Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1882-09-28
THE PRIMARY CANVASS.

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THE PRIMARY CANVASS.
Last Saturday closed the canvass of the
Democratic candidates in York county be-
fore the primary, election; and though, as re-
lates to the contest for nomination, the smoke
of battle has since blown away, and the
Democracy have declared their preferences
through the potency of the ballot-box, yet as
this canvass forms notable exception, in
some respects, to any that has ever preceded
it in York county, or for that matter avg
that we have ever befo,e heard Or read S9we
cannot forego the duty which we owYp our,
self, if for no other reason, Of recurring to the
finale. 1t was a canvass in which one of the
Legislative candidates assumed the ludcrous
position that it was not incumbent upon a
man asking the suffrages of his fellow citizens
| to define his views upon vital questions affect
ing their interests, taking the absurd ground
that these questions would more properly come
up after the nomination; and yet when the candi'
dates were called upon in arespectful commuDi'
cation, through the public press, to define
their views on at least one important question,
this self-same candidate, yielding to the finer
impulses of his exalted notion of propriety, as
sailed The editor of the paper for admit
ting the communication to his columns, charg-
ing him with being actuated by sordid mo.
tives by a desire to array one half of the
county against the other to deprive the East
ern side of the county of representation in
the Legislature and no less fragrant offence
than either of the above, of an effort to dis
rupt the Democratic party of the county
while to all these charges he assumed to him.
self the prerogative Of arraigning the editor
for all his supposed sins, both of commission
and omission, for a period of dozen years.
Such of the charges uttered on the hustings
by this political oracle, since the first day of
the canvass at Hickory Grove, that we care
to reply to at present, are sufficiently answer
ed in another place. These remarks are sug-
gested only by the following report of Satur-
davis meeting, furnished by representative
of ssthe Yorkville paper" and which we pub
lish not only to give Capt John G. Wither-
spoon free opportunity for ventilating his
anger, but also to let him understand once
and for all that his caviling dsturbs our Sc
renity no more than would the melodious
notes which in it's tuneful course the wind
draws forth:
The meeting was called to order at about
half past one O'Clock by G. w. s. Hart, Pre-
cinct Chairman, who, on doing so, stated that
he had been requested to read the following
paper, addressed to the candidates for the
House of Representatives, and signed "Land-
holders and Tenants"
| 4 I,f tnv 10 nISy in n
to landholders and farmers prior or prefer
red claim for all advances made to their ten
ants, Mborers or crOppers, necessary to enable
them to acork ont and gather their crops -
After ''springing'' this much-italcised and
somewhat abstruse question upon the candi-
dates, the Chairman then read the following
note from Hon. B. H. Massey:
MCCoNNELLLsvILLE, Sept. 10, 1882.
CAPT. r. II. GLENN, County Chairman,
York Co. DEAR SIR will be compelled to
be in Columbia on Friday next, 1.-THE day of
! the meeting at YNrkvile) consequently cannot
attend the meeting. The only issue before us
| is division of the county. l have carefully
considered the question, and 1 think it would
be unwise to attempt to divide our county, and
| | oppose division Yours respectfully,
B. H. MASSEY.
Please read this to the meeting.
The Chairman then introduced as the first
speaker j. G. Chambers ESQ.,, who at some
length gave his views upon public questions
and measures, and discussed the evils of over
legislation, with which he said our country IS
already cursed On the question read by the
Chairman, at the opening of the meeting, he
said the law as it now stands settles the mat
ter. and until he should be better informed
upon the subject, he was willing to leave it
where it now is. Merchants are good and
useful class Of citizens, and he would do moth
ing calculated to injure them in the conduct
of their business, and would oppose any legis-
lation that would work to the injury OF any
one class as in favor of another.
Mr.. George Riddle was next introduced,
who briefly announced himself as candidate
in obedience to the call Of a number OF his
fellow-citizens but declined making any ex-
tended remarks.
Mr.. Wm Whyte was next introduced. He
smoke substantially as at other places in the
canvass and in reply to the interrogatory
which had been read by the chairman Of the
meeting, he said that not being lawyer, nor
familiar with the law, he would like to look
into the matter before committing himself
upon it.
Col. w. b. Wilson was next introduced.
lie spoke at some length, first remarking that
at the proper point he would answer the inter-
rogatory read by the Chairman at the opening
of the meeting, as we'll also as one which had
been propounded through the public press,
esteemng it not only a duty but privilege
for candidates for high public trusts to cheer.
fully define their positions on any question of
public Importance that their constituency
might demand. He then pictured South Car
olina in the days of Radical rule, contrast
ing that dark period with the prosperity that
has attended our State since Democratic Sill
premacy. He adverted to the hostility of
the Federal government towards the South,
and especially towards our own State, the
efforts making to elect Republican Congress
men from South Carolina, and warned his
hearers against over confidence in Democratic
strength, which he feared would produce a
spirit of supineness that would result in Dem
ocratic defeat The perils now enVirOning
South Carolina are as great as they were in
1876, and our condition now involves not poll
tics alone, but the fate of every man, woman
and child in South Carolina. He said that the
Democratic party is our only hope of refuge
and safety, and urged not only vigilance, but
unity in the Democratic ranks. He argued .