The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1878-07-19
Governor aampton's Speech At Blackville.

Governor Hampton's Speech At Blackville.
At The conclusion of Gen. Connors grafton,
and as soon as the applause which followed it
had died away, hundred voices called out
Hampton" The cry soon became general and
the Governor, finding escape impossible, came
to the front amid perfect thunder Of cheers
and shower of bouquets.
After assuring the audience that he came to
Biackville merely as locker on, and not rs o
speaker, the Governor said: "And am sure
that could say nothing better than to repeat
the remark made BY gentleman, who was once
called upon to speak after Burke. He got up
aud said: Il say ditto to all Mr.. Burke has
said Now would say to-day, ditto to every
thug that Gen. Connor has said. would SOY.
to you that when l sat here and listened to: the
advice of that man, who made rs great sacrifices
to become q candidate rs any man in the State,
who came In and devoted all his time and en-
ergy and great ability to the cause Of freedom
mud Home rule-who when we were successful,
gave to our government that sound judgment
. ami that conservatism which have marked his
course throughout; when heard him give to
the people to-day, and through them to the
whole State, these pregnant words; when
heard him tell the young men that there was
something more than office; when heard him
tell the people TO sccrn the ofticeseekers and to
look for men who subordinated self to the feel
ins Of patriotism for South Carolina; when l
heard him app peal to you to send the best men TO
tia Legislature when heard him tell you of
the struggles we had gone through, and the
grave responsibilities that rested upon US as the
yict0rs Of this campaign, felt that If there was
pie nan whose voice should be the exponent of
;hc sentiment Of the best people of South Caro-
lima, it is the man who has just addressed you
to-day. [Chcers.] If could reinforce any
Ting that he has said to you l would tell you
that The dangers are still impending. would as
s,;rc you that the uictory is not get ron. would
tell you that upon your conduct in the next two
years depends whether the fruits Of that victory
shall be enjoyed by our children for generations
to come, or whether you will allow it to pass
from you like q worthless bauble. l would tell
you that it depends upon you whether you will
serve God or Mammon. 1t is for you to choose.
If you listen TO demagogucs, if you listen to
men who subordinate everything to office, to
wealth, 10 place and to power; if you will
hcarken to extreme men, who will tell you that
the glorious platform of 1876 was very we'll as
promise to be kept only to tho ear and broken
TO the Lsayt;.if you listen to those men, then l
say yoa as ,Qek at once relinquish the fight,
for South Carolina will soon pass again under
the rule and to the ruin from which she has just
s%sssss5 se sssS ws shs s y ss sss IA saa
but we, the people of South Carolina, will be
the cause of breaking down the National Dem
ocracy IA voice: ave will never do it v'1
You have it all in your own hands. You
claim to be the banner county of the State, and
your claim is not without right. [Cheers.
You carried your election by an overwhelming
majority, because you came before the people,
white aud black, recognizing the rights of every
citizen and saying, "You shall all be equal un-
der the law" You went to the colored people
and told them that their rights would be pro-
tcc:el. You told them that we mad pledged
ourselves that the Constitution and laws Of South
Carolina should give equal protection to ALL
You appealed to them to come and help you
work out the redemption of the State. They
came by hundreds and did help. And now
would you turn back upon them, and, after try.
ing for ten years to convince the colored man
that his true interests lay with the Democratic
TSaS sa S0w we have no rss for
elections" If this be the policy of South Car
olina then am l sadly mistaken in the people of
South Carolina and the people are mistaken in
mc, because 1 can carry out no such policy as
tkat. stand where you put me IN 1876. have
not deviated one iota, and despite the criticisms
against me, defy any man to place his finger
hpon one single act of mine that is not in strict
accord with the policy of the Democratic party
in convention assembled in 1876. They gave
Inc chart and compass oy which 1 was to con-
duct the campaign. Taking it as my guide,
went before the people, black and white, and
in the name of the people held up that plat
form and said to them: "IIere is what the
people OF South Carolina have said to the world:
We have accepted the National Democratic plat
form, which recognizes the equality OF every
citizen before the law. We have adopted our
own platform Of 1876, which endorses the ma
tional platform and guarantees equality to all
men before the law" Cheers.
From where the bluc-capped mountains kiss
the sky to where old ocean rolls upon the coast,
from North to South, from East to West. went
before the people, white and black, and told
them that il they elected us, they would put
men in Office who would recognize all the pied
ges and would carry them out in good faith, and
1tell you the men you have placed in power
HagooJ and his colleagues in the State Offices
woud eus their right arms off before they ,oould
pio'ate their pledges. Prolonged applause.]
If it is thought that we can be successful in
thi, election by fraud, (asd 1 Nee. - kAts
mors floating throughout the Stale occasionally,
intimating that we had the machinery of the
elections in our own hands and that we could
count in anybody we pleased y tell you, people
of Barnweli, and people of south Carolina, that
if you once countenance fraud, before many
years pass over your heads you will not be
worth saving, and will not be worthy of the
State you live in. [Cheers. Fra I'd cannot be
successful because tho chosen sons Of South Car
DINA form the Returning Board now. The men
that you have placed there rs representing the
truth and honor Of South Carolina would die
before they would perjure themselves BY placing
men wrongfully in Office. Cheers.
You can carry the election by standing sguarely
on the PLATFORM Of 1876 Display that banner
again Call upon all the citizens of South Car
a.