The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1882-12-01
ADDRESS OF THE STATE DEMOCRATIC
COMMITTEE.

The People U,ycd to .Muiutum he Oryani,
TraMiy and Discussion for tie Con,>
pic,c Issues Of the Future.
Rooms OF TIE STATE !
DEMOCRATIC EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE,
COLUMBIA, S. g. November %, 1882.
To tic 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 unassailablc. With the exccp
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
triumph as this, especially as, for the frs.
| time since 1876, determined cndCavor was
made to defeat the Democratic party by
joining the labors of few malcontcnt hitcs
to the votes Of the ignorant and prcjudced
| negroes.
The political campaign on the part of our
opponents was marked by vulgar virucnce,
aud by INSCRIPTIONS vitupcraton Of the
most eminent men in the State. The whole
Democratic party was arraigned and con.
demned 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, that tho time had
come when the ID Democracy should be re-
moved from power, aud be succeeded by
the con. binatiCn 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 unhcsitatng, unremitting and
unScrupulous support to the eantl.Dcmocratic
candid a.es The election fund which was
raised by assessments upon the tens Of
thousands Of persons ii the Government
service was used freely in South Carolina
The dcmagogues, who pittcd themselves
against the candidates Of the Democratic
party, were sustaincd at all points by the
officers Of the United States Government
and by the money filchcd from the lean
pockets of Government clcrks-whcthcr
poor or wcli>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 as the lawful and Legitimate result of
a just administration, wise nominations and
liberal principles. 1t is also Il 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 uumind:ul OF the circumstance
that there is in the pcnitudc of our strength
an element Of weakness, and that the part
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
aiopte4 in the State Convention last Au-
gust announces, in general terms, the prin-
cipics which should be the rule of our
political action and conduct. The Demo
cracy in that atplatiorm 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 jurics, 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
maintenance Of the public credit National
and State. Here is the chart fox our guild
ancc, and if our path be illumncd by the
declaration that what we most desire is
Justice 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 an "indisSoublc Union Of inGestruct-
iblc States" we cannot 60 aS:ray and shall
be proud of our position rs Democrats and
as members of the party which represents
,hc great principles Of American progrc. s.
'hc Democratic party is the soul of action.
has confidence in man and an abiding
re iauce in his high destiny. 1t seeks the
lari est liberty, the greatest good Its OBJ
jcct IS to build up the great interests of the
man to the least dctrimcnt Of the few.
:, wi;hou; mrglrcting
;hG resent 1t cstabI. IS the present
with, It failing to provide - the future
1t car IS for the weak and PERM, 10 inj us
ticc the strong. 1t is the pI,rccr of
huma ity and the conscrvator of nasSens.
1t tai only when it ceases to be true to
itself We recall here the essential prnci-
pies Democratic faith as declared by
Thoma Jefferson eighty years ago:
equal and exact justice to all men, Of
whatever state or persuasion, religious or
political peace, commerce, and honest
friendship with all nations, cntangling ALI
anccs with none the support Of the State