The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1877-09-27
Hampton's Address at Rockford.

Governor Hampton, on Thursday,
delivered the opening address at the
Winnebago County, Illinois, Fair
The following extracts include the
most interesting portions of his
speech:
Mr.. PRESIDENT AND MY FELLOW
orTIzENs OF lLL1No1s-If any evidence
was needed to show the high appre-
citation in which I hold the invitation
which brings mo here to-day, it
would surely be found in the fact
that l. have travelled moro than one
thousand miles that l make my ac-
acknowledgements to you for the honor
you have conferred in person. Gap.
plause.) And let me say to you, and
[ say it with infinite pleasure, that
had that journey been far longer,
had its fatigues been far greater, the
sight that meets me here to day and
the cordiality of the welcome given
by tho people of Illinois would have
amply compensated me. (Applause)
Under ordinary circumstances l
should scarcely have felt at liberty to
nave left my official duties to partici.
pate in an occasion of this sort, how-
vergratifying to me the honor might
hve been; but the invitation of the
Yinnebago Agricultural Society car
rbd with it such weight that it i'm
pSed on me an obligation which l
tel | couldn't neglect. 1t was this
sofety year ago, before the politi-
calspirit which has now so happily
suRded had abated, that was among
the first to inaugurate that spirit of
recAciliation which is now spreading
witt such wholesome force over this
land of ours. Therefore, when they
madE a call on me, / as q Southern
manF felt that it was not only my
pleas pre-, but that it WAS my duty to
60 All make a response to thom in
persol, and thank them for their
course in the interest of harmony,
and topledge my cordial cooperation
in thf patriotic ard noble work.
(CheerA) If l comprehend the pur-
pose ofSour invitation to me, it was
not that should speak to you merely
on agric .ltural subjects, but that l
should piscuss those graver and
broader bsues which are distracting
the county. But, my friends, in do
ing that, Gou need not tear that
shall viohte the proprieties Of the
occasion ~ giving you a political
speech. d shall speak to you for no
man, for no party, for no section, but
for the whole country, (applauseO
and in doing that I shall strive
truthful! to sink al men and parti-
eanship, and to place myself on the
grand high plane where true
PATRIOTS h can be found. (Applause.)
As l con Btrue the motives of this
moveme pt, my friends, it is in the in
terest of peace. Understanding it 80,
it was tlat brought me here; and if
by anything that I can say, l can in
the slightest degree assist these gen
tlemen ID the noble work that they
have ina augurated, then, my friends,
I shall feel that my mission has not
altogether failed.
The chief end I had in view in
coming here was to promote true
and correct understanding between
the people Of the North and the South.
Yon mus. admit that very many of
the evils which have fallon on the
country have come from the miscon-
ceptiOn of the purposes each OF the
other. You remember there is a
profound truth, as well as kpowl-
edge of human nature, embodied in
the fable, where it is told that in the
olden time shield, white on one side
and black on the other, was hung at
the intersection of two roads, and two
Lninhts annroachinp in opposita di-