The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1866-1891, 1878-01-08
The Work of the Year.


There are years Of promise. Such
was the year 1876. And there arc
years of performance. Such, in South
Carolina, was the year 1877.
When the last moments Of 1876
were feeting fast, the people, calm and
resolute, looked back upon Twelve
months Of mingled dread and e1ul'a-
ton, crowned at the close by an abid-
lng conviction that the dawn was nigh,
and the sun about to rise on free and
purified commonwealth. There was
reason and judgment in that conviction.
The usurpcrs were evidently losing
ground. They had been beaten in
every issue of law they had made.
This. however, was not the greatest
weakness of the Republicans. nor the
greatest strength Of the Democrats.
The power Of the Democrats lay in the
pregnant fact that the people, high aud
low, paid no heed whatever to the or
dcrs of Mr.. Chamberlain or the acts of
his sham Legislature BY such oppo-
sition as this, continued, systematic and
universal, the strongest government in
the world could have been broken down.
How surely must it topple over the
Chamberlain fabric, already so insecure.
The opening Of the New Year was
signalizcd By the making Of arrange
ments in the different counties for the
payment of such taxes as were required
for the support Of the Hampton gov
ernmct. 1t had been the vaunt Of the
Republicans that the Democrats might
be willing to talk for Hampton, and
even to fight for him, but they would
never give his government practical
recognition by paying taxes which no
Legislature had levied, and for which
no public o ficcr could be officially re-
sponsiblc The event proved that the
taxes called Tor BY Governor Hampton
were paid more freely and fully than
any tax regularly levied by any govern
ment in this State since 1866. And if
we remind the people that Charleston
struck the key pote that Charleston
was first TO declare that her citizens
would pay taxes to Governor Hampton,
and would recognize him. and none
other, as Governor that Charleston by
the hands of the bank which worthily
bears her honored name, advanced what
money was required by Governor
Hampton before the voluntary tax could
be collected; that Charleston poured
ont money like water to aid the Hamp-
ton cause, before and during and after
the election, We have no other purpose
than to remind the State at large that
Charleston, as full! as any other county,
did what she might and could. As the
money flowed into the Hampton treas
ury, the last hopes Of the Republicans
oozed away Now came recognition OF
Hampton as Governor by Judge after
Judge. The Electoral Commission did
It's work. Mr.. Hayes was inaugurated.
Then came the visit Of Hampton to
Washington, and we recall with pleas
urc the fac, that President Hayes nei-
lhcr invited uor suggested any compro-
mjs.. The platform of Governor
Hampton, declared on his way to
Washington, was that lie demanded ior
South Carolina the right Of sclf-gov-
ernmcnt, to which every State is ent-
tied under the Constitution. lie asked
nothing more. and would accept moth
ins less. Side by side with Governor
Hampton was committee of u Char!es-
ton merchants, sustaining him by their
presence, their counsel, and their rep.
resentaiion of the woes unnumbered
that would spring from any effort ia
thwart the clearly expressed wish and
determination Of the people. Soon
came the glad tidings that bloodless
victory was won that the troops were
to be withdrawn. As the clock struck
twelve on April 10, the United State:
: soldiers marched out Of the State House
Mr. Chamberlain surrendered III discre'
ton. The Legislature was convened
and the Democratic State officers ne
with no further opposition. A won
drous revolution had been accomplished
This was more than SIX months ago
, For more than half year the Demo
cratic government has held undispu'e'
sway in South Caroline. TO what pnr
pose! The record shows.
The mills Of the gods have ground ex
1 cccdiugly small. OF the band of rob
/ bcrs aud sharpcrs who have degrade
. and plundcred South Carolina, non
t have escaped isnominy and publ
k sh mo. Some, like Lee, COrwin an
u Swails were allowed to resign. OsheT