National Republican., 1878-10-08
uAMpToN,s CoScILIAT,oN.


Soon after the advent of the present ma
tional Administration the government of
South Carolina was suddenly and summa-
rily revolutionized by the deposition Of
Governor CHAMBERLAIN and the inaugura-
tion of WADE HAMPTON as Executive of
that State. This change was attended by
repeated visits of Mr.. HAMPTON TO the Ex-
ecutiye Mansion, where close, protracted,
aud confidential interviews were held be-
tween himself aud the President, during
which 1t has been very clearly ascertained
certain assurances were given to the Presi-
dent that South1 Carolina was then, and
would continue to be, thoroughly concili-
.ated. That is, under his administration the
people of his State would entirely subordi-
nate themselves TO the Constitution of the
United States, with its several amendments,
to the United States statutes relating to the
rights of citizenship, suffrage, and good gov
crnment, as well as to the Federal power it.
self as centred in the Chief Magistrate of the
uation. HAMPTON was geutlemanly in his
department, plausible in all his utterances
and so apparently sincere and candid in all
his assurances, that he won upon the con-
hdence and respect Of the President, who
trusted to his expressions Of loyalty and his
fidelity to the truth in the assurances that
had been given in his wooing of Presidential
favor. The President believed him honest
and trusted him to an extent that resisted
all admonition and possibility of insin-
cerity on his part. Indeed no man was ever
more implicitly contided in than was
WADE HAMPTON after he had won the cs-
TEEN Of the President.
Until the present political canvass Mr.
HAMPTON did not find occasion of sul-
hcient Importance to justify him in break
ing faith with the President and entering
his every assurance of loyalty to
the Federal Government, the laws of the
land and the rights of the people of his
State who were not in harmony with his
own political views. OF course, until this
year his fidelity was not tested, for there
was no election to call the people into action
politically. While they were quiet, all went
smoothly but when the time for taking
sides in politics and asserting political
opinions and rights ensued-when Repub-
cans felt called upon to express their opin-
ions and organize for efficient action at the
polls, the scene changed. The cohorts of
WADE HAMPTON-the men who, with rifles,
shot-guns, and revolvcrs in their hands and
the riile-club uniforms on their backs, had
bull-dOzed Governor CHAMBERLAIN out of
the chair of the State and placed WADE
HAMPTON therein through the power OF
might and not of right-stepped to the front
to introduce into this campaign the tactics
of 1876. Aud this is not the worst feature
that has followed HAMProN's treachery
to his pledges to the President and
his disregard of his plighted honor
the militia of his State-hs owr
| household troops, have entered the field as
raiders upon the sacred rights of citizenship
| They have become the bull-dozers of 1873
to intimidate the colored voters of the
State and abridge their political rights rs
citizens. And this, too with the knowl
edge and countenance of WADE HAMPTON
| for these troops have upon repeated occa.
siOus been led and encouraged in their law,
less depredations upon personal rights by
his recognized aids, who have entered upon
n course of intimidation by personal com
plcity aud who have gone so far, when
bluster has failed to intimidate to inaction
as to resort to personal violence to accom-
plish their ends. All this has been done
under HAMProN's eye and with his ap
prOval, for though he had prom
iscd that none of these thing
should occur, they have been of almost
daily occurrence, and within the range o
his own personal knowledge, without
marked effort to suppress or prevent them
In view Of this the President begins T.
recover his sight and to view things il
their true light. And, what is more ant
better, he is proceeding by the strong arm
of the law to correct the evils that HAMP
ton has been toerating and nursing. II
sees that he is the victim of misplaced con
tidence that WADE HAMPTON has prac
ticed gross deception upon him, and
though he is not impulsive, he Is movin
slowly but surely in the right direction. i
this he will win the applause of every loyN
and true heart In the country.