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

have been put in, either one OF whom
would have been worse than che first.
So far he has observed the Constitution,
and 30 long as he continues to do so he
shall have my hearty support, for he is
| the first President since the war who
has observed it.
While I was in Washington last winter
I was present at an entertainment at
which many distinguished men were also
present, both Democrats and Republi-
cans. Secretary Evarts was making con-
siderable sport at the expense of the
Democrats about the way they whipped
us out of the Presidency. | told Mr..
-Evarts that the Electoral Commission
reminded me of an anecdote that oc-
CURED on steamboat on the Mississippi
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 it WAS
q very dangerous brand. "Why?" asked
the owner. Because" says he, "some-
body might come along with the eight
spot and take it."
That is juss 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 to do at present with
| National politics. IF we hoe our own
row we will do we'll. We can afford to
differ on local affairs-such as the fence
law-but we cannot afford to be divided
on State matters. Some say that / pass
ed the fence law. but had nothing to do
with it. Your County was the first to
adopt the system of primary elections, be
governed by its result, and allow no in
dependents to run. Independents may
sometimes be good men, but now they
are our worst enemies. Be united in this
grand movement, and send your best
| men to the Legislature. urge you to
BIZ united. Do this, and you will find
South Carolina immutably redeemed. l
urge you to do it as the one thing most
important. The contest 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 a
conservative ticket, say that the Re-
pu6licans will not put candidate in the
field, and ne will have the grandest tri-
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 can
say that I have favored no race, party or
people in the administration Of the laws
of the State. i defy any man to put his
finger OH single pledge of that platform
and say that l have net carried it out.
1 intend to walk on in the path that the
Democratic party has blazed out for me.
[ cannot deviate from it. cannot turn
to the right or to the left without being
false to them. I had expected and de-
sired when my term Of Office had ended,
to turn over to my successor South Caro-,
lima happy and free. had no idea of
being called again into public life, and
can say to you that I want no place or
| Office. 1 would not give to-day the place
| I 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 as an idle wind, trusting all to the
charity of my people. I was willing to
leave everything to the people OF the
State.-to the men by whom stood for
four long years-to the old men, fathers
of those brave soldiers, to the noble boys
who have grown up since-and above all
to the ever-faithful women, whose in
stincts are better than mans reason. l
can say in the presence of this vast
crowd and of God that I have done my
duty to South Carolina. Had 1 done
my duty to my God as well, it would
have been better for me. Ihavc nothing
to ask but justice. I know that the
poisonous seed that some have endeav-
ored to SOW will find no place in the
hearts of the people. / commit my re-
cord into the hands of the people OF
South Carolina, hoping that God may
bless them.
General E. w. Noise was next intro
duced and made very beautiful and
able speech, in which he referred to the
militia system as being necessary to the
protection of republics, and showed the
benefits to be derived from thorough
militia organization. He stated that
England and the United States are the
only two great powers who do not rely
upon a standing army for national de-
fensc, 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, and congratulated
the people upon the fact that they were
delivered from the tyranny which had
forbidden them to parade in companies,
or wear uniforms, and referred to the
course of ex-Gov. Chamberlain in pro.
hibiting the celebration of Washington's
birth day by the military companies of
the State. He said that our people look
upon 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. He believed if
we educated our young men and trained
them in the militia service their pride
and self.respect will be increased, and
they will not be willing to do any act
which will tarnish their reputation. He
closed by tribute to the officers of the
State government and to the Legislature,
saying that the latter had been faithful
to their public trusts, and had made
great reductions in expenses, and COM
pared the present tax levy with the levies
of Radical Legislatures. He said the
civil service of the State was now pure
and elevated.
General MCGOWAN was next intro