The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1879-12-24
GARY ANSWERS HAMPTON.
How South Carolina Defeated Tilden
in 1875 - Trickery at AbbeYille -
Alleged Conspiracy Between Toombs,
Hampton, Cothran, HOyt and Others
Where Will It End?
I'm teleqraph 10 the Ne,u York Herald.]

days ago, have occasioned great excitement
in Columbia, and In fact all over South Caro-
Tina. For the past few days the matter has
been discussed at the street corners, in the
loblIes Of the State House and the hotels.
Both Hampton and Gary have hosts of warm
friends and supporters throughout the State,
and the people are very much excited over
the controversy between them. Opinions are
divided us to which one Of the disputnnts has
the advantage To-day / had short, informal
Interviews with q number of prominent
members OF the Legislature, which disclosed
the fact that the Gary stock Is rising rapidly
while the stock Of Hampton Is decidedly on
the wane. \ distinguished Charlestonian re-
marked with considerable warmth: Gary
is as much entitled to crcdence as Hampton,
and | wan something more substantial than
the lattcr's mere denial Of the grave imputie
tons. The mus of disproving Gary's charges
rests there, and IL will not do for him to retOrt
by dcnouncing them us false" One of the
leading lawyers of the state, who has always
been an ardent supporter OF Hampton, re-
marked that the whole thing Is IN ugly piece
Of business, and a few more such Interviews
would elect Gary Governor.
OPINIONS DIVERSE TO HAMPTON.
Another prominent politician expressed
himself In very pointed terms, declaring that
the effect OF Ilampton's bitter denunclatlons
was to make Gary tcn.fnld more popular Than
he ever was. I asked IL leading colored Re-
publican OF this city What the colorcd people
thought OF the controversy. and he replied
that it was mo funeral" of theirs, but as far
MS he was concerned he would prefer to q X
have the opponents OF Gary become that they
arc making efforts to get him out of the race
for Governor. y proposition was actually
made to-day to elect him Chief Justice II he
would withdraw from the race. He declined
the proposition in unique style, declaring
thai he would not take the position, for he
had serious mlssivings MS to his ability to fill
an office which required such profound legal
knowledge. The people are on the qui Uirc TO
see Gary's reply to Hampton's charges.
GENERAL GARY REPEATS HIS CHARGES.
This afternoon, with a view OF ascertaining
what the gallant General was going to do
about II, / called upon him at his hotel, and
with some difficulty induced him TO reply TO
my heterogeneous, rs follows:
Correspondcnt-General ! suppose you have
seen the interview with Senator Hampton,
published in the iNcW York Herald. In which
he asserts that your statement relative to the
DINA TO Tilden In 1876. and In regard to the
propositions made by Governor Hampton to
you to withdraw the electors or the Democrat
ic party for President and Vice-President Mt
the mass meeting at Abbeville In 1876; also
concerning the meeting that night, at which
Hampton, To ,mbs, McGOwan, Cothran and
others were prcsent,is utterly anu Absolutely
false?
General Gary-I have.
Correspondent-Have you anything to suy
General Gary-Well, yes. In the first place,
allow me to say IN that interview concerning
Mr.. Tilden l assert simply what every ONE
knows and what has long since been publish.
cd ull over.thc United States. viz: that Tllden
was sacrificed for the benefit OF the South,
and the illusions to Senator Hampton were
TO show that the disposition to withdraw the
electors Of the Democratic party for President
and Vice President existed in South Carolina
onrlt. In 1SSI, and rtIlntinufnh In n1pptnr0l
fraud by II through which Hayes and
Wheeler were unconstitutionally declared
elected, the Republican party secured the con-
tinunncc Of their party, In power, and the
doctrine Of local selfgovernmcnt. Whether
1t was n wise trade or not Is q grave question
which the future must decide. This State Is
redeemed now, and we are all discussing tho
when lskcd my honest opinion | have given a
frank reply, in which l have stated that Til:
den was sacrificed by some Of the leaders and
not by the people OF the South, and TINT If be
received the Democratic nomination the
II asses of the South would again give him u
hearty and cordial support.
