Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1880-10-28
5000 PEOPLE IN ATTENDANCE!

5000 PEOPLE IN ATTENDANCE!
If at any time, and from any cause, the fear
existed that the York Democracy were apa-
thetic and lukewarm on the subjects and mo-
mentous issues involved in the present cam
paign, that feeling was fully dispelled by the
grand demonstration in Yorkville on Tuesday
last.
Causes of a local nature, entirely removed
from politics, and the pressing duties of the
people on their farms during the past fall
which has been unusually propitious to the
opening of cotton, many fields of which are
even now white with the open bolls of the
feecy staple-prevented the people from de-
voting that time to political demonstrations,
in the absence of any special occasion for
such action, until the present. Not that they
were Indifferent to the great principles OF
their party or the success of their chosen lead
ers, but four years of political supremacy in
the county, with the peace and prosperity con-
sequent to Democratic rule, may have lulled
them into a sense of security-whether false
or genuine-which gave rise to the opinion
in some quarters that they were indirectly
aiding and abetting the enemy by giving him
the opportunity to make a hasty walk around
while they were quietly sleeping. But the
York Democracy never sleeps-metaphor
ly speaking-and if she falls to nOdding, the
left corner of the right eye is usually open.
So when danger began to threaten-when
emissaries of the Greenback party began to
peregrinate through the county, and when the
Republicans began to hold public meetings and
county conventions, and when the chosen
speakers and leaders of that party began to
organize their cohorts for open opposition to
the principles of Constitutional Government,
Home Rule and Honesty, the optics of the
Democracy-if if they had at all been closed
rapidly opened to the sense of danger before
them, and to organize for resistance was no
sooner resolved than accomplished.
For several days past, I. D. Witherspoon,
Esq, the indefatigable chairman of the county
Democratic executive committee, assisted by
several public speakers, some of them nomi-
nees of the party, and Others gentlemen feeling
an interest in the success of the party, address
ed meetings in the county, these meetings
eliminating in the very credtable demonStra-
tion at Rock Hill last Saturday, which was
preparatory to the grand meeting in this place
last Tuesday. To bring about these meetings
there was no coaXing, no persuading, nor any
undue means exercised; but they were the
voluntary uprising of the people as soon as
the note of danger was sounded.
They looked forward to the day not alone
with emotions of pleasure, but with feeling
akin to a sense of their duty in an hour that
might prove crisis in their political history :;
and only call from the County Chairman was
necessary to rekiHdle the fires of patriotism
which, in the days of 1876, so brightly blazed
from the mountains to the sea, when Hamp-
ton led the van, arousing the people by ap-
peals of eloquence which sent al electric thrill
to every patriots breast.
The merchants of town, with almost per-
feet unanimty, advertised in advance that
their stores would be closed, i'll order to give
a day to the cause The farmers hastened
their work in order to give them the necessary
time without inconvenience. Wives and Sis
ters lent willing hands to making the typical
red shirts, without which no Democratic dem
onstration in South Carolina could be sue
cess, and the people, young and old, bent their
energies to bring about the best results, and
make the day one to be forever memorable i'll
the political history of the county.
On Monday morning, Mr.. Witherspoon re-
ceived positive information that Senator
Hampton would arrive on the afternoon train,
and to promulgate this intelligence was all that
was necessary to enthuse the citizens of town
and the large number in attendance upon
Court The demonstration of Tuesday may,
therefore, he considered to have commenced
on the afternoon previous, when about 800 cit
liens, including large number of ladies, the
Jenkins Rifles, the Cadets of Kings Mountain
Military School, and the Yorkville Cornet
Band, assembled at the depot to give their be-
loved chieftain, whose white plume is ever in
the advance to victory, a reception commen-
surate with the love and admiration in which
he is held.
On the arrival of the train, the Senator was
received by Mayor McCorkle and Mr.. Wither-
spoon, and by them conducted to carriage,
when, under escort of the Jenkins Rifles and
the Cadets, he was taken to the Rawlinson
House, to be entertained as guest OF the
TOWN., anu dlSO W Dt Nliclc, "lehouG ei'> ~
straints of private house, his friends could
call and tender their congratulations. From
the depot to the hotel the line of march pre-
sented one continued ovation. Itwas thought
that everybody went to the depot, but those
who did 60 returned to find the streets lined
with men, and windows and porticos filled
with lovely women, the former huzzahing and
the ladies waving handkerchiefs, and with
smiles welcoming the man who in the dark
est hour of our history redeemed the State
from the clutches of Radicalism. An hour
later Senator Butler arrived by private con-
veyance from Rock Hill, and he, too, was
made guest of the town, and in the evening
the distinguished gentlemen held a reception
ssi the parlor of the hotel, where they received
1Ae congratulations of host Of friends-men
and woialsn calling to pay their respects.
Tuesday morning opened bright and clear,
and the day was ushered in with national
salute. At an early hour people commenced
nouriBg in from all difectioas-Old men and
young men-a.,d long before O'Clock, the
streets were fairly thrSnged. About that hour
the mounted clubs commenced riding III, by
every road leading to town, and az they ar
rived were sent to the place OF rendezvous nsar
the sold Academy at the upper epd OF Main
street. Here. under direction of Sheriff II.
IT c,o,n who acted as chief marshal, the