Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1880-06-17
WALTALLA SOUTH CAROLINA, THURSDAY, JUNE N, 1880

| arc thousands in and out of tho State who
! are beginning to agree with that greatest Iv.
ing generals, Joseph Il. Johnston, that Joseph
E. Brown was the very best selection that
could have been made under all tho cir
cumstanccs surrounding our present and
the momcntous issues involved in our 20.
liticll contests for the future. There arc
great men and true mon now in high
places of responsibility, who believe that
tho time had come in the South when the
integrity of our society, the security of our
property easl the supremacy of our political
principles required lhat we should 80 libcr-
alizc our policy as to extend the olive
branch to all men now in accord with our
principles, although they hud differed from
US in the transition stage succeeding tho
war as to public policy. They saw in
Governor Brown tho most distinguished
representative Of that class of citizens in
the entire South. They saw in him
man of intellect, If long experience, of
distinguished services in the ante bellum
history of tho State. A man of large
property deeply Interested in the material
progress of the country and in stable gov.
crnmcnt-a life long Democrat, who,
although denounced by us for voting for
Grant and reconstruction in 1868, was
Joined by us in voting for Greeley and re-
construction in 1872. Applause This
is, | say, what other men, able and true,
saw in this appointment. What did Gov
crnor Colquitt see to guide him to a con.
clusion whioh his enemies now seek to use
to his 6ptrimcn,? If he will permit it,
/ will publish his letter Informing mo of
Governor Browns appointment and of the
results lie expected to be produced upon
himself, the party and tho country. IIc
saw the two strongest Democratic districts
in the State lost to the Democratic party.
lie saw in third the same fate seriously
threatened. lie saw in fourth Hammond,
able aud eloquent, elected after most labo.
rous struggle. lie saw the party upon
whose supremacy seems to depend all that
is valuable to us az people, apparently on
the verge of dissolution. He saw tho
friends aud life long followers of Governor
Brown among the hardy yeomanry of the
mountains dissatisfied aud ready to break
with the organization; and he felt that he
might thus recall them to their allegiance,
rccapturc these Democratic stronghoids,
harmonizc former differences, assuage bit
terncss >and assure the future Of Demo
cratic supremacy. / wish to repeat here
that everybody knows that am not the
champion Of Governor Brown, but it is
due our manhood that We either cease hos
tility to Governor Brown or cease to ask
his time and talents aud money for the
benefits of our party. 1t is due to truth
to state that Governor Brown has been
unfatcring in his fidelity to tho Democratic
party for ten or twelve years; that he was
the supporter of Milton Smith, of Alfred
Colquitt and of myself in my last race for
tho Senate, even against his life long friend
that upright jurist ard great statesman,
IIcrschc! Y. johnson. 1t would be un-
worthy in mo were to fail in this public
manner, to testify to the earnest, unswcrv--
ing, potential sid given in the last cam
paigns to myself a to the standard bear
crs Of the party in ,hc@e hotly contested
mountain districts. {Arplause.) Iu thus
speaking at some length upon the purpo-
scs of Governor Coquitt in mixing this
appointWfnt, have done him but simple
Justice. IT I know myself speak in tho
cause of truth, Of harmony, of Democratic
unity. (Appausc.) One thing is certain,
that while others high in position were
apologizing for or defending Grant; while
hc drove tho cold iron into the breast of
Louisiana, Governor Brown was dcnouncing
this act of tyranny. applause and cries of
"thats so.")
And now my countrymcn, you have this
whole question before you. What nro you
to do about it2 Am who know tho facts,
and you who have now heard the facts, to
stand coldiy by and SEQ Coquitt stricken
down for this act? Are you to sit still,
am to be silent while this upright man,
this brave soldier, this able executive and
stainless CHRISTIAN is bounded by dctrao.
ton, blackencd ty defamation and robbed
of the chapet of untarnishcd honor with
which his grateful countrymon have crown.
cd him, and which the God of humanity
has stamped upon his brow? Cloud and
prolonged cheers, intcrrupting the speaker
for somo time, and cries Of "no, ncver.")
| como now, my follow citizens, to the
last act in the drama by which "thc pre-.
torian guards have sold out Georgia"
Gordon takes the position of counsel for q
railroad company. Yes, that is true. But
suppose it turns out that this position was
rendered by the president Of the Louisville
and Nashville Railroad Company. Suppose
it turns out, also, that sent my rcslgua.-
tion 10 order to accept another business
position entirely disconnected with the
Louisville aod Nashville Railroad COMPANY
or with any other railroad company East of
the Rocky Mountains. What, then, vii!
these men say who aro so disturbed lest
somebody should do something wrong?
What will they then do for some prctcxt
for narrowing up their righteous souls?
(Grcat !aughtcr.) We'll, this is precisely
tho truth, as will appear by the documents