The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1882-12-15
ADDRESS OF THE STATE DEMOCRATIC
COMMITTEE.

ADDRESS OF THE STATE DEMOCRATIC
COMMITTEE.
The People Urged to Aaintan the Organi.
cation Of the Party, and Prepare by
Training and Discussion for the Cons>
pler Issues Of the Future.
Rooms OF THE STATE \
DEMOCRATIC EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE,
COLUMBIA, S. G. November 22, 1882. !
To the People of the State: The State
Democratic Committee congratulate the
people Of South Carolina on the success
which attended the efforts of the Democratic
party to elect their candidates, and preserve
intelligent, just and economical rule in the
State. 1t is especially gratifying to the
committee to know that peace reigned
throughout the State on election day and
that the conduct of the election, under the
stringent provisions Of wise laws, is unas.
sailed and unassalab!e. With the excep.
tion of single county, where the Democrats
placed no candidates in the field, the whole
State is in Democratic hands, and six of the
seven Congressman are the regular candi-
dates of the Democratic party. There is
undoubted cause for rejoicing in such a
triumph as this, especially as, for the first
time since 1876, determined endcavor was
made to defeat the Democratic party by
joining the hbors Of few malcontent whites
to the votes of the ignorant and prejudccd
negroes.
The political campaign on the part of our
opponents was marked by vulgar viruence,
and by unscrupulous vituperation Of the
most eminent men in the State The whole
Democratic party was arrai sned and con-
demncd for imaginary misconduct and it
was broadly asserted, in defiance of the
facts or in ignorance of the condition aud
the needs Of the State, that tho time had
come when the Democracy should be re.
moved from power, and be succeeded by
the combination OF contradictory elements
which, animated by the expectation of pub
lie plumber, had undertaken to oppose and
defeat the Democratic party.
The most shameful part Of the whole
business is that the officers of the Federal
Government, who are appointed for the pub
lie service and whose wages are paid by the
people, gave unhesitatiDg, unremitting and
unscrupulous support to the anti. Democratic
candidates. The election fund which was
raised by assessments upon the tens Of
thousands Of persons in the Government
service was used freely in South Carolina
The demagogues, who pittcd themselves
against the candidates Of the Democratic
party, were sustained at all points by the
officers of the United States Government,
and by the money fched from the lean
pockets of Government clerks-whether
poor or well>to. do, whether men or women
in every part Of the country. Great as
the difficulties of the political situation were,
the Democracy have elected their candi.
dates tho lawful aud Legitimate rosnlt nf
just administration, wise nominations and
liberal principles. 1t is also welcome fact
that the manner in which Federal patronage
has been abused is admitted to have had
much to do with the political revolution in
tho North and West at the November
election The State Committee, however,
cannot be unmindtul Of the circumstance
that there is in the plenitude of our strength
an element Of weakness, and that the party
should prepare in time for contest that
will be more severe than that through which
the Democracy have passed
The platform Of the Democratic party
adopte1 in the State Convention last Au-
gust announces 10 general terms, the prin-
ciples which should be the rule of our
political action and conduct. The Demo
oraoy in that platform demand economy with
efficiency in the conduct of the Government,
popular education as the bulwark Of free
institutions, honest home rule, fair trials by
impartial juries, reform of the civil service,
the prohibition of assessments upon the
public servants, for political purposes, for
any reason and in any disguise, reduction
of the duties on imports and the sacred
e al Il