The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1882-08-24
A HERALD CORREsPOSDENT'S IMAGI
NATION.

Uerud, writing from Charic3ton in that
paper Of the lth inst, pre,end5 to give
the inside history of tho late Democrat
ic State Convention, and rs there WAS no
inside history he allowed his imagina.
ton TO make one. He informs The pub.
lie that "Col. Thompson MAS really the
man above al! others whom Senator
Wade Hampton preferred for the oiliccof
Governor He does not dcipn to
state any facts which indicate his right
to announce II preference for Governor
Hampton which he did not in uny way
indicate for himself but this is Il matter
Of small consequence. There arc thou
sands Of ether men in the State beside.
Hampton Iho preferred Col. Thompson,
and therefore it is only Il source Of graft.
iicatinn that Gov. Hampton ana the
great majority Of the Democratic party
are in accord in this cuuvass. The cor
respondent, however, goes on /" give the
secret history Of the nomination rs fol-
lows:
'Ccl. Tholnpsun's canvas, was very
shrcwdly managed by hi> friends. y les
weeks ago ii WAS given out that the COL
nnel would hc compelled 10 decline II rn-
nomination d iritpvi iitrii'i'tiit ri ,i"Tt-
ton to enable him To accept til" I'rcsi-
lcncy Of the South Carolina University
left vacant by Prof Miic-'S rcsi.natio.
Great regret was expressed by the friends
OF Generals IirattDn and Kennedy ~ the
loss of 50 Popular and efficient 'aldi-
date from their list nf nominations. The
idea that lie you'd bc tro!tcd out in the
gub.rnatorial race had not cn,crc into
their calculations, aud ti!cy had made No
allowances for lis possible strength.
When k"nnc!ys friends discovered the
blundcr they had committed they made
strenuous efforts for delay 10 enable them
to repair tlic damage; but it was too late
Tie Convention, being composed OF
twice lis usual strength in numbers, and
embracing many delegates who preferred
an honorable, high toned gent icInun To-
schcming politician for the first place
Oh the ticket. nominated ThnmrSpU and
routed the machine politicians AMI their
wir"-pu!"rs.'
The facts abou, Col. Thomp,on's nom,
ination arc very different from those
! suggested by the NruiFs correspondent
To begin with, he is entirely mistaken
III surprising that Col. Thompson de-
sired the nomination, for he had been
offered the Presidency Of the South Car
olina University, and WAS preparing tC
accept il. This sc know to be true from
| members Of tho Board of Trustees cf the
University, and from other SOURCES
The nomination came to him with0u,
seeking, aud contrary to his preferences
The fact that he WAS not candidate
and did not want the Office, was distinct
ly stated to the Convention ut his request
by Mr.. Murray, and the nomination
came To him ~ The call Of his country
requiring him TO give up his preferences
| and serve his State in the capacity in
which his fellow citizens thought his
services would be most valuable. II il
is n matter Of any interest to tho public
to know the real inside history" or
forces, which induced the nomination OF
Col. Thompson, they can be given with
out in any manner whatever rejecting
upon the nominee, or any member OF
the Convention which nominated him.
The Convention WAS very large one,
and necessarily came very near to tho
real heart and feelings of the people, for
it was largely composed Of new men
who were uncommittcd, and without
any culungling surroundings. They de-
sired the nomination of the man who
would give to the State the best govern
mcnt, and to the Democratic party tho
greatest harmony and unity o! purpose
En-rouic TO Columbia, and after ar-
rival in Columbia, it WAS evident that
the majority Of the Convention preferred
a third man to either of the candidates
for the Govcrno.shir. The contest had
been somewhat hitter, and ISSUES had
been raised which were not likely to be
settled BY the nomination of either of
these gentlemen. The Convention want
ted not only good man, and suitable
man, but wanted Il man who could
enthuso the people, and give lis Il vigor.
GUS and effective campaign. Two year.
ago, under the leadership of Gov. Ha-
good the party in this State came near
being put to sleep during the canvass
for lack Of vigor and campaign fire, and
it was everywhere felt that another such
campaign would be injurious, if not fatal,
to our political welfare. These feelings
were so general that it WAS evident
new man would be nominated, if those
who were not satisfied with either of the
two candidates before the people could
agree upon the same man. Several gen.
tlenlen in different parts of the State
were canvassed, and one by Que their
friends withdrew their names from the
race. During this canvnssing, however,
it was ascertained that every one Of the
third man party, ~ we may term it,
would support Col. Thompson. Hence,
On the following morning, the Anderson
and Oconee delegations met and agreed
10 present his name as the man best
qualified to give 10 the party candidate
possessing the varied requisites for a
thoroughly successful nominee. 1t was
also known that Col. Thompson had
great strength in the Greenville and
Spartanburg delegations, aud about the
same time the delegates from several
counties of the Pee Dee country met
and agreed to support him. Col. Thomp.