The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1878-07-30


represent the rood people O. = ,ir.
iieid-ln th,t House. The ds:li .ul-
ties attending the work Of the
neglsi.1turo were many and grelt.
For tho first time since Recon-
struction, the good people of South
Carolina were supreme in the State.
Inc situation of the Legislature was
trying in the extreme. That body
had not only to make laws to suit
the present, but had to undo much
bad legislation heaped on the peo.
pie by the Radicals for eight Years.
l shall say but little of the Leyis-
lature. That they made mistakes
no ono will deny-but those were
mistakes Of the head and not of tho
heart. No body of men ever strove
moro to protect the true interests
OF tho people, and no body over
represented the people better.
They were true to the people,
though they might have made some
mistakes.
For myself, T feel specially CRATE.
fnl to you Of the Oakland Club
No sooner had I returned homo
from the session Of tho Legislature
than you endorsed my course. lam
here to>day in response to your in>
vltatlon. When I came I Thought
would have quiet little chat wish
the oakland CLUB, but the large AMI
Intelligent audience of ladies' and
gentlemen before me renders it
proper that I should do more than
L had expected. The issues before
the people are plain. Though the
State Convention has not yet met,
to lay down O platform for the
party, yet the campaign has really
opened. The issues are the samo
now as they were in 1876 There
must DO no lethargy, no apathy
among us--the people must be
active, alert, earnest. They must
not in any way imperil the safety of
the Democratic party. Two years
ago, in our efforts to redeem the
State, we were oppressed and
crushed by the malice Of the North,
and tho power Of tho Federal
government. Nothing was left
undohe to keep us down, We had
troops oil over the State to soc that
the spirit Of our people should bo
crushed. How we won, in spite of
oil difficulties, you all know. The
situation now is far different. There
is now nothing betwee you and
success. We have only to do our
duty, as we did It in 1876. We
cannot afford to abate one lot or
title of our determination or our
efforts. The Republicans will not
put out any ticket, as they know it
is useless to oppose Hampton. But
they havn't given up finally. They
have tasted the sweets of office, and
power, and they want to get them
again if they can. They have an
eye on the Legislature. If they
can get that, they CAN shackle the
governor and render him powerless.
They are making their plans now to
c;ptu. the Legislature. In the
low country, in Chester, nay, in this
very county, they are watching for
the chance. The Radicals waut the
Legislative branch in both the State
and the national government. We
must not disturb our counsels-wo
must do nothing Of this kiud. Our
success before was the result of our
being united to man. In 1876 we
had no side-issues, no political
heresies, no jealousies between Sec
tions or classes and we mist stop
that sort Of thing now. W, must
secure the union of all tho best
people of South Carolina.
1t may be eyotism, and it may be
beyond the scope Of the purpose of
this meeting, but 1 feel it proper
to refer here to certain charges
that have recently appeared in the
newspaper against me. If I SUBJ
mitted silently, my silence might
be misconstrued. I cannot get in
the newspaper, and hence must
state my position in other ways.
You can vely well see my disadvant
ago, if l were to undertake to explain
NIL my votes-numhering altogeth-
er, perhaps, one thouslnd-in the
Legislature. But my character
noj my personal character, but my
character as your representative
has been attacked. A few weeks .
ago the Feastervillo Club passed
resolutions disappearing my course
in the Legislature and earnestly
protesting against my re election.
What had I done? My political
oo,,reo fo, a;oI+oo, ,ooo+h, l,o<l !