The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1878-06-20
THE STAR FORT CELEBRATION.

at Cambridge, near Ninety Six, on last
Tuesday was very great success. From
three to four thousand persons were
present, and nine companies of the State
volunteer troops participated in the re-
view. The clouds which had been
threatening rain disappeared, and the
day was beautiful and bright. The pro-
cession formed at Ninety Six, with the
speakers of the day, escorted by the
Governors Guards of Columbia, and the
Silver Cornet Band of Columbia in front,
followed by the Newberry RiAemen,
Edgefeld Rifemen, Hodges Riaemen,
Abbeville Rifemen, Richland Volunteer
Rihemen, Ninety Six Guards, Richland
Flying Artillery, and Edgefeld Hussars,
together with the Anderson Palmetto
Band and the Greenwood Band.
The review took place near the old
fort, and was conducted with General
R. R. Hemphill in command, by Gov.
Hampton and Gen. Noise, after which
the crowd gathered around the stand
erected in the centre of the old fort
which occupies about one acre. This
stand was tastefully erected, and decora-
ted with evergreens. Over the front
was shield with the inscription, "17S1
Greene. 1S7S-Hampton," while on
the right rested the tattered, battle-worn
flag under which Stonewall Jackson fell
at Charlottesville in 1868, and on the
left the flag of the old Palmetto Regi-
ment which went through the Mexican
war. Upon the stand there was also
box of relics gathered from the old
fort. The speakers assembled the stand,
and Col. NJ. L. Bonham, Jr., introduced
Gov. Hampton, who was received with
immense applause, and made a fine
speech, of which the following is a brief
outline:
He was deeply impressed with all the
| surroundings of this occasion, the his
| toric spot upon which he stood, and the
achievements of our ancestors. He
alluded to the flag under which Stone
wall Jackson fell, also to the flag of the
Palmetto Regiment in the Mexican war,
and briefly to the siege of the fort and
the historic names connected Herewith.
He said that he came to-day simply to
appeal to the descendants of these peo-
pie to be true to the past, true to their
ancestry, to stand by South Carolina, and
| let the achievements of the past be an
incentive to the future. He spoke of
the distressing condition our people were
in two years ago, how they had lost hope
and began to despair Of success. He
said that the banner presented in 1876
bore upon it, "honest government, econ
omy, and South Carolina to rule South
Carolina" He spoke of how every man,
woman and child rallied around this flag,
and thus wrought q political miracle in
struggling to maintain the civilization
| fought for by their ancestors, and how
they bore that banner to victory. That
since then everything had been carried
on with perfect impartiality, that every
one was recognized as the equal before
the law of any man, that our people were
now hopeful, and earnestly working out
the complete redemption of the State,
| and that we had now Governor and
Legislature of our own choice. He
spoke of the debt that had been accumu-
lated by his predecessors, and thought
that it would have been better that this
debt should have been paid; that when
we could do no more we should have
gone to our creditors and told them we
have done what we could. He said that
the greatest feature of the revolution
through which we passed was solving
the problem that the white man and COL
ored man could live together in peace !;
that the colored people who had been
told that they would be put back into
slavery if the Democrats succeeded, ex-
press now an entire confidence in Demo
cratic government, and will rally to its
support. He spoke of the platform of
1876 as recognizing every one as equal
before the law; that it was broad enough
for every one to stand upon in South
Carolina. With this platform he went
over the State from the seaboard to the
mountains, authorized by the people to
advocate it, and that with the help of
the colored people he was elected, and if
called upon again to serve the people,
that he will stand upon the platform of
1876 or upon none at all, and if the peo-
pie will do as they did then-see that ex-
act justice is done to all men, open wide
their ranks for all to join-in word,
pursue the same line of policy that the
Democracy did in 1876, we will be sue
cessful not only in 1878 but also in 1880.
That for the perfect quiet and security of
the people, so that they can live under
their own vine and fig tree, it is
important that a national Democratic
administration should be successful.
Under two more years of Democratic
rule, the colored people will recognize
that their rights are secure, and vote
with us upon national politics. He
spoke of receiving letter from colored
man in Illinois, who told him that in the
recent campaign he was prevented by a
mob from speaking for Tilden, and that
he would leave Illinois and come toSouth
Carolina, where the colored man had
more rights. He spoke of having related
| this to President Hayes. He spoke of
the importance of having good Legis-
lature, and said that it amounted to little
| who was Governor or Lieutenant-Gover-
nor il the people see to it that the best
men are sent to the Legislature, and told
them to get their best men and tell them
they must make the sacrifice and run.
The people have a right to demand it.
He said that he had made sacrifices him
self and would do SO again, and when he
saw that Abbeville put up MCGOWAN and
Edgefeld Bonham, he was satisfied if
other Counties would do the same that
we would have good Legislature, and
in short time our country would be re-
deemed.
Lieut-Gov. Simpson was next intro
duced, and made the speech of the day,
giving the history of the old fort and