The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1880-07-07
THE COUNTY CONVENTION.
Speech Of Colonel Cothran-List OF
DELEGATES and AlternateS.

Speech Of Colonel Cothran-List of
Delegates and Alternates.
Last Monday the County Club met in the
Curt House at eleven o'clock, Colonel James
s. Cothran, County Chairman, presiding.
of Clubs was called and a full delegation
found TO be present, the President said:
Gentlemen of the Convention: 1t is crafty
Ing to see so large an attendance OF delegates
and so many of our fellow citizens present.
The object which had In calling this meeting
was for the purpose OF nominating delegates
to the Congressional and judicial Conventions,
I had hoped that the call would have been
made before this time, but as yet, no call has
been made. had supposed from the dcclara-
tons Of the State Convention. that ..tt.cse lon
vcntions would have been called sooner, but
SO Tar no action has been taken. 1t Is not
amiss TO have your lamps filled andStrim.
med, and your delegates elected, prepared
for the Convention when they shall be ordered.
II Is now sixty days since we last met at this
pace. Those sixty days have been fraught
with events, tho moves on the political chess
board have been most Important. Since
then the State Convention, has met, and ial-
though you Instructed your delegates to OPP
pose early nominations, yet a majority OF the
members ofthat Convention favored O contra
nv course and the minority yieldcdIWlthout
dissent. announcer Tctt>Ou " CitllI VI u
nations was that fifteen sixteenth of the dele
gates to the Convention favored the nomina-
tion OF General Hagood for Governor. Fur
ther delay, it was thought. would not have
made greater unammity. since Inc mee 'an
0cratic Convention has met ana put iorWhru
rs our standard bearers, Hancock ana Eng
lsh, MS you are well advised. Applause: 40
The Fates seem to favor US at last. The work
of the State and National Conventions, has
given universal satsiact.on htouF7rn ne ECoonnes
vcntiOn at Chicago made nominations; ills
their funeral-not ours. We viii not
participate as mourners. AS they play
rie De1' The hsI policy cS of the National Repub.
lean rarty seems to severely Ignore South.
ern Republicans and to eliminate ana take
out the colored man ms q factor. rs p,ollti-
clans. they have proved n failure, and are
now left to their best friends, the people who
surround them. II they donot antagoniZe we
are q unit in politics. Every Interest is the
same. They work in our fields. they live In
our houses, they cook for US, they take care
OF our children.
The treatment of the negro by the National
Republican party shows hat they are not Re.
living upon him. The great struggle Will be
North of Mason and Dixon's line. Pennsyl-
vanin, Ohio, Indiana, New York, Is where the
battle will be fought. South Carolina is in O
condition Of Pea San.iops om peace Ser ~ Is p MO.
ple. Four wears ago the Democratic party was
a party of promises. Now, IN looking back,
It Is clearly to be seen that the Democratic
party ii is a party Of performances. All that IT
then promised has been performed. What
were It's pledges? Was 1t honest government
and home rule? Have not the State expenses
been greatly reduced? Has not South Carroll
have we not fulfilled all our promises? We
said we would bring peace and restore good
feeling. Now appeal to every man y to bear 81
suit. The colorcd people are living peacably,
honestly and industriously, and the fields are
being cultivated with profit. Woe unto the
man, or set Of men who %oaid o HS : !hese
ford to nave them disturbed. We will not
allow them to be broken up. IApplause.l An
old man in speaking to me IN MS OWN peculiar
tend to nut it on again" We have given them
a better governmental than they ever had; Then
what could be the motive for disturbing our
of the county? No. Andi 1t cannot be SO. We
are the governing force, and we do not intend
to yield. 1t is not arrogance IN me to say that
we pose ss the virtue ln t Eth, the IN inte ,hag g0xs an me erf
and we must hold it at what 1t Is. NO man or
set Of men can afford to disturb, the present
desirable condition OF affairs. DIllce seekers
and holders of office, arc In the proportion TO
the mass OF voters as one to O thousand.
You take offices because your. neighoors
say you are fit for them and hold them not ns
property but In trust. IN campaign rs
have very little to open. We have got the
and we mean to hold on to IL.
Another reason why this people should not
be disturbed, IL because we nave aaminister,
1876 the experiment of bringing enthusiasm
to the highest pitch, and sLill u
peace wa miraculous. III, IL tS can't De Ien lone one
don't put 1t in our reach. Let those who OPP
pose Democracy remember, that II IT ID
wrong, and unlallhf1l to Its pledges, It vii he
as good government as 1t has for the
last four years, It will stand as long as the
eternal hills. The spirits Of ~ viii blaze a. a
moments warning, and we will! all tight
tilnn we did to achieve 1t. And If the occa.
sion offers the man or men will come as In 76
doing Their whole duty. 1t has been claimed
by a great many persons IN South Garoiina,
State. The claim Is true. Every man VINO
has made the claim, and worked with US, saw
ed the State. 1t Is equally true OF TEL thou
sand others who have never set up the claim.
Some have been more conspicuous. but 9TH
crS though unheralded by fame, were just as
true, faithful and honest In redeeming the
State. ! allude to those who left their iodder
fields, procured their rcd oats, cold bread, and
fnt meat and started out not to speak, but to
work. The delivcrance OF the State Is due MS
much to those who never spoke O WORD as 10
those VINO appeared on Tic HusLHSs. my
men who went where duty called them, and
staid there. That Is what gained your ltbcr-
ty. that Is the spirit that secured your deliv-
crancc, and will m aintaIn 1t. No man did 1t.
They all did 1t, and If you are not ready to go
through the same ordeals, the victory OF '76 is
of no use. Victory gained altersuch struggles
is not likely to be lost. tApplause.]
Mr.. ]. T. Parks introduced the following
resolution. Action was postponed until the
next meeting:
Whereas, 1t may be desirable that the Vice
Presidents of the Central Club and the Presi.
dents of the Township Clubs should attend
ali the meetings Of the County Club, thesefore
be 1t
Resolrcd, That the Vice-Presidcnts Of this
Club and the Presidents OF the township
cIubss shall nave seats in all County Conven-
lions. and be entitled to all rights and prlVi-
leges of delegates.