The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1877-01-24


red tending to widen the breach between
Hampton and Tildcn. l learn that with Il
view of restoring that entente Cordcale
which should exists between the democratic
candiG;lte for governor OF Il state AMI tht
democratic president of the United states
General Hampton wrote Il letter to the latter,
after his nomination, assuring him Of his
hope Of carrying the state. This letter re.
rcircd no reply, thong common cirility should
have dictated an answer. | understand thai
Governor Tildcn's explanation is that he was
too busy to attend TO the matter. This Is
scarcely n valid excuse from one who had Il
this was not all. The Carolina democrats
were poor, and needed money for campaign
purposes. The state democratic executive
cOinrnit,ecc wrote to honorable HIS. Hew.
mittcc. rccitine their necessities and asking
fer some assistance. MI. Hewitt replied
that lie had no money to give them, and said
in effect, they must take care of themselves,
These successive rcbuii>, taken in connection
with Tilirn'S opposition to Hampton's nom
nation. naturally enough irrintcd the hitter
and made the democratic presidential nomi.
nee anything but a favoritc with him. Who
can well wOndcra at his feelings when these
fuctS are remembered?
TILDEN's CANDIDACY NOT REcoGNIzED'
1t Is not astonishing. then, that IN the
campaign III SlIsucl ScItId
confined himself to making votes for 1.-THE
state ticket, and let the national prejudices
Il the candidacy of Governor Tilden severe.
ly alone. | am crcdibly informed that from
the opening Of the canvass at Anderson courl
house to its close in the city of Columbia
Hampton had scarcely II word to say on the
subject OF national politics, and almost rcius.
cd TO recognize the candidacy of Tildcn. In
his Darlington speech, when he said he
should vote for Tildcn, he also colnplimcntcd
Hayes, and said he accorded to the latter all
tho capacity and patriotic worth attributed
TO him by his most ardent supporters.
Hampton Invariably took the position that
he too or n platform higher than party
viz: the platform of honesty, reform, ccono-
my and good governmental platform on
which whites and tlackS, radicals and demo-
Gratis, could ali stand.
PROPOSED ABANDONMENT OF TILDEE.
But his was not all. 1t will be rcmbcn-
bcrcd that at one time it was reported that a
proposition had been made by certain repub-
lican leaders in South Carolina to support
Hampton against Chamberlain If the former
would have the Tildcn electoral ticket with
drawn. 1t was generally believed that Gen
eral Hampton declined to consider such a
proposition. This is not the fact. l am in
formed he favored such a course when it was
suggested, and that want Of time alone pre-
vented 1t from being taken. Judges Mackey
and Cooke, who saw that Hampton WAS dis
satisfied with the way he had been treated,
and the republican congressman llogc, made
orcrtures to him on this subject, promising
that If the Tilden electoral tick Ut was with.
drawn they would support the democratic
state ticket and insure it's success. Mackey
even went SO far as to say If these terms were
accepted, he could secure ten thousand dol
lars from the naional republican executive
cOmmitte for the Hampton campaign. Cen
cral Hampton was willing and anxious that
such an arrangement should be made. At
what Is known as tllcs."big m~eeting,' in Alb
bcville, this proposition was made To Genera
McGowun, ono of tho candidates for elcctor
from the state at large on the Tilden ticket
Gen. Toombs, of Georgia, Is reported to have
CT, favored. the withdrawal, and himself Of:
!ored to give $4,000 to the Hampton can
raisn fund. General MCGOWAN declined tc
be a party to such a proceeding. but 'N"ro Ii
little doubt that the withdrawal would have
been attempted II the step had moi been pro-
posed at sucha late day. In order to accom-
plish it legally, II would have been necessary
to have q state convention Of the democratic
party, and by the time such o convention
had assembled and acted, it would have been
too late for tho action to have much eDec,
upon the canvass. This alone prevented 8
Hayes and Hampton anvass for Hampton's
word was law, and Hampton favored the
withdrawal.
HOW TILDEN Losr THE STATE.
Though this scheme failed, the spirit which
inspired it, survived and made itself felt In
tho campaign and at the election. 1t Is not
too much to say that the state was lost tC
Tildcn and the national democracy through
the policy rurSnhSid, by Genera narHc nhmps0 ION
Mackcy-canvasscd the state with Hampton
from the time Of the Abbcville meeting unit
the close Of the campaign, and everywhere
spoke from the platform occupied by tho
democratlcc candidates in advocacy Of the cleo
ton Of Hayes and Wheeler and Hampton.
Tildcn and Hendricks seemed entirely for.
gotten, and the whole fight was made against
Chamberlain. With this change there wa
also u change in The tactics employed. Tho
most ultra conservatism was practiCed
With tho tacit reputation Of Tildcn and
Hendricks there was also O reputation Of
the plan of campalgn adopted. There was 1
milk and cider, 'pcaee and prosperity" con-
Citation of radicals and fattcry of negroes
policy, instead of the bold and aggressive pol.
Icy inaugurated by the straiglt:ont leaders
and thus q majority Of ten or fifteen thou
ma. while the state ticket was only elected by
n bare majority. Though the stralght-outs
brought about his nomination IN the face OF 6
tremendous opposition from within the dem,
Ccratic party, n~nd.thouSh their courage an6
skill had so much to do with rcdecming thu
state, they claim to have been practically IL.
nOrcd by General Hampton when he selected
the state executive committee. Three Of IT.
avowed opponents were placed on his com.
mittce. Five out of six of these gentlemen
failed TO carry their own counties In the cleo
ton, while the straight-outs carried Edge
field. Laurens.. Abbeville, Rarnwell, Aiken
Hampton's own county, went heavily
against him. 1t is safe to say that but for f.
tai mistakes made in this cnmpaign-the de-
scrtion Of Tilden and the surrender to Cooke
and M~ackcy--thc majority for the state ant
national ticket would have been too large Il
admit OF Investigation or question.
This is the leaf of secret history given Il
me. The facts as stated remove any mystery
connected with Mackcy's mission 10 Column
bus. md make his cmbasSaSe the logical Sc
qucl OF events. Names and dates are givcI
with great Particularly, and so many wit
ments above made are incorrect it will be NJ
easy matter to disprove them.
a TILDEN DEMOCRAT.