The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1878-12-18
First III War, First in Peace !
AND FIRST IN TIE HEARTS OK
A GRATEFUL PEOPLE.
Unanimous Election of Governor
Hampton to the United States Sem
acknowledgements Scenes in the
General Asscmbiy--.A Charactcris-
tic Letter from the Governor.
t.Ncu,S ana Cbup'icr.

-
tic Letter from the Governor.
:, lNcws ana Cturicr.l
: CoLvMnIA. Thursday, December l0.-Ir
= the House of Observation-Disclosures the houl
| of noon having arrived, the Speaker an
. nouinc"d that, under the act of Congress, th>
time had come for the election OF At Scnntol
, to the United States Senate, and; that tho
l House would proceed by n 'ira rocc vote tt
) declare it's choice. a hush rs still as dcatl
+ fell upon the House, and every eye was
, turned towards Gen. Samuel Mctiowan, who
rose and said:
Mr. speaker, 7 rise to exercise Il privilege
) which belongs, In common to every n!cIlbc!
on this Iluor, but which on this OCCASION
seems to me something mor2-a duty. We
| are about to perform an act which Will honnl
: n citizen with tho highest Office the State can
bpstow, but that consideration inks into IN.
Si%nificanccin vicwOf the fact that it Involve.
TO q large extent, the peace. prosperity nnd
olinn. y senator In Congress has an exalted
position flom which he can do much for his
people, and is regarded the highest type and
and exponent of that people.
South Carorina throughout her whole his.
tory, excepting Il period In the recent past,
has appreciated high virtues and delighted
TO honor those of her sons Who deserved well
her best men, and trusted them In no narrow,
Jealous spirit, but with the full measure OF
, her confidence. She conceived that In honor
Ing them, she honorcd herself. Nor did shc
I miscalculatc. Foraltlolgh small in territory
I'VE can Say-wilhout touching upon anything
doubtful that for many Ecarsslic contributed
MS much of talent. of gcniuSnnd OF patriotism
TO the councils Of the common country ms
any State in tho Union. The roll of her dis
tinguishcd representatives Is too long to emu
mcrntc. They were truly representative men
who carried cmb!nzoncd on their bosoms and
exhibited In their high bearing. and proud
icroSts all the fidelity, high tone, SciI-rclinncc,
patriotism and honor of proud old Carolina
For Il period We were without representa-.
tivcs in Congress. For a still darker period
we had none who were truly the representa-
tivcs Of the property. intelligence and virtue
OF this people. We have now in the Senate
our distinguished citizen, tho Hon. NJ. c,
Butler, who has already taken his place on
that Industrious old roll, and 1t IS now our du.
~ to elect another.
For the last twenty years we have been
acting history. Since what Is known as the
reconstruction OF The State government, !
have always thought that q double duty was
imposed upon South Carolina; first 10 rccOv'
er the State government from the wrCckine
hands Of the spoller, and give to those who
had the intelligence ana property some voice
In its control, and then to consolidate and
make perpetual that redemption by proving
that We deserved it-by the habitual practice
OF high civic virtucs-by giving, in the spiril
Of humanity, Just and eQua! laws TO that part
Of the body polite lately emancipatcd and
made citizens, and by cultivating good rela.
tons between the sections lately cmbitterrd
b. war. l know Of no otiic: which can be ia
ken with honor Or relied upon to secure tho
permanent peace, prosperity and happiness
Of our people.
We all know who led us hcroicaliy, surely
and successfully in the first great struggle tC
secure some voice In our own government
and that alone would seem to point out the
man who could most successfully serve us III
the present and no less important phase o.
our public affairs.
Nj. Speaker, | have the honor to nominate
for the great office Of Senator from Suuth
Carolina one whose past history parks witt
certainty his future course one wlo Is IN tho
trucst sense the embodiment OF the brave,
just, conservative Democracy of the State.
one whose name has been identified with thai
of South Carolina for three generations, and
during the whole OF that period has been tho
exponent OF her high culture, cniralry and
. honor one who has always been devoted to
his State, and served her with equal fidelity
In prosperity and in adversely, IN peace and
In war. l need not name the Iuan. No ono
can mistake TO whom | nllude.
