The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1878-10-31
AN INDEPENDENT.

tastatlon OF all attempts to distract and
divide the Democratic party of the State
by Independent candidates placing them
selves in direct antagonism to the cx-
pressed will of the party, that we know
of but q single professed Democrat who
has announced himself candidate in
violation of the will of the party. Hon.
James B. Campbell, of Charleston, hav-
ing failed to receive the nomination for
the State Senate from the Democratic
Convention, announced himself as an
Independent candidate, and few days
afterwards was, by acclamation, unani-
mously nominated for the Senate by the
Radical Convention, with Bowen and
Mackey at its head. We must express
our profound astoDishment at the posi-
ton which Mr.. Campbell now occupies.
he was just after the war elected United
States Senator, and for the last two years
was in the State Senate. His position is
so anomalous that he has lost the conf
dence of the Democrats, and the Radicals
will use him only SO far as they can
through him injure the Democrats and
advance their own corrupt party, after
which they will cast him off and leave
him in all the glory of his independence,
without any party to regard or fear him.
He has dug lis political grave. The
man who in this critical period of our
States final redemption seeks to foment
division in the Democratic party, because
he is net the nominee, and relies upon
Radical votes for his election, will find
that he has committed the great ire
trievable error of his life, and that no
party in the future will trust him. The
election of Mr.. Campbell will be the de-
feat of the Democratic and the success of
the Radical party. The Radicals nomi-
mated him not because he was their
choice for Senator, but because they
hoped that his candidacy would divide
and weaken the Democrats, and enable
them to elect their ticket to the House.
We do not censure the Radicals for
the nomination. They knew that it was
the best they could do to promote the
success of their party, and that if the
move should be successful, it would be
the beginning which, if tolerated by the
Democrats, would certainly give the State
in 1880 to the Radicals. But what shall
we say of the Democrat who. upon the
eve of one of the most important politi-
cal battles ever decided at the polls, de-
serts his party, gives aid and comfort to
the enemy, and gathers around him their
dusky and drunken hordes, that he may
defeat the regular nominee of his party,
and crafty his ambition at the expense
of his party and the best interest of the
whole State? This we know, that he
should go to the Radicals where he prop
erly belongs, aud be numbered by all the
respectable people of the State as one of
them, for then he would be deprived of
his power for mischief in the party, and
as harmless as Bowen and Mackey to in
fiuence the honest and intelligent masses
of the State.
The independent candidacy of Mr..
Campbell is an injury to the Democracy
of the whole State, and his election
would prove a great misfortune to the
people of Charleston. Charleston is the
chief sea port city of the. State, and as
such should be the pride of every true
Carolinian. The interests of Charleston
and the whole State, whether political,
financial or commercial, are mutual and
identical. Her commercial relations
with the world should stimulate the agri-
cultural interests of the country, aud
these should build up and establish the
supremacy OF her commerce. Mr.. Camp
bell, if elected, can do nothing for
Charleston. His position in the Senate
will be an isolated one. The Radicals
will use him only so far as they can pro-
mote their partisan ends, and he will
have lost his influence with the Demo
Gratis. AS an Independent, arrayed
against his party, he could not expect
the cordial and confidential political re-
lations with the majorities of the two
Houses of the Legislature which the in
terests of Charleston demand, and which
are so necessary to Charleston in shaping
the legislation of the State.