The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1878-07-25
TO TIE DEMOCRATS or AND1RsoH
COUNTY.


eEEcER December S0th, 1875, urging upon
the Democrats thorough and unhinehing
organization, such rs would bring every
man square TO the front. That communi-
cation expressed our plan OF organization.
Township after township responded to our
communication by organizing their Demo
cratic clubs, and electing their delegates to
O County Convention to meet at Anderson
Court House ON salcsday in February, 1876,
Convention on that day, and the County Of
Anderson was organized into solid and de-
termined Democracy, upon the principles
of straight-out policy. At the arst Conven.
ton of 1876, that re-organized the State
Democracy. we had the honor to be ap-
pointed member of the State Democratic
Executive Committee. notwithstanding
some of the leading papers of tho State, and
many of the counties, were opposed to
straight-out policy, We still adhered to it
and urged 1t upon the Committee. Other
members did the same. This Committee,
as the State, was naturally divided in opin-
ion upon the subject. but they were all good
and true men, and desired nothing but the
welfare Of the State. We finally determined
our policy by calling State Democratic
Convention, which met in Columbia on the
10th day of August, 1876. The Convention
was largely attended. and the same ouas-
ton of straight OUT was again considered
in the Convention. and we, having at that
time the honor to be member again, fa-
vored the "straight-out" policy, which was
finally adopted by the Convention. Not,
however, without strong and powerful op-
position, but when adopted every member
at once gave his full faith and allegiance to
it, and made their nominations for the State
with Con. Wade Hampton at it's head, and
the campaign aoon afterwards opened at
Anderson Court House, and from that day
until the day Of election the people of the
State kept it up day and night, and vic
tory was won, and glorious victory it was.
III the inception of t!ia. contest wa prom
ised in behalf OF Anderson County twenty
i've hundred Democratic majority. 1t was
thought by many that our zeal for the party
had caused us to over estimate the strength
of the County, but the Democrats made our
promise good, and increased it to three
thousand ono hundred and fifty votes.
This was glory enough for us.
In that race we were asked by many TO
become o candidate for the Legislature.
This we declined, because we believed we
could do more for our party as private
citizen. There being good men in the field
they were elected, and faithfully represented
the County. And we think we hazard
nothing when we say that no body of rep
resentative men have ever, since the founda-
tion OF civil government, shown more de-
votion to patriotism and .heroism than the
members Of the last Legislature. It was
they that asserted your rights and marched
into the State House under circumstances
that would have been creditable to the
Stonewall Brigade in the late civil war. BY
this act they saved to the State the victory
won by her sons and daughters. But my
fellow Democrats, it Is one thing to gain o
victory and another to maintain it. TO
make good the victory won and the bless-
| ings secured to our people by it, requires
| further and still more concentrated action.
1t has been vel! said that the price of
liberty is eternal vigilance. Recognizing
this great truth; what is our dnty in the
coming contest? Il seems TO us that 1t will
be found in this: To adopt the platform of
1915. or one akin 70 It; nominate straight
out Democrats for State and county, and
let every Democrat support them, whether
their Choice be placed in the field or not.
And ali Independent candidates must still
be known and recognized as the worst ene-
mics Of the State, because s1ch q policy, if
permitted, would destroy the Democratic
party, and give the State back into the
hands Of vice., ignorance and corruption.
We know oil men upon all subjects cannot
agree, but our peculiar differences must be
settled in primary elections. We must
know nothing after that but to elect she
men who are nominated. This will save
the State anu make our people prosperous
and happy.
The complimentary suggestion OF myself
for the State Senate from Savannah town
ship and the communication of "I,ox.,
made 1t, In onr Judgment, proper for US to
make this communication. and while we
expect in the future, as in the past, to de-
vote our time, talent and strength to aid
and assist the Democratic party we do not
In this campaign ark Office, and .ziH not be-
come candidate before the people. The
fist thing to be done is to get the State
right, and then 1t Is time to look out for
places of honor and trust. One of the great
est evils We Lave to contend with In the
party is to be found in too great thirst for
office. And while this is the case, the clubs
should be the more careful to place in nom.
ination only those who, by their acts and
devotion to the party, show them to be men
we'll worthy of our confidence.
Never, In the history Of our State. did her
services require SO much talent, fidelity anu
honesty as she does at this time. Abbeville
he's done well to call her McGoaan, Edge
field her Bonham, and the Other counties of
the State ohou]d profit by tl,eir example.
Let no Democrat forget thai o, by our
united effort, did moro tns .eem the
State. we elected in part :. "a and true
men as representatives from this State to
the Congress of the United States, and for
the frat time aince the war we vare renra-
sented in the Congress of our nation. We
can boast of :. Butler, an Evins and an
Aiken.
In the last Congress the brutal and inhu.
man treatment that thiB people had received
at the hands OF the revenue oficers for moro
than ten years was, for the first time, ex-
posed and condemned in the councils of the