrS, and so long as tney tOlQ
me that my title was good, so long would
I grasp them by the hand. / went on
from motives of personal courtesy to the
President. I went on Democrat, as l
am, and I say to you, and it is but justice
to q political opponent for me to say 80,
that Mr.. Hayes, consulting his own dig
nifty and respect for the laws of the land,
and hope for the people of South Caro-
lima and for myself, asked me to make no
concession, no terms, and proposed no
conditions and as long as he will follow
out, in good faith, the policy indicated in
his inaugural, if he will do equal justice
to all sections of this country, and see
that the laws are enforced in Massachu-
| setts as in South Carolina, in Louisiana
as in Ohio, if he will carry out in good
faith all the pledges he has made and be
constitutional President, and recogniz-
ing no party, race or section-so longwill
support him. / have not fought this
FIGHT in South Carolina now to let any
party affiliations keep me from anything
that will promote the good of South Car
olina.
I wish to say to you, Forget, for the
next four years, everything about politics.
Forget that you are Democrats or Repub-
licans; and remember only that you are
South Carolinians. Go to building up
the material interests of the State, invite
immigration, show the people of the
North lnat we have no prescription in
our hearts; that we will welcome him
here who comes as q citizen, no matter
what his politics may be; that we are
striving for the redemption of our State,
not for petty Offices of government; and
then you will see the era of peace, and a
new prosperity will dawn upon South
Carolina. Labor will be employed, you
will see whites and honest colored men
improving, happy, prosperous and united,
if you will only forget politics for awhile
and devote yourselves to the great inter-
ests of the State.
Now, my friends we can gain all the
fruits of our victory but in one way, IN
my Judgment, and that is this: When
ir August last was inaugurated as your
standard bearer. you will remember that
I pledged myself that I should be the
Governor of the whole people of South
Carolina; that I would know no race, no
party, no man. in the administration Of
the law. I pledged myself, on the plat
form on which stood, that every citizen
| of South Carolina, white or black, would
be equal before the law, and solemnly
appealed to Heaven and declared that, if
elected, I would justly administer the law
and would know no difference between
persons. I promised that when l was
nominated, and reiterated those pledges,
time and again, throughout the length
and breadth of this broad land of ours.
| I told the colored men I would fulfil those
promises to the letter; that if the party
which had nominated me should, at any
time, go lack upon them, if they attemp-
ted to take away any of the rights now
enjoyed by the colored people, they must
find some other instrument to carry it
out; for, before would do it, l would
resign. And 1 say SO again, now that
victory has come, now that the whole
State recognizes the government which
has been elected, and now that all the
power has been placed in my hands;
here took the oath of Office, solemnly
swearing that I would obey the Constitu-
ton of the United States and of South
Carolina, I say, once more, that intend,
so help me- God to carry out every
pledge I made, and to be Governor of the
whole people.
Now, uy friends, how can we bring
about this consummation 80 devoutly to
be wished? How can we bring happi-
ness, peace and prosperity to our people !?
We can do it but in one way, and that is
that you must observe the law. l enjoin
| it upon you. I do not issue q proclama-
ton. I do not give you an order. But |
ask my friends of South Carolina, the
people whom I have trusted and who
have trusted me, and done me more honor
than any other man, the people whom |
love better than anything in this life, l
ask them to carry out my wishes. Iwant
every man to constitute himself a con-
seryator of the peace, to see that there
shall be no violence; to go around and
tell your neighbors that, if there is blood
shed or violence we shall lose what we
have gained; to appeal to them in the
name of South Carolina to carry out this
policy of peace.
The only difficulty that seemed to
stand in the way at Washington was the
fear that, when the troops were taken out
of the way at the State House, there
would be violence. They asked me about
it, and I pledged my honor; mark me,
my frier Is! I pledged my honor that
not one single man would go into that
State House unless he has some business
there; that [ would place two unarmed
men there simply to inform the citizens
that requested them not to go there,
and I felt assured there would be no vio-
lence or excitement and that the laws
would be obeyed. Have promised too
much2 Cries of "No"] You have
never deceived me, I know you will carry
out this promise. beg, beseech you !
You have trusted me trust me little
longer. It issimportant for you. 1t is
'doubly important for Louisiana, and for
the whole country, that you do what l
have asked you. Cries, "We will do
itw
requested of the President that the
troops should not be removed until / got
here. When that order comes, let no.
body go to that State House. Just let it
stand until I want it, and will tell you
when I want it.
carried letter to the President from
Federal soldier who had been stationed
in the Sta /, House. He said the place
was SO filthy, and so full of vermin, that
he wanted to get away from there. I
want the fire engines to play their streams
through it for awhile, and to have the
Penitentiary convicts scour and fumigate
it, and then we will have nice Legisla-
ture and all will 60 on peacefully.
The Governor then dwelt, at great
length, upon the nature, extent and
meaning Of the popular demonstrations
along his route to and from Washington.
He continued: Your destiny is now in
your own hands. 1t is for you to shape
it, for veal or for woe. You can, by i'm
prudence or violence, undo the labor Of
months. and bring back to US all the