The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1880-10-19
WADE HAMPTON dashed.
Interesting Correspondence Be-
tween E i'm and Sec'y Sherman.
THE SOUTH CAROLINA SENATOR
TOLD SOME UNPALATABLE TRUTHS.

WASHINGTON, Oct. 1S.-The following cor
respondence is furnished by Secretary Sher-
man:
DAGaERs' SPRINGS. Sept. II.
To Hon. John Sherman:
Sir,-Seme days ago saw report of your
speech at conference held by the National
Republican committee in New York and YOU
were quoted as having used the following Ian
guage:
have done into the hands of Wade Hampton and
the Ku klux and little segment IN the North that
Is called the Democratic party"
May ask if you used these words and if
rectly or indirectly with what was known as
the Ku Klux Khan. Yours respectfully,
WADE HAMPTON.
WASHINGTON, Oct. 49,
To Hon. Wade Hampton:
Dear Sr-In reply have to advise you that
while do not remember the precise language,
I presume the reporter correctly stated in a
condensed way his ideas of what l said. l no
doubt spoke of YOU as leading representative
of the Democratic party in the South and re-
ferred to the Ku Klux Kan as representa-
tive of the barbarous agencies by which the
Democrats subverted the civil and political
rights of Republicans of the South I did not
connect you personally with the Ku Klux
Khan. Indeed, know that you had in one or
two important instances resisted and defeated
its worst impulses. / appreciate the sense of
honor which makes you shrink from being
named in connection with it Still you
and your aSScclatrS, leading men in
the South, now enjoy the benefits of politi-
cal power derived from the atrocities of the
Ku-klux Khan in which phrase include all
the numerous aliases by which it has from
time to time been known in the South. Your
power in the Southern states rests upon actual
crimes of every grade in the code of crimes,
from murder to the meanest form of ba lot-box
stutfing, committed by the Ku-Klux Khan and
its kindred associates, and, as you know, some
of the worst of them We're committed since
1877, when you and they gave most solemn as
surances of protection to the freedmen of the
South.
These crimes are all aimed at the civil and
political rights of Rep lblicaDs in the South,
aud as believe, but for these agencies the
very state you represent as well as many other
states in the South would be represented both
III the Senate and House by Republicans. But
for these crimes the boast attributed to you
that the 1873 solid Southern votes would be cast
for the Democratic ticket would be but idle
vaporing. But now we feel that it is the
sober truth.
While l have no reason to believe that you
or your Northern associates personally partici-
pated in the offence have named, yet while
you and they enjoy the fruits of these crimes
you may in logic and morals be classed, and
classed you are, as joint co-partners with the
ku-Klux Khan in policy which has thus far
been successful in seizing political power in
of the small segment of the Democratic party
Ill the North may be extended to all depart
ments of the government. It is in
this sense that l spoke Of you, the Ku-Klux
Khan and the Northern Democratic party.
Permit me, in conclusion, while frankly ans
wering your statement, to say that the most
fatal policy for the South would be by such
agencies as l have mentioned to secure again
political ascendancy of this country, for I as
sure you that the manhood and independence
OF the North will constantly continue the
struggle until every Republican in the South
shall have free and unrestricted enjoyment of
equal civil and political privileges, including a
fair vote, fair count, free speech and free
press and agitation made necessary to secure
such result may greatly affect iajuriously the
interests of the people of the South.
Yours respectfully,
John SHERMAN.
CHARLoTTEsvILLE, Va, Oct. 1.
Sir,-Your letter has been received and as
you do not disciaim the language to which
called your attention have only to say that in
using it you uttered what was absolutely false
and what you know to be false.
Your obedient servant,
WADE HAMPTON.
WASHINGTON, D. c.. Oct. 49,
Hon. Wade Hampton:
Sir,-I had this morning read what purport-
ed to be an extract of a speech made by you
and published in the Charleston News and
Courier and upon your general reputation as
a gentleman had denied that you had made
such speech or written such letter as at
trbuted TO you in that paper. What 1 stated
to you in my letter Of Sept. 21st believe to be
true Notwithstanding your denial, and 1t can
be shown to be true by the public records and
as a matter of history.
AS you had long before your letter was de-
livered to me seen proper to make public a
statement of your views of the correspondence
1 will give it to the press without note or COM
ment and let the public decide between us.
Very respectfully,
JOHN SHERMAN.