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

COupliSucu &Id0 ID iSooy w oS~SHo .sASS'
1t was the Bourbon element which car
;ried through the movement for q
i"Straightoutp Democratic campaign in
1876, instead of helping the better class
of Republicans to elect Chamberlain as
a reform candidate, and Wade Hampton
has run away with his, party in South
Carolina in very much the same way that
President Hayes has with his in the
country. The Democratic Bourbons
were willing enough to have Hampton
talk fair in the canvass just IS the old
Republican managers thought it well
enough for Hayes towrite such q letter
of, acceptanee-lfor campaign; use; but
neither set expected the official to live
up to the promises of the candidate. The
result was that, when Hampton com
menced.trying to. enforce the Liberal pol
icy he had promised, opposition began to
spring inpgi the Legislature and, the
press : when he told the Democrats. that
they. should give the highest judicial
office in the State to New York Re-
publican, there was many wry face;
when he took manly stand for State
honesty, there was open protest that ne
was meddling with things that didn't
concern him, and trying to dictated to the
Lepislature.l But. as time wentsun, the
Governor steadily gained in strength,
and the malcontents lost power, tillfnal-
lythe opposition in the Legislature was
completely crushed OUT and :alcDemor
cratic caucus, Just before adjonrianient,
gaye Hampton q unanimous endorse
mentr-at the same time, blythe nay, that
all the aRepubEcans in the Legislature
ioined the other party in supporting 9
resolution introduced by one oftther lead
irlg Republicans heartily commencing
the Governor Meanwhile the iopposi-
ton to Hampton among the Democratic
press has been swamped By the irresistl-
bleatide off popular approval, ahll now 1t
is q unit in his favor. 81 sSi.5so -: sl.ii
1t is.simple truth TO say that Wade
Champion has to-day more strength with
the people, of,South Carolina than any
other man ever gained; BE, will be rc:
elected Governor iniNoyember With as
near an, approach to- unanimity asI Was
ever seen at an election in the; limited
States. 1t is. hard to tell which party
Hillsuppors. him with. the more enthusl-
asm--for it is already settled, that, the
Republicans as well as.,the: Democrats
Will support him. The present proba:
hility is that, the Republicans will hold
no State convention, but that their State
committeesHill recommend. the party to
vote for I Hampton u But whatever
formal action is taken, .orsif there is no
such action, the Republi blicans will vote
S5rs him, and do, it with hearty satisfacf
tion, too. A,colored Republican club in
this city held ameetirg the other even
idg,nand sthe sentiment in favor of sup
rorting Hampton pWas simply unani-
nous : there mas absolutely not a dis:
ssnting voice.a And thisiis the universal
feeling among Republicans throughout
the State, blacl;and white. The Demo
crats are equally unanimous, and not q
soice will be raised in opposition to his
renomination at their convention. In
short, Iitlis. already, evident that, Wade
Hampton will 3be(. elected Governor OF
South Carolina for two, years, in NOYenl-
her, with scarcely. . dissenting tYote.s
.liNobody rwho meets Hampton will long
wonder at, thisgreat personal triumph he
las achieved. =! He has all the qualities
that make a popular hero. Though just
flast his isixtieth: birthday, ne locks a
humber of years younger, and is: indeed
in the full vigor of middle life: He has
4. fine presence, q manly bearing and
simple but digniied manners. He loves
nature, has hearty fondness for hunt
ing, and never makes better appear.
ance than when mounted on horseback.
He comes of one. of South Carolina's
oldest and, most, famous families : be has
a brilliant record as. "a dashing leader in
the war. More than, all else, he hiss the
prestige of success; he is the only man
that ever has redeemed the State; he is
without much doubt the only man who
could have carried through thecampaign
of 1876 to victory. Thus he has all the
qualities that appeal to the hero-wor-
shipper, and the average South Caro-
linian is, by nature and training, hero.
worshipper. Beyond these personal
Qualities he has now the added credit OF
having given q weary and distracted
State the first period of peace and order
that she has experienced for nearly a
score of fyeas. r5t- :r s..: caai.
All things hsye thus combined to give
Hampton the support. of the populace.
But there is also in the man that. which
commands the confidence of the most
thoughtful and critical. 1t is, impossible
to talk long with him without a thorough
conviction that he is a genuine patriot
that he is inspired in. his course oy an
oyerruling desire to serve the State, BY
such an ambition as we are wont to asso-
ciate with "the better days of the repub.
,lic,n He sees the future, and he is doing
his level best to bring South Carolina in
sympathy with it. The conviction OF. his
sincerity is widespread, and strongest
among those who have watched him most
closely. As one eminent Republican
whom / have already quoted remarked
81 don't think it is simply policy. 1t is
policy, of course, but 1 give Hampton
the credit of being inspired by patriot
ism" ;
I have spoken of Hampton's work the
past year as personal triumph. 1t IL
such in a double sense. Not only has ne
commanded universal confidence in him.
self as q man, but he has carried his par
ty on to higher plane than it eyeI
meant to occupy and holds it there. The
policy which he has carried out the past
year is not the policy Of the old Demo.
cratic party of South Carolina; it is not
the policy which those old leaders meant
to enforce when they got control of the
State. Popular enthusiasm for the man
has finally suppressed all open opposi'
ton to his course, but there is large ele'
ment of the party which at heart does
not like Hampton's liberal course. ]
have investigated this point with consid'
erable care, putting this question to a
good many people, How far does the &C
quiescence in Hampton's policy indicate
simply personal confidence in ne man
how far the deliberate acceptance of hi.
ideas as settled line of party policy
In other words, how many Democrats be.
lieve in Hampton's policy, dissociateo