HAMPTON DID ASK HIM TO "wrTTIDRAw.'
CorrespondeEt-What about the question Of
veracity between Hampton and yourself?
General Gary--It Is evident that Senator
Hampton is angry with me for abiding to
what has been an open secret for three years
and, rs he states himself, has been discussed
in the papers OF Georgia and this State. The
distinguished Senator Is again mistaken as &c
my being the author of the article alluded &c
by him. 1t is bitter prejudice and hatred tC
me, no doubt, that has and will continue tc
induce him TO believe that I am thc-auth0r oi
inSpirer Of every article that dlrcS 10 c%riticisC
his public acts. He. like the rest Of us, must
without complaint, receive n Just criticism
from tho people, whose servants VIC are
Every one In South Carolina knows that h,
hates. and has long hated me, as the Dcri
does "hoiy water" He seems to nurse hi.
wrath to keep il warm, and occasionally let!
toll, ashc did ut Grccnvillc last year, whcr
he called me "impcriincnt," and then liaC
me gagged by the State Executive Com
mittcc. l decline to exchange epithets Will
him, but am willing to Stand by the record
Now, to come down to the gist Of the matter
TIE REPLY TO HAMPTON.
reitcrate that Hampton did approach m,
on the speakers stand after / had FINISHED
my speech ut the Apbcvlllc mass meeting II
1876. us I have stated in my former interview
with the proposition to withdraw the Demo
cratic electors, and to this proposition l re
piled:
First, that rs South Carolina had sent dele
al convention which nominated 'Tildcn, tn,
withdrawal OF the electors would be a piece
of bad faith.
Second, / said it could not be done withou
calling another convention.
To this Senator Hampton responded that
might bcdone through the State Executive
Committee. Without acQuiescing, ! answered
Hampton that If he and the rest were resolv
cd to do 1t, / wouldn't make war upon tn,
conclusion. Itthus appears that l told Hamp
ton then and there I regarded 1t as an act
bad faith to the national Democratic party
and here repeat that l have always regard
cd 1t in the light Of q trcacllcrous disaffectiOr
to Tilden before his election. In stating that
tf ln n Jnfn1,fnpl land thn rnSt wpt'n rpSnI vpt
to do 1t, l would not make war upon the con
cluSion," ! meant that I would obey order.
from the headquarters Of the Democratic par
ty, my Judgment then and now being that II
would have proved fatal to the campaign, al
it would, to have made an attempt to change
front, not only In the presence OF the enemy
but In the midst OF the fight. 1t will be seer
that the reported interview does not raise ar
issue Of veracity upon the proposition that '.
have stated that he made to me-, for he say.
that l consulted with General Gary on this
matter orany other during that canvass OF
before it or since has entirely escaped my rec
objection, If this ever occurred" NOW Lei
Senator Hampton's memor be as treacher.
Gus as 1t may, the above statement Of what
occurred between US at q mass meeting at AT
bcville In 1875, Is the truth and nothing blu
the truth.
THE "HoT TIME" AT MRS. NoRwooD's.
So far as the next point upon which we diff
fer Is concerned as we stand In MY Interview
viz: 1--WE since heard that q meeting was
held at night, which / did not attend. but a
which Hampton, Toombs, General McGowal
ind Colonel Cotlran were present there wa
a hot time MCGOWAN wouldn't agree nohow
and the project fell through" have only Il
say that 1 did not state 1t upon my own
knowledge, but from q statement made to mt
by some Of those who were present. l be
lieve 1t is true. because made to me by respon,
slble parties and corroborated by General
Mc(tOVan. since the aDDearaDCe of Senate
tIampton's interview in the New York Herald
in reply to mine published in the same paper
In an Interview with General MCGOWAN ht
has stated to me, in the presence Of two gen
tlemen, first, that q meeting was held at thu
house Of Mrs. Norwood, in the town OF Able
Vile, on the night of the day Of the mas
meeting at AbbeYille, In the year 1876; secont
that Hampton, Toombs, MCGOWAN, Colone
Cothran and others were present 4: third, tina