The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1878-03-28

have been put in, either one of whom
wonld have been worse than the fret.
30 far he has observed the Constitution.
and so long as he continues to do 30 he
shs!! aisTa my hearty support, for he is
tho frat President since the war who
has observed it.
While / was In Washington last winter
was present at an entertainment at
which many distinguished men were also
present, both Democrats and Republi-
cans. Secretary Evarts was mekiss con-
siderable sport at the expense Of the
Democrats about the way they whipped
Us out of the Presidency. Z sold Mr..
Evarts that the Electoral Commission
reminded me of an anecdots tnat &C.
CURED on steamboat on the Misaissippi
River some years ago. On board the
steamboat was barrel of whiskey, the
brand Of which was the seven spot Of
clubs. A gentleman observed that II was
very dangerous brand. "Why7" aaked
the owner. "Becsuse," says he, some
body might come along with the eight
spot and take it."
That 10 just the way the Electoral
Commission turned out. The Democrats
went into the Commission with the seven
spot, but the Republicans held the eight,
and won the prize.
We have nothing 90 do at present with
National politics. If we hoe our own
row we will do we'll. We can afford TO
differ on local afIs '.s-such as the fence
law-but we canrot afford to be divided
on State matters. Somc say that psss-
ed the fence law. bnt hsd nothing 10 do
with it. Your County WAS the frat to
adopt the system Of primary elections, be
governed by its result, and allow no in
dependents to run. Independents may
sometimes he good men, but nov they
are our worst enemies. BE united in this
grand movement, and send your best
men to the Legislature. l urge you to
be united. Do this, and you will find
South Carolina immutably redeemed. /
urge you to do it as the one thing most
important. The CONTEXT this year will
be for the Legislature. That will be the
great battlefield. If the Convention
when it meets stands square on the plat
form Of two years ago, and nominates q
conservative ticket, say that the Re-
publicans will not put candidate in the
field, and We will have the grandcst { T.
umph ever achieved on this continent.
BY doing justice to all men, our colored
people will stand by us. say to you it
is far better to fail in trying to do right
than to succeed in doing wrong. One OF
the pledges of that platform was that all
men were equal before the law. l eau
say that have favored no race, party OF
people in the administration of the Lays
of the State. defy any man to put his
finger OH single pledge of that platform
and cay that l havo not carried it out.
| intend to walk on in the path that the
Democratic party has blazed out for me.
cannot dcviatc from it. cannot turn
to the right or to the left without being
false to them. had expected and de-
sired when my term Of Office had ended,
to turn over to my successor South Caro-
lins happy and free. ! had no idea OF
being called again into public life, and
can say TO you that want no place or
office. ] would not give to-day the place
| occupy in the hearts Of the people of
South Carolina for the Office of President
of the United States. have passed the
charges that have been brought against
me by al an idle wind, trusting all to the
charity of my people. wns willing to
leave everything to the people of tho
State-to the men by whom I stood for
four long years-to the old men, fathers
of those brave soldiers, to the noble boys
who have grown up siuce-and above all
t. ne evor-faithful women, whose in
otiLc.s are better than mans reason.
can say in the presence of this vast
crowd and of God that / have done my
duty to South Carolina. Had I done
my duty TO any God as we'll, it would
have been better for me. have nothing
to ask but justice. 1 know that the
poisonous seed that some have ende.y.
ored to SOW will and no place in the
hearts of tho people. I commit my re-
South Carolina, hoping that God may
bless them.
General E. w. Noise was next intro
duced and made n very beautiful aud
able speech, in which he referred to the
militia system as being necessary to the
protection of republics, and showed the
bc.afis to be derived from thorough
militia organizati n. He stated that
England and the United States are the
only two great powers who DO net rely
upon q standing army for national de-
fense, and that in England the militia
was the most perfectly and thoroughly
organized Of any in the world. He
favored the formation of militia forces
throughout the State, aud congratulated
tho people upon the fact that they were
delivered from The tyranny which mad
forbidden them to parade in companies,
or wear uniforms, and referred to the
course of ex-Gov. Chamberlain in pro-
the celebration of Washington's
birth day by the military companies of
the State. He said that our people look
upon a citizen soldiery with repugnance,
because they have always associated the
soldiery with the idea OF trained men
going into battle, and contended that
any opposition to the militia on this
account was unfounded. Ee believed If
we educated our young men and trained
them in she militia service their pride
and self.respect will be increased, and
they will not be willing to do any act
which will sarnish their reputation. He
closed by G tribute to the officers of the
State government and to the Legislature,
laying that the latter had been faithful
10 their public trusts, aud had made
great reductions ia expenses, and COM
pared the present tax levy with tho levies
Of Radical Legislatures. He said tho
civil service of the State was now pure
md elevated.
General McGowan was next intro.
iuced an one of Anderaon'a favotit.,