The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1877-08-23
GOV. HAMPTON IN VIRGINIA.
He is Serenaded OH His Arrival at the
White Sulphur and Makes Stirring
Speech.

WHITE SULpHER SPRINGS, w. VA,
August 16.-There was an enthusiastic
and patriotic demonstration at the main
front of the hotel tonight, elected by the
presentation of Governor Hampton, of
South Carolina, to the troops of the two
Virginias encamped here. The several
commands were in line, and the whole
company, comprising visitors from many
States, poured out from the parlors and
ballroom. After welcoming airs from
the band of the First Virginia Regiment,
its colonel, Bradley T. Johnson, delivered
a neat Introductory address.
Referring to the fact that in the late
labor disorders the services of his regi.
ment were promptly rendered the Presi-
dent for any defence of the National cap
ital, and he doubted not that a like ten
der of citizen soldiery from the South
would have been made had itbeen neces-
sary, he instanced the fact also that in
the ranks of the Matthews Guards of
West Virginia, among the troops present,
were men who had worn the blue and
men who had worn the gray in the late
war, and this was type of the reconcil-
iation which the men of the two armies
would have the country exhibit.
Governor Matthews, of West Virginia,
also spoke, eloquently welcoming Gov.
ernor Hampton to West Virginia, and
rejoicing in the reissue of South Caroli-
ma from the more than Egyptian bondage
which she had suffered, through the
efforts of her distinguished citizens, the
progress of which the people of the two
Virginias had watched with deep sympa-
thy to its final happy and peaceful con-
summation.
Governor Hampton responded with
warmth and directness. He felt deeply
the hoaors done to his State by this
hearty, cordial demonstration, not only
by the people of the two Virginias, but
by the representatives of so many States
here present. He appreciated the value
and importance of the citizen soldiery as
the safe reliance Of the States, and, in
case of need; by the general government
itself. We needed not a large standing
army, for under equal laws and the proper
administration of the constitution of the
country-and that the constitution South
Carolina accepted most loyalty, with all
its amendments-the men of the South
would as readily stand forth as the men
of the North hereafter in support of the
government of the Union. The contest
in South Carolina had been waged for
the equal rights of all under the constitu-
ton, and on that basis alone, and he
thanked God that South Carolina, so long
known as "the Prostrate State" was now
again "the Palmetto State" She long
appeared almost without hope, but the
spirit that animated her in the Revolu-
tion still survived, and once more inde-
pendence is achieved. 1t was most CRATE
full to witness the spirit of fraternity and
peace which was now spreading over the
land, and which he hoped the policy of
reconciliation, of justice and honor would
consummate for all time. Had the lib
erality and patriotism that animated the
brave men who met each other in arms
during the war prevailed at its close, a
full reconciliation and perfect fraternity
would have been established long ago ;
but those who were invisible in the war
were to the front when it was over, and
their malign influence had delayed the
happy result now being attained. He
was glad the blue and the gray mingled
in the West Virginia Guards, and he
recognized that it was great honor that
they had paid him and his State in ap-
pearing here to welcome him. Time was
when he had not been so glad to meet the
blue, though he always gave them as
warm reception as he could. He was
truly glad to meet them now, and never
more warmly but in different sense. By
unison and fraternity he hoped prosperity
would come to all.
The speeches generally excited much
enthusiasm among the large audience,
especially some of the points ofGovernor
Hampton.