Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1882-09-07

uuently, be heavier upon each one. But as
remarked, this would be local question, and
do not propose now to discuss it in that as
pect. When the question assumes local as
pect, shall be governed in any official action
l may he called upon to take by whatever may
be your vote on the amendment. If a majori-
ty vote to ratify the amendment, should con-
clude that majority favored the division of
York county, and as your representative would
have to support it if such aproposition should
be presented.
But there is one paramount objection to the
adoption Of this amendment that to my mind
overshadows all others. When the General
Assembly is clothed with absolute power to
create any number of new counties in the
State, at its own will, and without consulting
the people affected, you will find that rival
communities will, at every session, strive to
secure the erection of new counties, and rival
sections, strive for ascendancy by dividing
some county where the greatest advantage
would arise to it from representation. If it
should be our happy lot to escape for time
it's effects as measure to swell the power OF
some adverse party ascendency, l am dis-
trustful that we will not be able to avoid the
use of this power 50 as to give rival sections OF
the State ascendency over each other. The
vision lie adjacent to the seacoast. There has
always been, and fear ever will be, rivalry
between the upper and lower counties as to
the control of the State. Under the old Con-
stitution this balance of power was harmon
lied by giving to each parish in the lower
counties Senator, which gave the control OF
the Senate to the low country, and the House
of Representatives. TO the up country. Under
the present Constitution the lower counties
have increased representation in the House,
through the large colored vote, while the
smaller counties in the upper section equally
divide the Senate. Divide these lower coun-
amendment, and you will place all the power
in both Houses with the lower counties, and
thus revive struggle that for years distracted
and divided the people of the State.
for one deprecate such divisions among our
people. We cannot afford it. We are now
practically harmonized on these old issues, and
we should carefully abstain from any legisla-
tion that would be calculated to encourage a
revival of them The happiness and prosperi-
ty of our people cannot advance amid To-
cal discord and division among ourselves.
Throughout the length and breadth of the
State there should be with the intelligent and
progressive element but one great political OBJ,
ject kept in view. That object is to control
and forever maintain for the people and by the
people, a safe, liberal and economical State
government, recognizing neither sectional
lines nor geographical limits, nor race or con-
dition. While party machinery may be neces-
sary to secure and maintain such govern
ment, its legislation should be wise and i'm
partial, commencing itself to support by its
Justice and moderation rather than by its re-
lance on party fealty. A government with
these objects kept steadily in view will bring
the blessings of peace and happiness to our
people. If we forget them, we will enter upon
discord and strife, and following these will
come misrule and disappointment.
Let us unite, then upon this platform that
affords the only safe promises for the future,
and that in itself is the true end of all govern
ment. have nothing to fear for South Caro-
lima if she is steadily guided forward under
the impulse of this sentiment and am only
respondent of her future when I see evidences
of sectional jealousy and other causes of strife
among ourselves. >...
There has been much complaint of the ac-
tion of the last Legislature, which, summed
up, is that its legislation was aggressive, ex-
penSiye, and in some instances contrary to the
best interests of the people. Ny answer to
this is that you will never have Legislature
that will give universal satisfaction. No law
can be passed that will be approved by every
individual to be affected by it. If injury has
been done, send better men pledged to correct
it. If the machine which has cost you so
much and done such admirable service for you
in the past, fails to work satisfactorily on one
or two occasions, don't break it in pieces and
risk trading off the fragments for new and
untried one, but carefully examine the defect.
i've parts and replace them with better mate
rial. The government you have is the best
you can possibly get 1t may have some little
defective material to be substituted. But if
you get new one it comes from the same max
ers-the people. 1t contains the same good
and imperfect elements and if you act on the
principle that every such machine, the mo.
ment it disappoints you by reason Of some
weak bolt or joint, must be torn to pieces and
thrown away, you will be practicing poor econ
omy, to say the least of it. We are not in a
condition in this State to break away from our
present political organization and suffer it to
dissolve, unless something better is secured to
us in it's place. At this time, under the threat
ening aspect of the political horizon, there is
no promise of security or safety to our civli-
Zation and happiness outside Of the ranks of
the Democratic party. 1t may not be perfect
in itself, but it is the best that is offered for
our support and sad will be the day for us,
when, in moment of resentment, caused by
it's real or fancied mistakes, We dissolve its
ranks at the approach of a mongrel coalition
of soreheads and broken downpOliticians mus
tered together under the black banner of Re-
publicanism and the meaningless emblem of
Greenbackism. The latter is simply the mask
of the former. Both banners float from the
same staff-both have the same followers land
l warn Democrats not to be deceived by these
false ensigns The man who tells you to-day
that he is a eenbacker-although he may
nnfE hirnco1f 10 in
guise, and when he supports Greenback will
or unconciously, to restore to power in this
State that robber band from whose hands
came the bitterest infliction any Anglo Saxon
people ever suffered. 1t preyed alike upon
white and black, rich and poor no race or
class was exempt from it's inSolent rapacity.
Certainly no man, who retains his common
faculties and remembers the horrid nightmare
that enveloped US from 1868 to 1876, will ever
consent to it's embrace again.
JOHN P. GAGE, ESQ.,,
candidate for the office of Probate Judge, was
next introduced. He deemed it unnecessary
to make a speech on the political questions of
the day in announcing himself a candidate for
this Office. While he did not claim to be a
politician in this canvass, he would say that
it did not require good politician to make
good probate judge His opponent for this
Office was not present, and in his absence he
would say that for him he entertained high
regards. Mr.. Gage spoke of the duties de-
volYing upon the probate Judge, claiming that
a knowledge of the law was essential to the
proper discharge Of the duties, and as ques-
tions arising in this court were included in
the branch of the legal profession to which he
had devoted most study, he felt that he was
G.l l,,