The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1879-11-06
POEITICAL GOSSIP.
A Fairfield Wow Of General Gary.
TErOm thc f,om1cn JnurnoI,

T.. tFrom the Camden Journall
-At1itor Of the Jouan0l: am high
~ gratiticd to sec your own and other
papers coming out boldly and indc-
pcndcntly for General Gary for Gov
crncr, for under the reprcssivc, or gag,
policy which has prevailed in this
State, l feared that the Clarion voice
which has sounded SO clearly and fear
lcssly from the first battle Of Manassas
to the surrender ut Appomatox, and
from the time it sounded the slogan in
1876 till white winged peace had set
tied over our State was silcnccd, and
the deeds of the soldier and statesman
forgotten. "Old Mart Gary" has
made II gallant fight for his country
and people from tho time he led tho
Hampton Legion at Manassas to the
time when he said "South Carolinians
never surrender" and left the field of
ApponatloX; and then again from the
time he electrified the State by the
victory over Chamberlain and Corbin
to the time when tho Supreme Court
repudiated moro than million dollars
worth of fraudulent bonds-for which
we may thank him and his cO-wOrkors.
lie has always fought on the sido Of tho
pcoplc-the rhttc pe0pic-of the State,
and many of the reforms which havo
been accomplished have been the re-
suit of his labor and bearing, for too
often hc has been compelled to lead
where but few dared to follow. IIo
has been called "ambitious," "a dcma-
GOGuc," and many other names, but
neither threats nor 1rowns of powers
or principalitics, Of bondholdcrs or
Radicals have made him swcrve from
tho course marked out for himself as Il
representative Of the people. His re-
cord will compare favorably with that
Of any other man in South Carolina for
skill and courage rs a soldier, for abili-
ty or foresight rs statesman; and his
devotion to the State and her best in
tcrcsts, as he sees them, is almost with
out parallel, for lie has often had to
stand alone when he was clcarly--as
time has provcn--in the right.
Was Gary more ambitious, or less
patriotic, than any other man because
he fought bravcly and skilliully and
won distinction during the war? Has
he been more ofa dcmagOguc, or less
the statesman than othcrs because he
contcntlcd for upright Judges, the usu-
ry law and against the fraudulent
debt, when time has proven his views
to be correct? lie nominated Hamp-
ton and Simpson, and both have been
one now Governor and
the other in the United States Senate,
rs is also his co-worker, General NJ. G..
Butler, who seconded his efforts in
1876. Gary, after putting many of
these men in position, and after dcclin-
ing the position of attorney general in
favor ofGcncral Conner, took his po-
sition III the State Senate, where he
purgcd that body, also helping to
purge the House, and there demanded
plisllcd. His record in the State Sen
Carolnian who ever occupied u posi-
ton there, and, but for him, many
evils would have remained uncorrcct-
cd.
Hampton, Butler, Kcrshaw, Wal
lace, Iiagood, Conner, Haskell and
many others have been rewarded, some
ofthcm once, twice, yea three times;
and even Willard and NIackcy have
not been forgotten, (bcing "always
around when They were handing out
the Offices" as Mackcy said,) and
Gary is still left out in tho cold. ITa-
good who is also spoken of for Govern
or, who has had The position Of Comp
trollcr-Gcncral for four years, drawing
Il salary Of about So, 900 annually,
which will amount to about $4,000
out Of the State trcasury-and he thus
has had his reward.
The State certainly owes Gary some
thing, and what shall she give him?
Surely not the cold shoulder, as she
has done, while honors arc piled upon
those who did lcss-who, in fact, owe
their positions to him. Although hc
has been "gaggcd," and pcrsccutcd by
those who have stood by him, he has
been too proud to complain or bend;
and although he docs not ask for po-
sition, or "brcad," surely they will
not Golfer him stonc."
We are glad to hear voice from
across the river raised in behalf of
Gary, for he helped to give us McIver,
Kcrshaw, Hudson and others, and this
should not be forgotten. Let us say,
also, that General, or sold John" Brat
ton, brave, honest and true, should not
be forgotten, and wo hope you will
give him n place Oh the State ticket
also. There arc many good men in
the State, who should not be forgotten,
for "time about is fair play" and
there is no good reason why q set of
men should be allowed to monopoliZc
the honors and cmolumcnts of the
State, to the exclusion Of those equally
deserving.
To come back to General Gary, VIC
have this to say in conclusion: That if,
after all he has done for us, he is to be
prosecuted, "gaggcd," ignored, over
slaughcd and forgotten, or pushed aside
by the leaders, sO-callcd, Of the State:
If the people arc not to be consulted,
and the ring masters arc to decide who
shall or shall not have Office, then we
will soon demand to know the reason
why; for we have not forgotten him.
Let him como before the people in q
primary or other election, and we will
show thcm who the people want.
They may manipulate their convcn-
tions, but they cannot change the
hearts Of tho people, for in these Gary
willllivc. Iln has grown old and gray,
and, am told, feeble, 100, in tho serv-
ice ofhis country; and though they
may "kccp him down." or thrust him
aside, or gag" him again, because he