The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1878-05-02

co.
receive, as on recent trip, the heartiest
ovations in the latter region, it is there
very much more the tribute to the per-
sonal leader than the recognition of an
accepted policy which Charleston yields.
| Weighing all the evidence, l think it fair
4 TO say that majority of the Democrats
have supported the man rather than the
policy the past year, and that any other
person who had attempted to embody
iliimilar ideas would have failed to carry
| the party with him.
At the same time year of Hampton's
policy, however and why ever accepted,
has an immense educative effect. A
great many Democrats who did not be-
lieve in such ideas a year ago are coming
10 accept them now. There can be no
REASONABLE doubt that another term of
Hampton would carry the good work be-
yond. the possibility of ever being un-
done. There is, of course, no question
of Hampton's reelection for this term,
lbut Patterson's term in the United States
ISenate expires next March, and the Gov
lernor is naturally thought Of as his sue
cessor.. The change would of course
have many attractions for him. He can
lOnly continue Governor another two
liyears at serious sacrifice 10 his own per-
Sonal affairs; for the duties of the office
as he administers it are very engrossing,
lwhile a place in the Senate would give
him leisure during large part of the
year. IF he should express q desire to
be sent to Washington, he could of
course 60, but it is really a serious ques-
| ton whether he could safely leave the
Gove-norship next March. Every Re
| publican whom ] questioned on this
point expressed grave apprehenslons
whether Hampton's work Gonld as yet be
caken up, and carried through by any
other man. and, devodt hope that he,
would continue Governor throughout the,
entire next term. Intelligent, far-sight-
ed Democrats admitted that there would
be much greater opposition TO Hampton's
policy If Hampton were to drop out, but
| shey regard it as too nnanifestly the pol
| icy of the future to be ever o7erthrown.
Very much depends upon the character of
the Legislature that is't0 be elected next
fall. The Governor recognizes the over
shadowing, importance. of this question,
and appeals for the election of conserva:
tive men were the burden of hisspeeches
on his recent trip.s The last Legislature
was not such a. body as the crisis de-
mapds; it. was largely composed OF, young
and inexperienced men, political acci-
dents many of them, who were nomina-
ted without any real hope that they
would be elected. With another such
body it is doubtful whether any other
man than Hampton could carry on
Hampton's work :, with suchia Legisla-
ture as the State needs and Hampton
urges, o Legislature of Hampton men,
the name of Governor will not be of so
much importance. In either case, how
ever, there is no question. that Hampton
could do vastly more for the State as
Governor than any other man, and it
may well be doubted whether either the
people or he himself will allow the man
they elect Governor to desert that Office
for any other before the expiration of his
term. He recognizes the situation very
clearly, and is too true friend Of the
State to leave the Governorship if he
feels that there is any danger Of harm
thus coming to the cause he represents.
In South, Carolina more than in almost
any other State has survived the ancient
sentiment that the Governorship of the
State is the highest Office in its gift, and
less than anywhere else does man feel
that he is taking long step up when he
goes from the Executive Chamber to the
National Capitol. t
AS already said, the Republicans will
make no opposition to Governor Hamp-
toms reelection, or to any of the State
officers, indeed. For Congressmen and
members of the Legislature they will
| make fight, and with hopes of electing
two or three of the former and good
representation in the Legislature. Gov
ernor Hampton is statesman enough to
recognize the value of strong minority
in every law-making assembly, and would
prefer Legislature with a. good repre-
sentation of honest Republicans to so
nearly unanimous a Democratic one as
they have in Georgia and Mississippi.
On the other hand, there is no Republi-
can, unless it be one of the old Ring
1 thieves, who ever wants 10 see again one
| of the old fashioned Republican Legis-
latures, wherein on one occasion there
were SO negroes, the great majority of
whom could neither read nor write, out
of 124 members, and ignorance under
the lead of corruption enacted con6sca-
| ton into law. The honest Republicans
see that even such Legislature as the
last is infinitely better than any that their
party could ever hope to elect, and they
will not mourn as those without hope if
the next one contains no larger represen-
tation of their own party. The negro
enthusiasm for Hampton will of course
carry considerable colored vote over to
the Democratic legislative ticket as well,
and it will need no cheating or returning
board to elect majority. Where the
Republicans do elect men, they will be
given their seats. ~
South Carolina to-day presents per-
haps the most interesting field Of study
to be found anywhere in this country.
There are many topics that / meant to
have taken up, but this letter is already
so long that must postpone them to an
other.
Two BootblaGks.