The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1879-12-24
RIcGONAN,S REPLY.

McGOWAN'S REPLY.
To 81 Tildcn Demecrat'-Triumph
ant Vindication Of Hampton-Refu'
tation of Gary's Charges Of s'Treacli'
ery.v
[Rep,blishcd from our JfleS.l
ApnEvlLLE, s. c., January Is, 1877
augusta Chronicle and Sentinel: .
a friend has this moment broughttS my at.
tentiOn Il communication In your paper OF
the 10th instant under the signature of "A
Tildcn DemOcrat,' upon the SUBJECT OF inc
late canvass in South Carolina. Our court Is
now in session, and | have littl" time at my
command; but us reference Is made TO me by
name, it. seems proper that | should make a
short statement. ] shall not, In this hurried
way, attempt to do more than refer TO the
matter which concerns myself. Other gentle
men can speak for themselves.
was one of the electors ut large for the
State OF South Carolina on the Democratic
ticket, and us such, in ASSOCIATION win otnI
Tildrn and Hendricks. 1t was not only my
duty to support their election and promote 1t
in every honorable way, but L did IL con
amore. Having a strong opinion OF the great
Importance Of their election. | Supportcdtheln
earnestly as u matter OF principle ana patrl-
otiSm. The design of your correspondent
seems to boat least 1t will be the effect OF his
communicatioh-tomake ltappcar mar south
Carolina, under the leadership OF General
Hampton as q candidate for Governor gave
TO Tilden and Hendricks a lukewarm support
in the late election. Among other things he
sa% rs ,rh ,,o scbon,oa o 70 withdraw the
electoral ticket failed, the spirit which In
splrcd it survived, and made itself felt during
the campaign and at the election. ~ Is no nnt
den and the National Democracy through inc
policy pursued by Gen. Hampton y
Tildcn and Hendricks seemed entirely forgot
ten, and the whole fight was made against
Chamberlain" This seems to reflect upon, or
ut least to ignore altogether, the electors.
THE TO REDEEM TIE STATE NOT
INCONSISTENT.
Gen. Hampton, with the other gentlemen
on the state ticket, and the electors, canvass
ed the State together, and spoke at the same
appointments made by the state Executive
Committee. / heard and believe 1t Is true,
that a proposition was made during the can
vass By certain Republican leaders In the
State to support Hampton against Chamber
lain If the former would have the DcnlocIntlc
electoral ticket withdrawn, Such n PROPOSE
ton, however, I had not heard OF until IN our
progress we had reached Abbevllle, wheie
Judge Cooke, believed to be one OF the Repub.
lican leaders referred TO. made his first speech
for Hampton. At that place the matter was
brought to our attention and was talked
about, the proposition was not entertain,
ed for one omen On that occasion a good
zeal WIS III Ill IL l u CollN thophp ~
inheritance and prospects Of our success both
in the State and In the Federal elections.
With q colOred majority OF nearly 10000 In
the State, it was well known that the contest
would be q desperate one. The admlniStra-
ton OF the State government had been SO In
famous. and touched the people so closely,
and affected them Satisfactorily, that reform
In the State seemed TO be considered para.
Indicated that the leaders of the National
Democratic party had little or no hope from
our State, and We would have TO 1ight IL out
by ourselves. it was suggested that possibly
they might consider tho active campaign
which VIC were obliged to make In TINS state
as calculated to damage them In other states.
Yet, in the absence or on tnat
subject, 1T was concluded that the Struggle lor
the State government was not inconsistent
with an effort to aid in the larger struggle TO
redeem the general government: and that
nothing should induce even the Consideration
of the proposed withdrawal, unless the Exec
utive Committee of the National Democratic
party should request 1t.
Two ELECTIONS on THE SAME PLANE.
