Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1880-06-05
VIRGINIA FREE PRESS.
1 \ &F.F GlLLihEH, EDITORS.
Charlaatown, Jefferson I Co.. ". Va
Or-Icz N" JEFFERSON BUILDING.
Saturday, June 3, 1850.
Gen. Wade Hempton's Readiness as
q Debater.

Cen. Wade Hampton's readiness and
achievements ns o soldier and statesman are
parts of history. His readiness. force ord
brilliancy as a debater in the United States
Senate must be conceded. In discussion,
few days ago, when South Carolina was un-
der the fire Of the Republicans Of that body,
both of the South Carolina Senators proved
themselves valiant soldiers eyea in war Of
wo.ds. We have only room for part Of q
discussion between Gen. Hampton and Senator
IIoar Of Massachusetts,
Mn. HAMPTON. Mr.. President, am not ct
all diSposed to under value tie educational IA
cilities Of Massachusetts,, ncr the wonderful
manner in which those people have n7ailed
themselves Of them. ! sympathize with the
fecjipg which provided those facilities. will
s,ets m the Senator from Massachusetts, that
;mnediately after The war, when ii was in
dnubt whether tue Southern Safes were TO DC
,cs,lmittcd INTO the Uuiou, when we did not
buoy, whether we were OFT or whether We
were in suggested TO the FIRST convention
TINT net in South Carolina thas they should
cnrv the constitution OF Massachusetts and
sn,,mit Il 20 Congress as the constitution OF
Snu,h Carolina. thought That would DO q
very las test of the sirryrity Of ,he republicans
hero whether they would adCnit US under .he
constitution of MassacnuseI,g, fOf, as | said
vc.tc,a,v it,s wise constitution, aud il
co,nneuds itself 10 me, because il is one that
more enpbstically thcn any othcr constitution
perbars 10 all this great cenfedefacy OF States
recoyt,,ges State rights. approve Of Il.
snns,ye Of the manner 10 which they have
scattered education all over their country.
have endeavored iu my own State to do that
and there aye now more schools for cOlO:ed
people in South Carolina than there have even
been before.
When Tie Senator Quotes rly language
where spoke Of uui7ersa! suiIlage in South
Carolina. say 70 him that he may take the
returns Of The election in 1876, where he Gays,
and where il is said by the republican party
there was intimidation, that there were armed
mols, that there were rifle clnbs, and | will
venture 70 say that larger proportion O: the
votes Of South Carolina were given on that oc-
casion than bad ever been given in Massachu-
sets, and challenge him or any body else e
deny it. Thcrc were, by the census of 1876
in Son,h Carolina lS5,o00 voters, and by tic
returus of tle republican managers there were
cast 10 that election lSS,500 votes. II any
other State can show as large proportion
Nh. HoAR. What year was that?
Mr.. HAMPTON. In 1876, when It was said
tha, we bad such intimidation down there
there were ls3, 500 votes cast 10 that election
think that is conclusive answer 10 all that
has been said to tie effect that the col0rcd
people Of South Carolina have not been allowed
10 vote. At that very election what swclled
that vote so largely. ard | hear 70 Senators on
that side alludiuc 10 that in that very Charles
on district. where these tissue ballots bad been
nsed in 1876 there were 1000 more votes CIV
en- than tie population. 10 Beaufort County
there were 600 more given than they were
entitled to have.
Mr.. CAMERON, Of Wisconsin. What was
the proportion 10 Edg1ticld county?
Mr HAMProx. In Edgfl the vo'e was
larger than usual but have explained that
There were eleven companies Of United State.
soldiers there, and they all voted for me. J
think that is the way the vote Of Edgebeld Is
accounted for. am told that they voted ioI
me. and the only illegal vote that heard ol
in that election was a very extraordinary one
There vas lieutenant xho took thirty-seveu
men down 10 the polls, aud the men having
nothing to do there proposed that they should
have an Informal ballot. The lieutenant beid
his CAP ont; and when they counted out The
ballots there were thitty-nine votes Tor nc
and he declared the election illegal because
there were more ballots cast than there were
men who cast them.
Mr.. President, 10 nc. under7aluo NASH
cbuselts but may 90 back as iaF as The days
when Washington was there, aud our friends
on tho other side know that he never told
lie. Washington made very characteristic
renn.! about them, and will read what DC
said 10 a man with whom lie was connected,
after he got there, for the edfication OF my
friends on the other side This was private
letter Of Washington
Remember me kindly TO hin
Dr. Craik-
and tell him that should be Tery glad 10 sec I'm
here. If there was anything worth his acceptance,
but he Massachusetts, people sutEtr nothing to 60
by them that they can lay hands upon.
Mr.. HoAn. lie probably referred to the at-
temp. Of the British army TO GET by them
Which they succeeded in doing, ! think, 10
south Carolina. think they succeeded there
pretty effectually.
Mr. HAuproS. II the Senator wants to
know something more Of the opinion Of Gen
eral Washington in regard to that, can give
him some Of that also:
The people Of this Government hare obtained a
character which they 10y 10 means deserved
their officers
This was jus. after the battle Of Bunker
Hill
their officers. generally speaking, are the most IN
different kind Of people ever saw. have al
readv broke enc colonel ard i've captains iof cav