The Wichita city eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1872-1883, 1880-10-21
WADE HAMPTON wADED INTO.

WADE HAMPTON wADED INTO.
WASHINGTON, October Is. = Secretary
Sherman furnished forp publication the follow
ing correspondence
DOGGERs SPRINGS, Sept. Il, 1850.
To the Hon. John Sherman, Secretary Of the
Treasury:
SiR-Some days ago l saw the report Of
your speech before the conference held by
the National Republican Committee at the
Fifth Avenue Hotel in New York, and you
are reported as having used the following
language, :. and now you are asked to sur
render all you have done into the hands of
Wade Hampton, the kukluX and the little
segment in the North that is called the DEM
ocratic party" And now may | ask if you
used these words. and If you did SO. did you
mean to connect me directly or indirectly
with what was known as the ku klux khan,
and requesting an early reply addressed to
me in care OF Augustus Schell, ESQ.,, New
York, am, very respectfully. your obedi-
ent servant. WADE HAMPTON,
Washington, d. c., Sept. 81, 1880.
To Hon. Wade Hampton, care Augustus SeseR,
esq.,, NeC York:
SIR-YOur note of the 18th inst is re-
ceived, in which you inquire whether, ut the
conference held by the National Republican
Committee at the Fifth Avenue Hotel in
New York, used the language attributed to
me, as follows: "And now you are asked
to surrender all you have done into the
hands of Wade Hampton, the kuklux and
Democratic party" In reply have to adj.
wise you that, while do not remember the
precise language, presume that the report
err correctly stated, in condensed way, his
idea of what said. l. no doubt, spoke of
you as leading representative Of the DEM
ocratic party in the South, and referred to the
ku klux kan as representative Of the barber
Gus agencies by which the Democrats have
subyerted the civil and political rights of the
Republicans in the South. l did not connect
you personally with the ku kluX khan in
deed, know that you had, in one or two
important instances, resisted and defeated
its worst impulses. l appreciate the sense
OF honor which makes you shrink
from being named in connection with it.
Still you AMI your political associates, lead
ing men in the South, are in the enjoyment
of political power derived from the attrOci.
les of the ku kluX khan, in which phase
include all the numerous aliases by which il
has. from time to time, been known in the
South. Your power in the South rests upon
the actual crimes, of every grade, in the code
of crimes, from murder to the meanest form
of the ballot-bOX stuffing committed by the
ku klux khan, and its kindred associates, and
as you know. some of the worst of them
the most solemn assurance Of the protection
to free men of the South, and these crimes
are all aimed at the civil political rights Of
the Republicans in the South, and as l
believe but for these agencies, the very State
that you represent, as well as many other
States in the South, would be represented
bo.h in the Senate and House by the Repub-
licans; but for these crimes. he boast at
.ributed 10 you, that one hundred and thirty
eight solid southern votes would be cast for
The Democratic ticket, would be but an idle
vapOr, but now We feel that it is the sober
truth. While I have no reason to believe
that you, or your southern associates per-
sonal'y participated in the offenses have
named, yet while you and they enjoy the
fruits OF these crimes, you may. in the logic
of morals. be classcd. as 1 ciassed you, as a
ku kIux Khan. in the policy which, thus far,
has been successful in seizing political pow
or in the South, and which. it is hoped by
the aid of the small segment of the Demo-
cratic parry in the Nor h may be extended
to all departments of tie Government. 1t is
in this sense / spoke Of you, the ku klux
khan and the northern Democratic party.
Permit me in conclusion, while frankly an
swering your question. to say that the most
fatal policy for the South would be by such |
agencies as l have mentioned, to secure |
again political ascendency in this country, |
Tor assure you that the manhood and indie |
pendence of the North will certainly cOntin- |
lie the struggle till every Republican in the |
South shall have free and uninterrupted en- |
oyment Of equal, civil, and political privi- |
eyes, including fair vote, fair count, free /
made necessary to secure such results may |
greatly affect and be injurious to the inter-
SIS of the people of the South.
Very respectfully your obedient servant.
JOHN SHERMAN.
CHARLOTTsvILLE. Va, Oct, 1, 1880.
70 Hon. John Sherman.
SIR-Yeur letter has been received. As
-ou did not disclaim the language to which
called your attention, I have only to say
hat in using it you uttered what was ALSO
utely false, and what you knew to be false.
iy address will be Columbia, S. c.
am your obedient servant.
WADE HAMPTON.
TREASURY DEPARTMENT.
WASHINGTON, ID. C., Oct, s. Il
o Hon. Wade Hampton. COLUMBIA, s. c.:
have TO acknowledge The receipt Of your
ote Of the LIST inst, handed to me uno-
ened by MIR. c. Mckinley a few moments
ftsr my return from the West. l had this
Forming read what purported to be an ex-
-act Of \ speech by you. published in the
hnrleston Sers and Courier. and upon your !
eneral reputation as gentleman. had de-
led that you had made such speech or ,
'ritten such letter as published in that {
aper. What I stated to you in my letter Of
eptember 2lst, believe to be true. nofwith-
anding your denial. and il can be shown {
} be rue by the public records. and as a
after Of history. as you had long before ,
Dur letter was delivered to me. seen pop
to make public statement of your views '
the correspondence. will give it TO the !,
ress without mole or comment. and let the !
lblic decide between us. s
Very respectfully, c
JOHN SHERMAN.
TIE DRIVEN WELLS. +