The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1879-01-31
UNION G. H., SOUTH CAROLINA, JANUARY 81 1879
PLAIN TALK FROM HAMPTON.

UNlON y.
PLAIN TALK FROM HAMPTON.
Correspondent "Governor, what have
you to say touching the Blaine.Te iuvos-
tigation Y'
THE BOTTOM FACTS WANTED.
Governor 81 have no earthly objection
to the investigation itself, if the right to
make it is conceded. Of course, under the
present circumstances, we could not lodge
an objection touching the unwarrantable
espionage involved in this measure without
being misconstrued, and think Thurman,
Lamar, Butler and others with them
received this measure with most becoming
spirit. Now that it has been undertaken,
l wish tosee it 60 to the bottom. Whatever
wo here have done amiss, let il bes shown.
However It may expose ahy possible Ndefe-
LECTION of ours, it must do us good in the
end. Nogood citizen, no wtse man, no qood
patriot can afford to cloak and cover up
{raud'or corruption IN elections. 1t goes
to the root of our institutions, and it de.
stroys the fruition of liberty itself But we
have Alright to ask that the Teller committee
shall tell the whole story and not the half
OF it. Whatever comfort there is in it,
and l confess it is very poor one, due, an
honest investigation will discover rs much
irregularity on the Republican side of our
household as thu Democratic. And this
much may say, that go far as intimidation
is concerned there was literally none what.
ever on our side, whilst on the Republican
side there arc tho most unquestionable evi.
dences of
GROSS INTIMIDATION.
Two cases of this kind happened with
two of tho employees of my son.in-law Col.
Haskell. Two of his 'hands" we're sadly
beaten for voting the Democratic ticket
So, too, there were instances of fuuquestion-
able intimidation on the part of the Repub.
licans all over the State. This was more
or less to be looked for. We had all the
surrounding influences of superior wealth.
social and political power, on our side, which,
naturally, without actual or undue con-
straint, exercises great control over the
average votes of the country. When, then,
the Republican party saw power slipping
from their hands like water from the broken
vessels at the well, they first denied it and
then put the thumb-screws on their colored
partisans to hold them to their old political
reckcnings whether or no. Every sensible
man, North or South, will at once recognize
this Condition Of things, and the nnvarnisheti-
truth ofthe relation thereof. Hence, though
l have not been permitted to exercise the
executive functions of my Office since the
election, owing to the unhappy accident
which befell me, the Executive of the State,
in the worthy hands into which it has fallen,
will be found, I doubt not, recognizing
facts as they are, and opposed to lending
itselft to useless and unworthy recriminations
on the colored Republicans in this matter.
Our courts are fully open to all parties,
and our State la,cs ,eiU be found amply
prouident and sufficiently penal touching
this Unole matter. Our judges are gontle-
men above reproach, aud will know neither
Republicans nor Democrats in the discharge
Of their duties, and whatever fault might
be found with juries on the score of partisan
bias, either on one side or the other, there
would be the evidence taken under the
control of bipartisan judges and sent to the
jury under charges which could not and
would not spuint at fraud or intimidation.
How happens it, then, that no complaint
touching the elections are lodged with our
courts? Why, plainly because the Republi-
cans know that those who live in glass
houses should not throw stones"
Correspondent: "Governer, do you frankly
acknowledge, then, that there were irregu-
larities in our Democratic household ?"
DEMOCRATIC IRREGULARITIES.
Governor: ~ do, unguestiona5ly. 1t
seemed impossible to prevent it in view of
the terrible moral obliquy visited on our
people by the Radical rule under which
they have lived since the war. This is a
far greater curse to US than all the thefts
that have been perpetysted on us, bare
catalogue Of which filed columns of our
newspapers. No one can regret this more
than l do, and no one could have striven
harder to impress its wrongfulness and
absolute impolicy upon our people than
have. And now hold as ever its utter
impolicy."
THE DEMOCRATS IN FULL CONTROL OF THE
STATE.
Correspondent: "Governor, what have
you to say as to the actual Democratic
strength Of the State 7"
Governor "It is unquestionably and
Overwhelmingly in the control of the State.
Hence, euen the poor ercuse Of being neces.
sary to the preservation Of cipiRzed rule is