The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1879-11-20
''Independent" Doctrine.

The card below published by VIM. J.
Gayer, independent candidate for Mayor
of Charleston, has no special interest for
the people of this section, but it contains
in such plain language the views of the
Independents, that we give it in full in
order to expose the sophistry of such
doctrines:
Fellow- Citizens of Charlcston A desire
to place myself right upon the record,
and q determination not to be miscon-
strued, induce me to address you.
When I accepted the nomination of
my friends in June last as the peoples
national Democratic candidate" for the
Mayoralty of Charleston, distinctly
stated that l intended to run within and
not without the Democratic fold. This
I now reiterate. love my people too
we'll not to desire their cordial support.
The Office of Mayor would have no value
for me without this.
/ stated openly at the meeting referred
to that I had always been opposed to cut
and dried conventions and cut and dried
primaries. Such cut and dried conven-
tions and primaries are tyrannies at best
and thavestics upon true Democracy.
They have been always dangerous and
odious to liberty-loving people, and are
resorted to only in the interests of those
who are too weak before the people, and
who could not be elected in any other
way.
If the people of Charleston are tired of
any one thing it is of the government of
mere cliques and classes, and of public
servants dictated by them. They want,
if | know them, no one foisted on them
by office-seeking politicians, whose only
strength is derived from well-managed
machinery. In this State at this time
machine politics should have no place.
We are met right here with the argu-
ment that such course is necessary to
hold the Democratic party together. If
this be true, then God help the Demo-
cratic party.
The people should be welded together in
everything involving the true interests Of
the community; but this cannot be done
by crushing out liberal sentiments in the
party, by dogmatically forcing men and
opinions upon people, or by engender-
ing bitterness among fellow-Democrats.
All that the people ask is for men, whom
they know to be capable and of sufficient
strength in the community to secure
fair election without resort to violence,
fraud or chicanery. Any other course
is short-sighted and hurtful in the ex-
treme.
hold that in the policy of 1876 and
1877 our people, under the leadership of
Senator Hampton, pursued the right
course. They secured to the State, under
that leadership, good and economical
government. Such government could
not have been obtained had the narrow
and contracted views that, in my opinion,
are sought to be forced upon this COM
munity been followed. Had the Demo
cratic party in this State announced, as
one wing Of the Democratic party of this
city did in its call in Ward 7 announce,
that none but white Democrats could or
should be "allowed to attend or take
part" Gen. Hampton never would have
been Governor of the State Of South Car
olina, nor would he and Gen. Butler be
now representing this State in the United
States Senate.
fully endorse the views expressed by
Senator Hampton in his speeches when
he was candidate for Governor, in 1876,
and in the speech recently made by him
in Abbeville in regard to the liberal
course which should be pursued. If his
views be not Democratic, and if they do
not express the sentiments of the Demo
cratic party in South Carolina, then /
confess that l am no Democrat. If his
views are Democratic, and / will state
here what I understand them to be, then
I am Democrat in full accord with my
party.
I understand Gen. Hampton to be in
favor of liberal government, dealing
out even-handed justice to Democrat and
Republican, to white man and black man
alike. I understand him to frown down
fraud and corruption in whatever party
it may be found, and among whatever
men it may exist. I understand him to
deprecate in this State the raising of any
issues that would array race against race,
or class against class. I understand him
further to desire the voices of all good
men, independent of what may have been
their party affiliations in the interest of
good, honest and economical government.
On this platform propose to stand, and
on this platform I confess that 1 would
proudly receive the vote of any man be-
longing to any party.
VIM. ]. GAYER.
November 5th, 1879.