Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1878-04-25

shrewdness; Collector of Internal .venuo
Brayton, whose headquarters are in this
oity; Benjamin A. Boseman, the !, ,etmaster
of Charleston, a oolored man Of good North.
orn cducation and high personal character;
Q. II. baldwin, the collector of customs at
Charleston, Connecticut man by birth, and
George I. Cunningham, Republican cx.-
Mayor of Charleston. Besides these, I
have questioned tho negro whom I might
chance to have for my driver or who carried
my bag, 80 have sounded all phases of
Republican feeling.
Tho concurrent testimony Of all these
Republicans, whito and black, is the most
sweeping commentator of Governor Hamp.
TOMS course, and most implicit confidence
In the man. Said DR.. Bozoman, of Char.
lesion, (ho was educated as a physician in
tho best Northern schoolsD "You may
quote mo as expressing absolute confidence
in Governor Hampton, and entire satisfao-.
tion with his course. We have no CON-.
plant whatever to mako. He hos kept all
his Pledges" Said Postmaster Wilder, of
Columbia: "Qovernor Hampton hos done
everything that wo could have asked. He
promised to protect US, and ho has kept his
word." by an odd coincidence these two
negroes, as good representatives of their
race are rare to be found in tho State, tho
ono in Colambia, the other in Charleston,
added to their unqualified praise of Hamp.-
ton tho remark in almost the same words:
81 can't holp regarding it as proyidential
that Wado Hampton became Gouernor of
| South Carolina. God only knows what
would havo become Of us if things had kopt
on tho way they were going" Tho striking
testimony of these oolored mon is re.eohoed
by their white associates in the Republican
party. Judge Melton heartily aocords
Hampton tho highest praise for his course,
and gives him tho credit Of having pursued
Il from motives of the highest patriotism.
Going still further, no volunteered this
statement: "lts oil mistake these stories
that sometimes get into your papers up
North about tho Republicans of South
Carolina boing unhappy under Democratic
rule. Tho fact is, VIC Republicans hero are
as Happy as bugs in rug; never had such
a good time before since tho war;" And
then ho went on to say that he felt the
change personally in more kindly relations
than ever before with his old neighbors,
Notwithstanding tho fact that he considered
and avowod himself as strong Republican
as ever.
80 much for Governor Hampton's CON-
quest of his old opponents. His victory
over the maloontonts in his own party has
been no loss complete. Thore arc two ole..
monts among tho Democrats of this State
the Bourbon and tho progressive; tho ono
which looks rcgretfulIy and longingly at the
past, tho other which outs loose from that
past and fixes its eye on the future; the ono
which would gladly soc tho negro reduced
to state as near as possible like the
anciont servitude, tho other which recognizes
tho inevitablcnesa of tho changes already
accomplished and is ready to accept thom.
It was tho Bourbon clement which carried
through tho movement for "straghtout''
Democratic campaign in 1876, instead of
holpipg the better class of Republicans to
elect Chamberlain as reform candidate,
and Wade Hampton has run away with his
party in South Carolina in worry much tho
same way that President Hayes has with
his in the country. The Democratic Bour-
bons wore willing enough to have Hampton
talk fair in the canvass, just as tho old Re-
publican managers thought it we'll enough
for Hayes to write suoh letter Of acoopt-
ance--for campaign use; but neither set
expected the. official to live up to tho
promises of the candidate. The result was
that, whom Hampton commenced trying to
enforce the liboral policy he had promised,
opposition began to spring up in tho Logis-
laturo and the press; when ho told the
Democrats that they should give the highest
judicial Office in the State to New York
Republican, there was many wry face;
when ho took q stand for State honesty,
there was open protest that hc was modelling
with things that didn't oenccrn him, and
trying to dictate to the Legislature. But,
as timo went Oh, the Governor steadily
gained in strength, and tho malcontents lost
power, till finally the opposition in tho
Legislature was completely crushed out, and
Democratic caucus, just before, adjourn
mont, gave Hampton unanimous endorse
ment--at the samo time, by the way, that
all tho Republicans in the Legislature joined
the other party in supporting resolution
introduced by one Of the leading Ropubli--
cans heartily commanding tho Governor.
Meanwhile the opposition to Hampton
among tho Democrat press has boon
swamped by the Irresistible tide of popular
approval, till now it is o unit in his favor.
It is simplo truth to say that Wade
Hampton has to day moro strength with tho
people of South Carolina than any other
man ever gained. He will bo reelected
Governor in November with as near an
approach to unanimity as was ever seen at
an elootion in tho United States. 1t is
hard to tell which party will support him
with tho more enthusiasm. for IL is already
settled that the Republicans as we'll as the
Democrats will support him. Tho present
probability ID that tho Republicans will hold