Tho effort to redeem the State would doubt
less nave been made II no PRESIDENTIAL e!ec-
ton had been pending; butas 1t was not AN
off year." and as there was an election Tor
President, 1t was not perceived how two cleo.
tions-running in the same plane OF REFORM
could materially conflict with each other:
Indeed, some of US thought and still think,
that the most certain ana eitectlre way 70
E)TIGCl lllt we vi kiS set
to secure the triumph OF the National Demo-
cratic party, and q change of rulers at Wash
inrton: that the redemption OF the Statc
government clnnot be complete wlthout mat
Triumph and that consequent change
For these and other good reasons the propo-
sitiOn to change the programme ut the IN
stance of the Republican leaders was not en-
tertaincd. On the contrary. we auhcseu 10
common cause and fight toeE'.e ~ against cor,
ruption and for reform. both &c state ana
the general governments. SO -. as / Know
the Republican leaders referred to ala not re.
new their proposition. Judge Cooke soon ar
ter abandoned Hayes, and both he and Judge
MacIey. as | an informed. voted not only for
Hampton, but also for Tildcn.
HAMPTON DESIRED II ELECTION OF TILDEN
AND: HENDRICKS.
The campaign went on as before. General
Hampton being Il candidate for Governor
confined himself In his speeches chieiiy othe
State politics. I believe he considered the
election of the State ticket as more Important
to the State thai the election of the National
ticket, hut know he desired the election OF
both. The consultation at Abbeville, which
was not generally known, had no effect what,
ever in chilling the enthusiasm for Tildcn ana
The electors continued to speak
ut the appointments made for Hampton ana
the State ticket, and carried on inc hSnt LOT
vieor they possessed up to the very day OF the
election. Indeed. they did not cease their ef
forts then. but believing they had carried the
State fairly, they cast the electoral vote 1or
and Hendricks and sent II to Washing
ton, In order, IL possible, to reap the fruits
their labOrs, they have continued me stiuS,
up to the present hour. They pOllcd Hl,OOO
Votes for Tilden, of which 1000 or 1900 were
cast by colored men :; and In doing so they
performed what friends as well as opponents
considered as an impoSsibility. contrary 10
the expectations Of all, they carried inc ",a'e,
or came within few votes Of doing SO. 1t is
believed that the people OF any Stale IN
the Union were more enthusiastic, worked
harder or mortwillingly made sacrifccs lor
Mr.. Tildcn than the white people OF South
Carolina. In proof OF this, reference is hiaoe
to the following
~IND1sPUTABLE STATEMENTS.
LIST. The white people of the state were "sol-
i'd for Tilden,' It Is not believed that 20 ma.
tive whites, excluding o~ificc-holders, voted
against MIN. 81
I'd. Many Of the colorcd people voted for
Tilden. In different parts of the State 'Tilden
Colored Clubs" with rcd shirts, oanners anu
were common.
Sd. With q large colorcd majority, the con-
test on or part was e T ea, oy our Was op ihc
fight that 1t Is now admitted by all ina we
came within q few votes OF carrylnGTil we
did not actually carry-the State for Illden,
ted for Hampton and Hayes. but not n large
number. Except In rare instances, the vote
w~as-Tildcn for President; Hampton FOR gov.
ernOr, In the whole State the vote lot llluen
was not two thousand less than That for
Hampton.
9Th. In the white belt consisting OF the up
per counties, the vote for Tilden was identl,
cal with thai OF Hampton. They ran part
pussl, and in some counties Tilden led ny a
few votes. .,
Even under the "peace and prosperity" pol;
lev, all the white people voted for Tildcn ana
and 1t is most confidently. believed
that the large colorcd vote polled for them
was secured alone by that wise and just pol
ley which was strictly in accordance with
Mr.. Tilden'S letter of acceptance.
A MERE HANDFUL OF VOTES.
We think these facts prove the sin certify,
good faith and activity of emocIatic cleo
for the State of South Carolina In the latc
canvass. and that Tildcn and Hendricks were
not "drscrtcd."
Under these circumstances IT is mortifylng
TO fail IL that must be the result 1t Is more
notifying to fail by a mere handful OF Votes
less than five hundrcd-but 1t Is stll,l more
Notifying, because 1t is unjust, to be told
that the State gave Il lukewarm support to Mr..
Tilden and was lost to the National pemocra-
cy by the bad "policy" Of one who was not an
e%Iector. but u candidate for Governor.
Yours Respectfully.