The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1879-12-17

go HN ~
or more In front of the building. The~ had
surrounding country, and embraced many
negroes, their object being toputin power the
men they had elected. I told them I did not
want any disturbance, and asked them to 60
away. In three minutes the crowd was out OF
sight; yet. as stood on those steps | felt that
nothing had yet happened'tous SO appalling
as the danger threatened by that mob, which
was so friendly to me, That was q Democrat
ic opportunity. You see how we used It.
Well, after my Inauguration wroteto Grant
that, II l was to continue in the duty OF the
office to which | Ind been electedf he must
withdraw the troops, which WINS done In
together and tie business Of the govern ment
proceeded quietly. IN 1878 the Radicals put
no ticket In the field In opposition to ours
Now here Is Il point about the negroes. We
received 10000 votes. If the negroes did not
vote for me. who did? Counting every white
vote In the State as thrown for me, I must
have received about 1900 negro votes. l dc
not believe there IL n man IN this country
who could draw the negro vote away from INT
to-day.
Now, there you have an idea Of how tho
negroes are coming to regard the native
whites. They sec the contrast; between tht
State government rs 1t Is to-day and AS 1t was
In the Courts they sit on every jury; theil
children In the public schools ontnumber tht
whites ; they live In perfect harmony witt
u.s.. Have you seen anything to the contra
ry ?" ..-
I answered that, as far rs had been II
bled to observe, there was perfect harmony
Good Feeling Between the Races,
"Sec some Of the prominent black Repub
leans here md ask them how the negroes arr
treated here" said Gov, Hampton. See tht
Postmaster ut this city OF Columbia; lie Is m
| tnfpIliUnpf cOfnrnd man 'nnd ha prqtpf
many others. ~
~ say, then" he continued, that. although
the black population here exceeds the white
the Republicans, Ia an honest election, can
not assure themselves of victory. I BELIEVE
that. If the campaign next year Is not mad,
aggressive on our part. and is conducted a
mine was, We will return II majority. Delive
me from bitterness, v tive and persona
abuse" .. D.
"What among. the Northern papers ha
representations Of Southern affairs 2"
"Tlo New York Sun. The Times has beer
thing -
In Partisan Radical Paper,
But the New York Sun, pretending to be
National Democratic paper, has lied abou
and perverted and mallgned our actions on,
whether 1t Is done through Ignorance or In
tentlonally, but It's course has been YER
obnoxious. I noticed this morning that /
has made another attack on me-. In til
ard, and saying tliut the South, representing
SO large q per centagc OF the Democrat
strength OF the country, Ind n right to som
consideration In the choice OF candidates.
was placed In the position Of opposing Bay
ard md Mcdonald. az only representing tn
North and the Northwest. That Is just tn
reverse OF my true position, and the revers
Of what ! said. I told them that all we !
the South ns1ed was that they should nom
mate strong men from the North and tn
Northwest, and that we would support then
heartily; that we had no desire to putforwar,
any claims of our own. I think Mr.. Bayar
Is q remarkably strong man. and l believe =
will be elected Ii he Is nominated. He will
draw out the strength OF the South as TO on
could whom IDow can recall. Mr.. Mcdonald
Of Indiana. Is another strong candidate, an
the people Of the South are highly Statistic
with him." -.
"If seymour should run" <''
"IfHoratiO Seymour should run he would b
the favorite.,of the South, but I think there
nothing to be hoped for In his case. III
health, I understand. would make II imposs
bic for him TO be o candidate"
"Mr. Tildep?"
"Mr. Tildcn is dead, politically, here"
"What Is the idea OF such united Souther
opposition inGongress to the Federal electio
laws7"
"You mean with reference to the appoin
IuCUG VI IIIbl slltlIS IL lit pOllS ltNIuS ponS
TO call for armed assistance and max o.
rests? Why. because 1t revives the old or
pOrtunities for corruption and bulldoZin
! which we have laborcd 80 hard 10 drive ava,
and are now seeking to keep away. Civ
such an appointcc such power II he has tn
question Of what the result at the polls wi
be In his own hands. 1t Is to avoid sue
scenes rs we have witnessed here that we
Want the Repeal Of These Laws.
For instance, OH the occasion Of the WalIac
election In this State, when so many peopl
were arbitrarily arrested for Ku-kluxism an
one pretenSe or another, and subjected TO II
dignlties to prevent them from voting, thu
| the people became alarmed, and many Of GU
quiet, respectable citizens left the district I
avoid the Inconvenience and risk OF arres
It is to avoid such things US that that We Of
pose those laws"
II have spoken with many Southern ger
tlcmen, who seem to ncquiesce In the selct
ton of Grant us TIT Republican candidate
deeming him u person representing less dar
ger to their Interest than any OF the preser
Republican avaIlables-Sherman, Conklin
and Blaine, for instance. They say that wit
Grant the campaign will not be SO bitter as
would with either OF these men,
II don't know. The world, and particular
ly tho South, knows what Grant did and VIC
when he was President. What he may d
aguiu nobody can say. But he Is not Il candI
date. When he II, l will feel Mt liberty 10 e!
press my opinion Of him, rs I old q Chicng
editor who telcgrapbed to me for my opinio
OF him. We have not begun TO disturb oul
selves in this Suite over these questions yet.