Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1878-10-17
THE DEMOCRATIC MASS MEET
HNG. @

4 ING,
,}5$s On the 9th, occurred too noar our publica.
i'tion day to receive passing notice. Tho
meeting was tho largest in numbers and tho
most imposing in display cver hold in this
county, being far ahead Of tho gathering in
n876. There were nine companies Of rod
shirts in the mounted column, numbering
between four and five hundred men, besides
},one or two companies Of artillery, with two
field pieces. The miscellaneous crowd mum
bered from ono thousand to twelve hundred,
from every part Of tho county, and included a
number Of ladies.
Tho "red shirts" and artillery formed near
the depot aud ut II o'clock moved towards
town, Professor Sloan acting rs Chief Mar.
shal, with q number of assistants. Tho
column filed past Biemann's Hotol, when it
I wheeled and e<1Lnaued to tho stand, ono
company being detailed to conduct the spoak-
ors to tue. stand. Arriving at tho stand,
after music by the Dixie Cornct Band, (which
/ oHciated in all the proceedings Of tho day,)
the meeting was opened with prayer by the
Rov. VIM. McWhorter. After music by the
band, the County Chairman briefly stated the
purpose of tho meeting, calling tho attention
Of the people 10 the difference in the govern,
ment now and in 1876, and especially to the
difference in the feeling aud spirits of the
Democracy now and then. Two years ago
they had assembled as despondent, hopeless,
tax-ridden people: Pundcrcd for eight
years, every effort to better the govern
ment defeated, reduced to tho verge of
indiy!dual md State bankruptcy, they hopcd
Against hopc in tho magic name of Hampton,
~Ssnd determined to make ono moro effort in
behalf of honest government, ono more stroke
Tor the protection of tho lives, liberties and
property of the people, one moro struggle for
civilization itself. common misfortune
and q common danger made common cause,
and tho Democracy Of Oconeo County for
oEce, aye for once, stood united, knit together
as firmly and soldly as tho Table Rock AS
Gov. Hampton moved towards the sea coast
wave of enthusiasm followed in his wake,
sweeping before it all opposition to unity,
and the Democrats of South Carolina became
solid body Of active workers for success.
The Caucasian race has over and will over
rale. unless it frittcrs away its opportunities
by divisions. 1t is q God giyon right, to be
lost only by the people themselves, and now
united and ablaze with enthusiasm the
cohorts Of plunder melted before its onward
march, and success crowned our efforts. 1t
was united Democracy which won success
10 1876, and this only can win SUCCESS in
1873, and maintain and strengthen it in 1880.
Let every man rememhor this and determine
that tho unity now existing shall never DO
z hrSlr IN ,.ok;l a. l.. r.
Radicalism has been removed from our Slate
and we have become q prosperous and happy
people. The future to day looks bright as the
Red Shirts, who contributed so much to our
victory in 1876.
The Chairman then introduced to tho audi.
ence the Hon. j. N. Lipscomb, who held the
people spoil bound in u speech Of an hour
and ten minutes. great portion of the
remarks Of COL Lipscomb was addressed to
the colorcd people and was replete with
sound advice and good logic. His speech
was intorsperscd with wit and humor, which
olicited shouts cfappluuse from the audience.
We had no opportunity for reporting. but tho
speech Of Col. l.. did himself and tho Demo-
oraoy credit.
Col. D. w. Aiken, our able and jealous
representative in Congress, was then intro
duced by Maj. S. p. Dondy, who was on the
stand by invitation of the Chairman. He
mado speech of one half hour, which clici-
ted much applause, and the latter portion of
which especially relative to educating our
a ohildren, was Of a truly mcrtorious character.
Helooked to education to givo us powcr and
wealth as q people and to confirm Democratic
government, and impressed upon all tho high
duty Of educating their sons and daughters
c as well as tho advantages to families in read
ing newspapers and keeping posted with
cnrrent news and the working Of tho govornr
ment. In the early part Of his speech Col.
"A. alluded specifically to subjects not likely
to unite our people or to bring colored men
into our party. The effect is likely to prove
injurious among the colorod votets If our
county. We differ with many mon as to tho
plan of strengthening our pafty, both among
The few white and colored Radicals in the
State. We oppose abuse as likely to drive
of, while kindness in counselipg will ulti.
8mately win. Let the leaders of tho party,
who are still left in the State, and who may
/ be still engaged in stirring up strife, meet
fsnofited rebnke, both in tho courts and from
tho rostrnpn, but in all tho counties lot us
win over the rank and flo by specially OK
tending Kindness and forgiveness to them. and
inviting then, TO 60 with the whites, their
true friends They have erred, but this with
tIioir ignorance and leattitade Of tho whites,
q isS NJ