Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1882-09-21

He then spoke at some length on the neces-
sity of white supremacy for the perpetuity of
liberty and civilization in the South, and
closed by expressing the belief that in the
future as in the past the Democracy of York
county will be found in the line of their duty.
Col. Wilson was followed by Messrs. Riddle,
Chambers and Whyte, each of whom spoke sub
stantially as at Fort Mill on the 7th. After
Mr.. Whyte had concluded, the Chairman eX-
planned the absence from the meeting OF Hon.
| B. H. Massey, candidate for Representative,
who as Chairman of the Board Of Directors of
the Penitentary, was then in Columbia at
tending an important meeting of the Board
He then introduced Capt. John c. Wither-
spoon.
&ICaptain Witherspoon said that this was
| primary canvass and intended to be one of the
steps for the election of full Democratic
! ticket next November. From the fact OF It's
being primary in which the Democrats are
to express their wishes in the campaign now
soon to open, every question calculated to di-
vide the Democratic party should be elimna-
ted from the canvass, SO that the people would
enter it with the determination of success 1t
was his duty to inform the people of events
that had transpired since the canvass opened.
He then referred to what he termed the at
tempt Of the Yorkville ENQUIRER to bur-
lesque him and his position, but said he would
not attend to the ENQUIRER on the pres
ent occasion, but would wait for the meet
ing at Yorkvile on the 22nd, as he would not
speak behind the back of the ENQUIRER, pat
would wait until he reached it's stronghold,
and would then speak before it and it's fVlends.
| He then alluded to the question of the county
Amendment having been brought up for dis
cussion at Hickory Grove, and said that from
Blacks Station to Yorkvflle, while he could
find none in favor of disturbing the present
boundary lines Of the county, he was assured
by numbers of persons that the eastern part
of the county should not be deprived of rep
resentation. He charged that the practical
and Pertinent Question: originated with the
ENQUIRER, which he regarded as proof that
the ENQUIRER was attempting to divide the
Democratic party. He charged that. the re-
porter for the ENQUIRER was attending pub
lie speakingS in the county-somethng which
the ENQUIRER had never before done, and
claimed that his position had not been correctly
reported in the ENQUIRER and consequently,
hereafter he expected to do his own printing
and publishing. He charged that the question
had been concocted by onlya few persons, and
that it's discussion at this time would have the
effect to divide the Democracy of South Caro-
lima. He spoke of the political party strength
of South Carolina, as already being numerically
| Ill ldSOI. VI WuLO hS
secuted the idea that the Democratic party
would do anything to weaken their strength,
he said the strongest argument used by the
opponents of the amendment against it was
the strongest argument in favor of it. lie
then discussed the relative Democratic strength
of the upper and lower counties, and con-
cluded this branch of his discourse by saying
that the amendment is party measure and
challenges the support of every Democrat.
He said: "We do not propose to cut up the
counties so as to destroy Democratic mil
jorities."
He then went on to say that he held the
ENQUIRER responsible for creating the i'm
preston that eastern York wants a new coun-
| ty, but claimed that the advocates of the
Amendment do not require all the counties to
change their boundaries. AS to these changes,
the people are the proper persons to determine
that matter. He then repeated what he claim
ed to have said at other places as to how un-
just it was to create the impression of a desire
on the part of the East to divide York
county, swhen we have not taken steps to
form anew county," But when that question
was proposed at Hickory Grove he told the
people that he was in favor Of the amendment,
and when court house could be obtained at
Rock Hill he was ready to take it. Major
Hart was at that meeting You have all read
! his speech. 1t was not all there. AT that
portion of his speech where my friend said :
| Vote against every measure having for its
object the division of York county there are
numerical statements omitted told the peo-
pie the next day at Clark's Fork that we did
not desire Senator Hart to act as godfather
for us. Why did they not publish all that he
said ?
/ object to the Yorkville ENQUIRER acting
as leader in this political Israel. In the
great political struggle of 1876 when / met the
Republicans and when my voice was raised in
behalf of the Democratic party, not one line
was there in the ENQUIRER that gave me ell
couragement.
spoke at Glover, in the presence of the
| Editor of the ENQUIRER, of his course to-
wards the Ku-klux when they were arrested,
and for one time l woke him up, and charge
that the new county looming up gives him
fears that he will lose patronage by new
paper that would spring up at the new court
house. But the ENQUIRER is not deserving
of the patronage of the people. A great many
people take it because they cannot help them
selves but do not think the people ought to
take it at all. The day that Eastern York
is deprived of representation it may sound
the dirge of the Democratic party in York
county. have made my pledge to the Exec
utive Committee to abide the result Of this
primary election, and + shall vote for the
ticket that is nominated but | cannot carry
the people, as there is a point beyond which
forbearance ceases to I've virtue We give
others the right to their opinions, as we claim
the right to express our own. He said there
were some who believed that in this primary
election Eastern York would be ignored, but
as for himself he believed the western part
will carry fair. He was satisfied that all will
do it. He then spoke of the manner in which
the ENQUIRER had paraded his position on
the lien law. He invoked the people to weigh!
over the whole matter and do their duty. He
wanted to see the primary ticket supported in
November, and in the maintaining OF his
principles, if defeated he would 60 down with
his colors flying. He was no demagogue, but
if the people of Eastern York are deprived of
representation he would be with them.
He said the question was asked through the
ENQUIRER, where was he in the days Of the
Ku-klux arrests that his voice was not heard
in their behalf. At that time, he continued,
he was not in York county, but if he had been
here, he probably would have been in York
Courthouse Jail, and may be on the way to
Albany penitentiary.
He then bowed himself off the stand, but
seeming to suddenly remember al important
omission, he hastened back to say that he had
been told that day that the report was being
circulated on the ground that he was candi-
date in the interest of restoring the sale of
liquor at Rock Hill. He pronounced the au-
thor of the report first-class liar, and gave
notice that he could generally be found at
Rock Hill.
After Capt. Witherspoon had delivered this
postscript or 1,ota Jene he appeared calmer than
he had seemed during the afternoon, and he
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