Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1878-10-03


last.thc ouly plan in my judgment, which
could have given us victory ia '76, or could
have made liz worthy of it, / cannot
deviatc from that policy. believed it was
the truc one theo, aud know that it is
now.
And in this connection 1 must enter MY
most emphatic dissent to tho views expressed
by Gen. Gary at tho recent meeting hcrc,
md in his card in reply to Gcu. Gruy
These views | believe TO 30 inconsistent
with tho true policy of the Democratic
party. say thoy do not represent tho
opinions of your standard bearers, nor Of
the Democratic party of South Carolina,
and that nc was not authorized to speak
for your nomucec. J. believe that it was
tue conservative charaeter of the last cam
paign, as oontsodisttnguished from whut he
calls an "agsrcssivc" one, thnt enabled US
to carry the State. I believe that tho
appeals mado to the colorcd citizens by men
IN whom they had confidence brought
thousa ms to our support, and the evidence
OF this is found in the fact that many moro
thousands will 60 with US ia the coming
election. They realize that thoy have been
honestly dealt with. They recognize that
oil their rights have been unimpaircd, and
they appreciate the blessings of peace
and increased prosperity which have
followed the inauguration Of Democratic
rule.
Gen Gary speaks Of the mode iu which
| he desired 10 conduct tho canvass us "thc
Mississippi plan" Now there arc grave
sapprchcnsione in regard to the plan by
which tho gallant Mi sissippians carried
their State, und by sIaodcr proragated by
somc unprincipled purtisan papers this plan
has most fulscly been called ''thc shot gun
policy" No greater injustice could huve
been done to brave aud patriotic people
thnn the effort thus made to stigmatizo
their heroic efforts to save their State. Ia
one sense their canvoss was rs aggressive as
ours was. They met tho plunderors Of their
State at every point to denounco their
corruption before the people. They devoted
themselves, as did our people, heart and
mind to tho great work of saving
their State, aud they appealed to all honest
voters to aid them ia their patriotic under
taking.
In the district represented 10 Congress
by the distinguished gentleman, General
Chalmers, there is much larger coored
majority thau in any district Of this State,
aud yet he overcome that majority by q
close aud zealous canvass, appealing to the
colorcd men iu earnest conservative and
effective addresses. And what hns heen
the result? Only few days ago l saw tho
report of an interview had with him, in
which the question was asked: Whnt hc
would do if the Republicans sent spcukors
to his district to oppose his rc-election?
He did not threaten to Ku klux thctn or
to intimidute them; he did not say that be
would resort 10 the ''shot gnn policy" but he
said that he would give those visitors q
every facility to meet his constituents, and
TINT he would have tiom met cvorowhcrc
by colorc'l Democratic speakers.
This is the best commentary on the Mis-
sissippi plan, and that plan am willing to
adopt. If carried ouS honestly its results
will be as beneficial here as they have been
in our sister State OF Mississippi; but in the
name Of our civilization aud of all that has
been honorable in South Carolina, in the
name of our State and Of our God, protest
against any resort to violence, or wrong, or
any adoption of tho "shot gun policy!"
Wo cannot do evil that good may como of
it. Had wo been SO short sighted as to
havo ondeavorcd to carry tho State at the
last election by force or violence, martial
law would have been proclaimed and wo
should now be under the hateful rulo of
our oppressors. Such, at least, IL my
deliberate judgment, and whatever might
have been the result Of any modc Of canvas
sing, it could scarcely have been moro
auspioous for our people than that wrought
by the conservative plan we pursued. Let
us be satisfied and thankful, and, above all,
let us not now forsukc the road which
led us to victory in rs, aud which, if fol-
lowed, will lead Us to still greater victory
in '78.
I take issue with tho Senator from Edgo.
fieldg on another point. In his card to
which reference has been mado lie spoke 10
terms which seemed disparagiug to "thc
Hampton Democracy l have mover
assumed to myself tho homer of founding
or attempting to found school of Domo--
cracy. | am but simple disciple of tho
great creed taught by Jefferson, aud illus
trated by the highest intelleots and tho
purest patriots that tho country has pro
ducod.
have been and am content to follow
where they have od; without indulgiug for
moment in tho presumption of trying to
epgraft opo article of faith on the creed
promulgated by tho fathcrs--that orocd
which has given the brightest pages to the
history of tho country, and tho success Of
which can alono bring back permanent
poace, harmony and prosperity to that
country. | must therefore diacaim tho