The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1878-04-05
Hamp,on's Speech at Anderson.
REVIEW OF THE FAST BY THE GOVERNOR OF SOUTH
CAROLINA.

Wednesday, Governor Hampton spoke substah-
TALLY rs followsy
NV FutEyps OF ANDERSON: If my voice couid
reach this vast crowd, and give utterancc TO the
emotions that ill my breast, could not '""hH
Won adequately for this hearty welcome ana
great demonstration. l come not to inauS"ratc
the political campaign /; come not W oic.e'o ~
YOU who should be your candidate Tor ONCE in
The coming campaign; l came TO Visit 'no PeoP,o
of Anderson and express TO them my heartte"
thanks for the unaumouS support rendered me
in the campaign inauguratcd at this place, ana
to remind them of the pledges made TWO years
ago Tho flag then placed in my hands OH 'na1
bright September day was carried successfully
and peacefully through the whole otate' an"
was placed VIGOROUSLY upon the capitol ut Co
lumh;, II WAS the most notable campaign in
the history Of this country. Ii was because you,
IN, ueoplc of Anderson. came out then In your
determination to succeed, and with Such eathu-
siasm that victory crowned our efforts. "hch
SAW stalwart men who stood by INC on the bat
Ito field, when | heard the men, women and
children shouting the battle cry of freedom,
said that we would be successful. L then de-
tcrniucd to be true to the people who
inaugura,cd this grand movement. l on know
the result aud all that followed, and that though
we passed through the whole state and every
county in the State, there was no disturbances OF
any kind The people dedicated themselves to
this service rs they would TO the service of their
God. .c,vs = why
flashed over the wires that we had been success
full in our efforts to redeem South Carolina;
when we knew that peaceful victory was
perchcd upon our banners, we looked about us
and found armed troops in possession OF the
capitol building. The legislative halls were
filled with United States soldiers tho members
Of the legal House of Representatives were kept
out of their place of meeting at tic point OF the
bayonc, and the Office Of the Governor occupied
by I man who was not elected. Ii looked then
rs if the country would be dclugcd with blood
and revolution inauguracd for the people
were determined not to DC cheated out of their
rights. | knew that we had won the victory,
and said that We should secure the fruits OF it,
or Mc would have military government. If
but single shot had been fired i'll Columbia at
that critical moment, when the city was filled
with thousands of determined men, civil war
would have begun and spread over this State,
and over the whole country blood would have
flowed like water. | knew ;hat If a revolution
was begun republican government would so
down to u bloody grave and our hopes rs free
men -Ll-forever destroyed. AT that important
S5fn6mcnt, when somuch was involved, | appealed
TO n people who had been faithful to mc so long
to trust me n little longer and they did trust
me and support me, and we were successful
Whatever may bctall me hereafter, am amply
compensated for all that have had to endure.
| am not able to tell you all that tranSpircd
during that time The lower house OF the Leg
islature was not allowed to take possession of
their hall, and therefore could pass no laws
We determined to call for n contribution of ten
per cent. of the tax paid the year previous
And | now tell YOU for the first tiEic that lave
ever told it in public tha! We expected TO col
lcct about 100000, but We received - li2,OOo.
The people paid more than their quota. AMI
had To stop the cD!lEc:iuuS, for VIC hal more
money than we wanted. Tie officers did not
need it only for State purposes and they did not
propose to steal it. | was left alone after the
i a
single officer in position, while ihamn""'"'"
ami his suhurhinntcS were III possession oil
the government, upheld and supported by
the United States army. was left like n
mariner sailing IN the dark on an unknown sea,
with nothing to guide me hut hope nnl humh!r
trust in Almighty God. One false step would
have ruined all and, people of Anderson, il
have made mistakes bear this in mind, that
was working for the good of South Carolina.
called to my aid the other State officers. and ii
| made mistakes they made them. too. for every
measure has been submitted to them, and we
have always been united in our opinions. There
was never shadow of difference between us
We all shared the mistakes if any were made.
We all commit errors of iud gmcnt. fHny man
does not believe it. let him try it and see. ITO
err j. hulnnn and To forgive divine, and know
that the people realizing the circumstances. will
forget the mistakes Tor the G"od vi south 'iro-
lima.
There is q point TO which | desire to refer he
cause of mu,tcrinss heard over this State and
throughout the Union, concerning bargains and
comuromiscs. Wien of Anderson, | tell You
there ,rux nat III, StI,iDIr .j' Il h0TQ'tH y'th Mr.
iI,y.s oy aHy one ci<,. looking to the seating ui
the Governor of South Carolina. | went To
Washington because | was invited there, ami
through rcspc"t to The President of the United
States. I asked for no rccogniti"n nj his hands,
and for nolhng else except that hc remove the
troops from the STATE House. II my govern
mcul could not stand let it fall "nl If ,.r
Chambcrlau's : could not stand, let his fall.
determined to ask nothing more and take moth
iny less | will do Mr.. Hayes the Justice To say
that he hal too much respect for his own posi-
ton and for the people of South Carolina 10 ;c.
fer To any bargain. There WAS no compromise
with the United States authorities, and there
was none with our predecessor. | have never
s;,okcn to Chamberlain but once in my life. and
never cNrcct TO speak to him again. If The In
vcstimalingC ommittec can find sufficient evidence
against Chamberlain lie shall he sent for, and
all the leaders OF that party shall answer BET re
the courts ior their crimes, though they hc par
doned the next moment.
While think the leaders should be tried ami
punished for their crimes, believe 4hnt those
who were corrupted by them should be over
looked and forgiven. | think the wiscst state
man>hp is amnesty | want the cases in the
United States courts against our pcDpl" die
a.. Inv, tt,l fam,