The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1882-12-08
ADDRESS OF THE STATE DEMOCRATIC
COMMITTEE.

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Tr"hny am Disc"ssion far Tie Come
ptce Issues Ct DE Future.
Rooms OF THE STATE J
DENoCRATIC EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE,
COLUMBIA, ). G.. November - 1882
To tic PcopLe If Mc iStur: 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 reigncd
throughout the State on election day, aud
that the conduct of the election, under the
stringent provisions of wise laws, is unas-
sailed and unassaiab!c. With the cxccp.
ton 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
undoubtcd cause for rejoicing in such Il
triumph as this, especially as, for the first
time since 1876, a determined cndcavor was
made to defeat the Democratic party by
Joining the labors Of few macontrnt whites
W IhC NOIIo VI lhS iHu
negroes,
The political campaign on the part of our
opponents was marked by vulgar virulcncc,
and by INSCRIPTIONS vituporatiou Of the
most eminent men in the State. The whole
Democratic party was arragncd and con
dcmncd for imaginary misconduct; and it
was broadly asserted, in defiance of the
facts or in Ignorance Of the condition and
the needs Of the State, th?t the time had
come when the ID democracy should be re-
moved from power, and be succeeded by
the con. bnation 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 unhcsitat ing, unrcmitting and
unscrupulous support to the anti Democratic
candidacS. The election fund which was
raised by assessments upon the tens Of
thousands Of persons il the Government
service was used freely in South Carolina.
The dcmasogucs, who pittcd themselves
against the candidates of the Democratic
party, were sustained ut all points by the
officers Of the United States Government,
aud by the money iilchcd from the lean
pockets of Government whether
poor or wcll>to do, whether men or women
in every part of the country Great rs
the difficulties of the political situation were,
the Democracy have elected their candi.
dates rs the lawful md legitimate result of
a uSt 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
the North and West at the November
election. The State Committee, however,
cannot be unmindtul Of the circumstance
that there is i'll 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
aduptcr In the State Convention last Au-
gust announces, in general terms, the prin-
ciplcs which should be the rule of our
political action and conduct. The Demo-
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efficiency in the conduct of the Government,
popular education as the bulwark of free
institutions, honest home rule, fair trials by
impartial juricS, reform Of the civil service,
the prohibition Of assessments upon the
public servants, for political purposes, for
any reason and in any disguise, n reduction
of the adutics3on imports, and the sacred
maintenance of the public credit, National
and State. Here is the chart 70: our gu;d-
ancc, aud if our path be illumincd 10y the
declaration that what we most desire is
'justicc and equality in the State, SO as to
ensure harmony and good will between the
races" and that what We look to and work
for is m "inli,Souble Union of in,!rStruct-
lb!c States, We cannot 60 aS;ray and shall
be proud of our position rs Democrats an,
rs members Of the party which represent:
the great principles of American progress
The Democratic party is the soul Of action
1t has confidence in man and an abidin!
reliance in his high destiny. 1t seeks tn,
largest liberty, the greatest good. Its oh
,jcct IS to build up the great interests of tn,
many to the least dctrimcnt Of the few
1t remembers the past without ncglccting
;hc present. 1t establishes the present
without falling to provide for the future
1t cares for the weak and permit: no ini us
ticc to the strong 1t is the pioneer oil
humanity and the conscrvator of nations
1t fails only when it ceases to be true t,
itself. We recall here the essential princi-
pies Of Democratic faith as declared by
Thomas Jefferson eighty years ago:
equal and exact Justice to all men, OF
whatever state or persuasion, religious OF
political; peace, commerce, and honest
friendship with all nations, cntangling ALI
anccS with none; the support Of the state
Governments in all their rights, as the most
competent administrations for our domestic
concerns, and the surcst bulwarks against
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