The people of South Caorlina have every
confidence IN the ability and honor of Cover
nor. Hampton. Their hearts arc full OF graft
rude to hun for his tolls and labOrS and Strug
gle for them. They are proud of his well
earned fame and brilliant reputation. At THU
moment, too, there is in their feeling Il toucl
of ~tendcrncslfor the sud accident which has
Frustrated him, II they desire him elected
Senator In the Congress OF the United States
Col. Charles II. Simonton seconded tho
nomination in the following words:
MIR. Speaker, / rise TO second the nomina'
ton which has Just been made, not only he.
cause represent Il constituency which Claims
him with pride rs q native OF their city, no
only rs Il member OH this floor, but, Sir, fee
that i speak the universal voice OF the State
I'm every part OF South Carolina, fromi every
tircside, our people arc listening with anxiety
for news from Columbia. Their hearts yearI
with sympathy for our stricken Governor
and they melt will tender affection wlcl
they think of him stretched on his bed OF pain
and suffering. They long for an opportunity
OF doing some act by which they can demOn
stratc the deep love, affection and reverence
which they have for Wade Hampton. This
opportunity we have, and by Our unanimous
vote We cal show that the hearts OF the rep
rcscntatlreS OF South Carolina beat in unison
with the hearts of their people, and that VIC
thus invite acceptance of the highest Office
In our .i!;.
Mr.. Charles Richardson Miles arose from
his scat, and IN voice husky with emotion
said:
Nr. Speaker, Governor Hampton, desiring
that his position in respect TO the Office fo
which we are about TO eject him should b,
clearly understood. requested ME to state !
to the General Assembly. He yesterday die
tat"d to me Il few sentences which he desired
me t dread in this House. In view OF wha
Is transporting while | speak there will be pc
culiar weight and solcmnity In these few
words of our stricken GoecflIor.
Mr.. Miles then read the following
LETTER FROM GOVERNOR HAMPTON.
Gentlemen Of the General assembly: Tho un
fortunate accident which has deprived me o
the opportunity of counseiing with your hon
orublc bodies, renders 1t proper that my posi-
ton in respect to the United States senator
ship should be distinctly stated and under
stood, and | Therefore venture to make thcs'
suggestions to you before the election:
In the first place, ! must not be considered
| ~ a ~ =. gptt In n fI ND ~ IN 4 IA fnr tt,..n sH,. ,pt,s.t
should neither be sought or declined. An(
since my name has been mentioned in con
@ncction with 1t, l have ligidly ubstaincd from
expressing any opinions or wishes OF my OWL
upon the subject.
If in any Judgment Of the General Assem-
bly,, my transfer to another scene Of action
would best subscrvc the interest of the state
| need not say how cheerfully | will rcSlon'
TO any call that is made upon me but IL, OF
the other hand, they deem that the best In
%tercsts OF tho State demand that | shall re
main In my present position, | will will
equal checrfulncss accord with their desire
In whatever position my services are ctllc
for, If it please God to proiong my life, thos
services shall he dedicated TO the State In III
future rs they have been in the past, inspirci
by the most earnest patriotism and desire I
promote her best interests. Thanking tn
. members OF the General Assembly for thci
Official and personal consideration Of inc ii
, my Illness, and leaving the matter entirely l.
their judgment, | ann, respectfully and sin
cercly, their friend and fcllow-citiZcn,
WADE HAMPTON.
AN IMPRESSIVE GENE.
The roll was then called, and, as each nam
o was announced by the clerk, the mcmbc
rose In his seat and slowly and sclcmnly pre-
nounced the nuInc OF WADE HAMPTON
Never have | witnessed Il ceremony 80 dccr
ly impressive. y thrill OF disgust ran through
the Assembly when Miller and Simmons. til
two Beaufort negroes, announced the nam
of +. W. NJ. Mackcy. CAN'T, the third Re
publican, voted for Governor Hampton. TIL
Gull of the roll having been Concluded. th'
!. Speaker announced the result of the clectlOl
as follows:
Total number OF votes cast III, ncccsSnr
for Il choice 81, OF which Governor Wad
Hampton has received Ill, and l.. w. NJ
Mackcy2. | therefore declare that Govcrllo
Wade Hampton, having received q lnajorit,
OF all the votes cast is elected as the cloic
OF the House Of Representatives to the oiilc
of Senator from the State OF South (nrOlint
TO ill the vacancy to be created by the cXpi
ration Of the Office OF John j. Patterson. Til
proceedings will be read in joint assembly &c
. morrow ut II NJ, and the result by the join
assembly Will then be Declared"
In the Senate.
AS soon MS the Senate assembled Mr.. Cocker
of Darlington, moved that the Senate at ono
: go into the election for United STATES senator
This motion having prevailed, President Jt
ter said that the nominations for Unite
States Senator were in order.
Mr. Nrtnll or Nprlbnrni. ar have tho hon