The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1880-05-13

NaClOual DeulUCIdCy. aiO Ho PASpotS"
for the contest? There is no Disgusting
the fact that there is not that harmony
in the party as to State and National
politics that should exist amongst our
leaders. The action Of certain leaders
has been to declare that they and not the
people should rule the party. They as
sert the spirit of autocracy, and the peo-
pie reassert the principles of Democracy.
The autocratic and aristocratic leaders
will be driven to the wall whenever the
issue is made up between them and the
masses of the people. They will then
find out that this is Government of the
people, by the people, and for the people.
The rule of the aristocratic oligarchy
who governed this State for the last one
hundred years is at an end. The parish
system of representation has been abol-
ished. The Bank of the State, the great
fiscal agent through which the taxpayers
of the State were robbed by these aristo-
cratic leaders before the war, is an insti-
tuition of the past. The South Carolina
College has been or will be opened upon
a different basis; it will no longer be
supported by taxing the poor man to ed
ucate the rich mans SONS; it will be
open alike to the rich and poor white
youths, free of charge. The policies,
measures and principles of these "rule or
ruin" leaders will never be fastened again
upon the people of this State.
Look, by way of contrast, at the or.
eanization of the Republican party, with
a we'll defined platform, in which the
principles of the party are clearly enun-
ciated, With no fusion plank in it, no ad-
mixture of Democratic and Republican
principles, with we'll defined policy on
finance, with harmony amongst the lead
ers, and with touch of the elbow Of the
rank and file of the party, with q great
captain foreshadowed as their leader,
with the right to send United States mar.
shals to every election precinct, backed
by the United States troops, with the re-
cent decision Of the Supreme Court of
The United States, which declares that
Judges, commissioners and managers of
election, where candidates for National
Offices are voted for, are subject TO indict.
ment and trial in the United States
Courts where partisan Radical judges
preside and prostitute the law for party
purposes. This is all done despite the
tenets of the Democratic party, despite
the theory of local self-government or
the doctrine of State rights. 1t is a
party with the purse and sword in their
hands, and q party who are avowedly
ready to use one or both to secure, main
tain and perpetuate their party in power.
This startling picture of power and
the sinews of party should cause our
most wreckless autocratic leaders to
pause and consider their line of action,
and our most selfish otfice.seekers to in
quire, Are there not others as we'll quail.
fed as themselves to hold Office?
In my four years service in the State
Senate T have had to expose those who
were high in Office, who had banded to-
gether to rob the taxpayers by compell-
ing them to recognize and pay the
S3,6OS,717 of those bonds that we're
fraudulent. I have had to point 10 the
"bond rings" organized to secure pay
ment, dollar for dollar, for fraudulent
bonds bought at ten cents on the dollar;
to break up, as far as could, their ras-
cally schemes to rob the people of their
scanty sustenance. have had to oppose
the placing upon the Bench of men
charged with bribery and corruption, to
the exclusion of some of the ablest and
purest lawyers of our State. have had
to oppose the turning loose upon our So
ciety the thieves and robbers who de.
spoiled our State. The fallacious maxim
that universal amnesty was the highest
craftsmanship is demonstrated to have
been not only All error, Out criminal
mistake-a grievous wrong to our people.
1t is said that two-t thirds of the members
of the recent Radical Convention which
met in Columbia were men who had been
granted an amnesty pardon, or who had
figured prominently in the reports of the
committee on frauds. To compound a
felony is against the ancient common law
of the land. If these guilty men had
been consigned to the State Penitcntiary,
where they properly belonged, there
would not have been corporaps guard
of the Radical party left in this State.
My unreleuting opposition to profess
sional and unscrupulous politicians has
naturally caused them to antagonize me
in every possible manner in the party. !
was gagged in 1878, for fear that I would
tell what I knew of their bribery and
corruption. I can only look to the pure,
patriotic and manly element of the Dem
ocratic masses to sustain my course and
to vindicate my record. During the
whole term of my service as Senator |
have from time to time been the subject
of harsh criticism and unblushing SIAN
ders. I have borne the criticism with
indifference, and refuted again and again
their lying and malicious ISLANDERS. AT
one time was charged as being about to
join the Radical party, and this vile
slander was at once echoed in this county
by those who have nursed their personal
animosities to keep them warm, and who
under cover of political opposition have
given currency to such unfounded SLAM
ders. Recently they have charged me
with having declared that I intended tc
run as an Independent candidate fol
Governor. This SANDER is in keeping
with the one that I intended 10 join the
Republican party. 1t is as false rs The
rest.
T have never announced myself as q
candidate for the Office of Governor. ]
have said that it was an office that ]
would not seek, and that had rather be
politically right than to be Governor Of
the State; and I repeat again this senti.
ment. l have always recognized the fact
that the majority should rule as being a
part of the Democratic creed, and appli-
cable alike to the action of conventions
and the result of Democratic primaries,
and pledge myself to abide their action
The recent statement that I was the au'
thor or in any way connected with the
race for the municipal Offices of this
town, which turned upon the question o
whiskey licenses, is also utterly and en-.
tirely false. have hitherto announced
that was willing to retire at any time