Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1877-04-05


Carolina have elected me Governor of that
State. l 60 there to say to him that we ask
no recognition from any President. We claim
the recognition from the votes of the people
of the State. 60 there to assure him that
we are not fighting for party, but that we are
fighting for the good of the whole country. l
am going there to demand our rights, nothing
less, so help me God, to take nothing less l
90 to tell him the condition that South Caro-
lima has been in for years past, that our peo-
pie have been under disadvantages never en-
countered by any other people on this Cont
nent; that they carried the election, were sue
cessful, and that they propose to enjoy the
fruits of their victory"
Governor Hampton was followed by Messrs.
Butler and Conner, who made brief address.
es, after which fine breakfast was served
for the party, and the train proceeded.
At Magnolia where large crowd Of ladies
and men assembled, the experiences of Will.
mington were repeated, Hampton being in
troduced by Capt. Smith and making brief
address. Afterwards number of ladies were
personally presented to Hampton. At Mount
Olive the cheering was as ardent as at other
stations, and Hampton told the crowd that if
they stopped him so often he would never get
to Washington, or would have nothing to say
when he got there.
At Goldsboro, on the arrival of the train
at the station, the Governor made brief ad-
dress, which fired every heart anew.
AtWilson there was brass band as we'll
as big crowd, and the Governor made two
minute speech on this text, "We haye won
the fight and mean to keep it." There Gen.
Butler was impressed into service, and told
the cheering crowd that before many suns
went down South Carolina would expect their
congratulations as she now had their sympa-
thies.
Toisnot, small but growing village, turn
ed out in full force to do Hampton honor,
and he told the people that the only fault he
had to find with North Carolina was that be
had been called on to make speech at every
stopping place.
At Rocky Mount, in Edgecombe county,
said to be the most thoroughly cultivated cot
ton district in the South, Hampton had the
pleasure of renewing his acquaintance with
Hockey, his former barber, now one of the
staunchest colored Democrats in the State.
Capt. Battle introduced Hampton to the en-
thusiastic multitude.
At Enfield the Governor was met by a
large and enthusiastic concourse of citizens,
who were not slow to testify their admiration
of Hampton, whose address was applauded
to the echo The first floral tribute of the
day came from this place.
At Halifax the train stopped only min
ute, but long enough for Hampton to show
himself in response to the greeting of ladies
and his old comrades.
The reception at Weldon and along the
line to Petersburg was very warm, but when
the Cockade City was reached the welcoming
hundreds had swelled to thousands, and the
sky was ablaze with rockets. Hampton, in
his brief speech, said that the people Of South
Carolina had made fight like that which
Virginia had made years ago. We had won
at the ballot. box, and we would not submit
our cause to any commission or tribunal. This
announcement was hailed with tremendous
cheering. He said the time was near when
South Carolina would take her place with her
sister States, the equal of any of them. But
Ter and Conner were called for, but the train
moved off before they could be brought out.
On the arrival Rf Governor Hampton and
party in Richmond, at $3.50 P. NJ, he was
met at the depot by an immense concourse of
people, mbering fully 5000, including the
Conservative clubs of the city, with music
and committee of prominent citizens, and
was received with great enthusiasm, amid
firing of cannon and fireworks.
An address of welcome was made by Hon.
A. NJ Kelley, ex.Mayor of Richmond. After
returning thanks for the ovation, Governor
Hampton said that he interpreted the dem
onstraton as a tribute to the cause he repre-
sented, viz. : Good government, home rule
and reform. The people Of South Carolina,
he continued, are in earnest. We have tried
compromise in vain, and so last fall we plant
ed our feet firmly on the Constitution and
began to battle for our rights. We remem-
bered that ours was one of the original thir-
teen States, and strong men and noble wo-
men Joined hands in the struggle, declaring
that by the Almighty God they would sacri.
fee everything to win. [Cheers.] A voice
"And you did win" Eyes, my friend, we
did win You cannot imagine what those
people had to bear to win their constitutional
victory but they won, and fully twenty
thousand colored men co0perated with them,
and now thousands and tens of thousands of
colored men are paying taxes to my govern
ment. [Cheers. All we ask, and all am
going to Washington to ask, is that the Fed
eral troops be withdrawn from the State
House of South Carolina, the only place in
the State where my authority is not respected.
Send the soldiers to the barracks, where they
belong. Leave the government of the State
to the men who are strong enough to sustain
it. My people tell me to hold on, and 80
long as they have a right to give me such ad-
vice, so help me God, will hold on!" Pro-
longed cheering.]
The Governor and his party arrived in
Washington on Thursday morning. The
welcome from Richmond to Washington was
as warm as further South. At Hampton's
urgent request, public reception at Wash
ington was dispensed with, and on reaching
the city, the party drove quietly to Willard's
Hotel. On the morning of their arrival, Gov.
Hampton addressed the following letter to the
Presidents
WILLARD's HOTEL,
WASHINGTON, March 20, 1877.
SIR-In compliance with your invitation, am
here for the purpose of uniting my efforts with
yours to the end of composing the political diff
ferences which now unhappily distract the people
of South Carolina. beg, you to believe that my
anxiety to bring about the permanent pacitica-
ton of that State, pacitication in which the
rights of all shall be safe and the interests of all
shall be protected, is as sincere as feel assured
is your own for the accomplishment of the same
ends. My position for years past in reference to
the political rights Of colored citizens, and my
solemn pledges given during the late canvass in
South Carolina, that under my administration all
their rights should he absolutely secure, should
furnish sufficient guarantee of my sincerity on
these points which appear to be the subject of
special anxiety. have the honor to ask at what
hour it will be your pleasure to receive me?