Daily press and Dakotaian. [volume] (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1875-1880, 1877-09-18

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Wade Hampton is gentleman built up
a7d ini h d On the South Carolina plan. and
Il politician Of the ultra southern democratic
school. lie il proud oftl,c fac, that he was
born in South Carolina; that he was educated
at the South Caro- ina university; that he
served in the South Carolina Legislature two
terms; that lie was among the first 10 advpe
secession, and among the most influential IN
organizing the state forces for resistance to
the government His index finger naturally
and gracefully y assumes the attitude hadiiusl
TO it, Of pointing with pride to the fact that
he led the Hampton legion at Bull Run, the
earliest battle of the war, tnd to the fact that
he was among the last to surrender in 1863.
In fac. he did not surrender. He was in
some special way snuffcd out, without being
conquered or subdued. He retired within
himself in that grand, gloomy, and peculiar
way which distinguished the inbred fire.
eater from the so ltlern men who accepted
the condition Of peace. lie lived for South
Carolina alone, and was for many years the
picturesque model. commended to the c m
sidcra,ion Of the rising South Carolnian
whose heart was filled will, hatred for the
nation and whose highest ambition was to
play the part Of inconsolable.
Before the war Mr. Hampton was the fire.
few men in South Carolina understood what |
republican government was, and Hampton |
least of all. During the war he fought des-
perately, and as he said himself, was at its
close heartbrek ken, and, as the people know,
was bitter and defiant After the war he
lost 20 opportunity to encourage the rebel
lious spirit in the south, and to intensity the
feeling Of hatred toward the national gov
crnment. JEFF. Davis himself was no more
a central figure in the group of irreconcila-
bles who prated Of the "Iost cause" than
was Wade Hampton.
In 1865 Hampton appeared at the nation
al democratic convention as the spoke esman
Of the ultra southern school, His mission
was TO secure pledges from the northern
democrats that they would unite with the
southern democrats in securing the repeal of
the reconstruction acts. He assented to the
resolutions, il he might be allowed to add;
"And we declare that the reconstruction
acts are revolutionary, unconstitutional and
void.'
On his return to South Carolina Mr..
Hampton made a speech explaining what
TO the above, he said: "When proposed
committee came forward and said they would
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pledged themselves, l feel assured that,
when the democratic party comes to triumph,
they will show US remedy for our mis-
fortunes in their own good time, for which
l am perfectly willing to wait"
These pledges encourage Mr.. Hampton
to re-enter political life. He was willing
70 wait, but after the defeat of the demo.
crats in 1872, he saw tina. extreme measures
L must be resorted to. He removed to Miss
issippi or at least located in that state for
a time, and the elimination of his labors
was the scheme of intimidation and fraud
known as "the Mississippi plan," which
: turned the state over to the democrats. The
same system was inaugurated in othel
: southern states, and in this way the south
4 ern democrats made ready for the tim,
when the northern democrats should redeem
the pledge made in 1865.
The shameful story of the Mississippi
election frauds and crimes has been tol,
time and again. The system inaugurate,
was, in brief: "If you can't vote negr
down. knock him down." The idea was T,
q keep the negro from voting, and Wad
. llampton,s plan secured this
In 1856 the ultra democrats recale
Hampton to South Carolina to manage tn
canvass there. Although opposed by tn
conservatives and the Charleston News, til
ables. democratic paper in the state, th
bourbon influence secured his nominatio
for governor. The canvass in South Cal
He assumed toward the colorcd people ii
% Shareholders patronizing air of friendshi
and promised that he would guard their il
terests and take care Of them. While max
ing these promises he organized the can
"a paign as though he were about to under
take a cavalry raid into some northern stat
= Bands ofhorsemen, uniformed and arme
appeared at every political meeting, al
where the speeches were not TO their sati
faction broke the meetings up. Hamptt
NJ moved through the state the hero Of the
y cavalrymen. They were welded to h
canse, and disposed to carry out every mea
ure that he proposed as though it had be,
a command. The presence Of the Unit
g States troops modified his plans somewh.
8 but it is known by what management he
nally succeeded.
But he did not neglect Mississippi entir
". In September, 1876, while candida
for governor Of South Carolina. lie said
S the democrats of lssaquina county, Miss
sippi: agree among yourselves, and a
firmly on this agreement, that you will n
employ any one who votes the radio
ticket. Use all the means that are plac
g. in your hands to control this election
~ the same speech he said: 1--WE regard Il
construction acts as unconstitutional,
we look for their overthrow"
Upon another occasion, in an address
Mississippi democrats, MIR. Hampton sal
- II yield to none in devotion to that 'lc
cause for which we fought. Never shal
r admit that the cause itself failed, and II
- the principles which gave it life were the
fore wrong
And he never has admitted it, He v
elected governor Of South Carolina as ,
representative of the old faction in that ST
that gloried in secession and rebellion
represents that faction well. and in spite
pledges and promises, il controls his adm
istration.
Such is Wade Hampton, governor
South Carolina, and hero and idol of
southern firc-eaters. To-day he is
CUES. Of Rockford. II is no, necessary
OK analyze the motives which led the