The silver state. [volume] (Unionville, Nev.) 1870-1903, 1880-08-30
WADE HAMPTON'S SPEECH.

Carolina has for years been considered
one of the most conservative public
men in his State. His speeches made
in the campaign of 1876, counseled
moderation and Cancellation, and his
pledges made before election to protect
all citizens, regardless of race or politics
in their rights, were sacredly kept. In
recent speech at Staunton, Virginia,
he was reported as having used these
words:
CONSIDER what Lee and Jackson
would do were they alive. These are
the same principles for which they
fought four years. Remember the men
who poured forth their blood on Vir-
ginia's soil, and do not abandon them
now"
This paragraph, purporting to be the
exact language used by Hampton was
copied broadcast in the Northern States
for the purpose of conveying the idea
that Hampton holds that the principles
involved in the Presidential campaign
are the same as those which Lee and
Jackson fought for. In letter to the
Washington Post, denying the correct
ness of the above quotation, Hampton
said Is my whole record since the
close of the war, and all my efforts for
better understanding between the Sec
tions, broad and far-reaching, for the
Union, to be frittered away by the for
geries Of an obscure newspaper writer?
I neither used the words attributed to
me, nor anything approaching them in
meaning" One of the editors of the
Virginian, the paper which first pub
hshed the alleged quotation from Hamp
tons speech, wrote to Hampton asking
if the denial published in the Washing
ton Post was authorized by him. Hamp-
Ton replied as follows
have not the slightest recollection
Of having used the language attributed
to me in the closing sentences of your
report, and I certainly never intended
to convey the idea embodied in them.
Your reporter misconceived my lam
guage. i appealed to the Virginians
present TO consider before they voted
how Lee and jackson would vote, were
they alive, and I asked if any one
present could for moment suppose
that these devoted Virginians would
ever have done anything which would
create dissention in the State they had
loved so well. My sole object at Staun.
ton was to appeal to the Democrats of
Virginia to forget their local differences,
and to- strike for the success Of the
Democratic party. The principle in
volved in the war was the claim made
by the South of the right of peaceable
secession This right was denied by
Che North, Democrats as well as Repub-
lcanS joining in the denial. On this
issue battle was joined The North tri-
Umphed, and the results of her success
were embodied III the amendments to
the Constitution, settling beyond all
question and forever the right of peacea-
Bile secession by the adverse decision Of
the highest earthly tribunal recognized
among mankind The war had moth
ing to do with the principles of the Ma
tional Democratic Party, and / was Pc
culiarly unfortunate if any expression
OF mine in Staunton could be so mis-
construed as to give the impression that
l supposed the principles involved in
the Presidential contest were those for
which we fought for four years. have
made no charge against your paper or
any other of wilful misrepresentation,
but l must disclaim alphabetically the
construction placed upon my speech, as
well as the language attributed to me
IN the few last sentences of YOUR
report"
This fiat denial ought to satisfy every
reasonable person that Wade Hampton
did not use the language attributed to.
Lin by the Virginian, and had no idea
Of conveying the meaning which that
language embodied; yet, SO long as there.