National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1882-06-24
AN OPEN LETTER
70 THE HONORABLE WADE HAMPTON



DEAR SIN: The occasion upon which address
you must form my sufficient excuse Tor tresp0ss-
ing on your valuable time. The magnitude OF
this occasion will DO best appreciated by brlei
review of the events that made II possible. In
August 1876, YOU were nominated for the office OF
governor of South Cai olina. While your nominn-
lion was mnde ostensibly by Democratic con-
Venton, the platform on which YOU were placed
was dislinctivoly Republican. You were an
nounced MS the standard bearer Of governmental
reform, and the aid of all good citizens, without
regard to race or party, was invoked in support
Of our candidacy, The FIRST authoritative
CALL TO THE WHITE PEOPLE
of South Carolina to organizJ against the banded
tots of good government cnmo from Governor ID.
II. Chamberlain in 1875, who, referring to the OPP
position of corrupt Republican leaders to his
earnest effort In the cause OF administrative re-
rosm, announced to the public that the eiviiiza'
lion of the Puritan and the Cavaliers In Gangerr
To meet and overcome thut danger lac aud had
Jointly resolved to move outside of the regular
Republican organization If necessary lie turned
back from what doomed the line of duty, re-
eolllng before the Ied danger signal when the
massacre OF unofundmg colored citizens Mt Ham
burg had exhibited to his eyes. knew that no
considerable portion of uur white citizenship gave
any sanction 10 that wauton decd Of bloody MUIR
der, and walked alone, aud to tic bitter end, The
path on which we had both entered together.
The flint article of the platform Oh which You
STOOD and which cheerlully state, as distribute
to your exalted character, yoa have never Yio-
lated by deed or word, was rs follows; :" We ac'
cept in perfect good faith the thirteenth, four
teenih nnd fifteenth amendments to the Federal
Constitution accepting and standing upon them,
we turn from the tiled ana nnal past TO the
great living and M IN utOis issues Of the present
snG ihc iuiireI on reading this declaration of
principles thousand, of Republicans in this State
SHARED MY SIMPLICITY of FAITH,
and reposed confidence IN the apparent miracle
Nv Democracy
dim twilight Of Its evil traditions into the broad
GoSdy Of Ss Of @na eaS rcS S
zensip, In that faith not less than 10000 coloreh
Republicans cast their ballots for you in 1875
They recall, with unavniling regret, the faDle
Of the Feast Of the Lion, who, having invited
All the neighborng animals TO share his hospital
lily, did not leave the flte of those who trusted TO
his royal word long In doubt among observant
travellers who saw the tracks OF many animals
TINT entered his cave, but could discover no loot
prints to show that any had ever returned from It,
You opened the campaign by declaring That you
held your "anegiance 70 South Carolina ns higher
National Democratic party" Addressing the col
ored people Of EdgeRed, in the course ofthat can
YOU SPOKE AS FOLLOWS;
"Thcy tell you That If the Democratic rarity gets
Into power your rights will be taken from you.
Now, my friends, these rights are occurred 10 you
BY the Constitution aud laws Of the United States
md of this State They nrc cby liked as Is
the sun In the heavens, We don't want to tnks
your rights from you, and could not If we wanted
to. tell you now In the name Of the Democratic
party, and in the name Of tho gentlemen asso
Giaed with me upon its ticket that If we arc
slected not siugle right which the colored people
of South Carolina now posses shall be lhterlered
This State and the legislature should undertake TO
take away any of your rights would instantly re.
sign! The party is pledged TO that and would
rather sec it go down to everlasting deieat IMAM
have 1t break those solemn pledgesF
NOW ASK YOU, SENATOR HAMPTON
to behold how your safeguard mas been violated.
Read the following extracts from the election law
n
1876, This law, In effect DISTINGUISHES MY thou
sand colored citizens LOOK here upon this pic
ture, and on thisl"
Section ~ There shall be separate and distinct
ballot, for the following officers TO wit; J. Governor
circuit solicitor; l. State seiatori s. members Of The
mSss Fl m Ssg
src. 80 The commissioners Of election shall provide
iomeet he requirements Of TIE foregoing section.
Sn eHs s Min S the oeSr or P oeers yo
for, and the managers on the demand of the voter
boxes and no vote for any Office other than That for
which such 6o1 shall s be de snce ami ,sosIse
closure such as The m9gs Of GIeGio shall deem
vided with an opening ut end side for the en-
trance of the voier and an opening at the other for
lion lor The staIs, sisS,,i sad county ollees;
shall be OT aea oil or oerwsa provided as polling
place FOR the election Of Consressmen aud Presden
for state officers the commissioners of election
Each sF e eac SSH pryd fe s o%s aS
e er ay polling place a line, and 30 org ereep
Whiie IN ne polling pidce casting MS vote.
Did ever a legislative body frame such n ire
mendeus piece of enginery i9r crushing The rights
managers alone (al Democmts) are permitted e
speak to the illiterate voter who presents himself
AT the poll to cast his ballot for the candidate Of
his choice and they can only read TO him thu
names on the boxes" This, gives him mo light
but rather darkness visible"
THE VOTER WHO CANNOT READ,
Rtnnds In such case s far Qs his correctly
place his six ballots is concerned, precisely IN tn,
position Of blind man who, il the boxes were
designated by colors, should be informed tha
they were painted red, white, blue green, nnt
yellow respectively, aud thnt he must deposit tn,
counted. The perplexed voter, whose right Il
vote has been solemnly certified by the super
visors of registration, stands with his six ballot
IN his hands, unable to read the name upon any
of them, ana when he asks to be informed whicl
he sPa Of Se sSn Sed
the law forbids anyone to answer
HERE Is AN EDUCATIONAL TEST APPLIED
in the most odious form, in open defiance Of thu
const tllon OF the State which ioruids the genera
assembly to prescribe M educational qualification
for voters. There have been political exigencie
where honorable men have reconciled IL ~ the
conscences TO violate the law Of the land, wher,
people contend for the supremacy of their civil
izatioi and their rights Of property against tn,
threatend rule of an Inferior race. In such SUI
preme emergency shall answer TO the ro-call o
my race wherever It's camp-iTcs burn, and cheer
fully hazard the penalties of violated law TIT
present legislature of South Carolina is, however
the fist law-making body
THAT HAS EVER DARED TO MAKE
the statute itself the vehicle offraud. In so don
Il has polhted the very fountain of the law, ant
istenei blcis Iievetins, in his treatise 'i OF Of
Man ontNts Education tyoL 2, p. 1881, IT is no
ship, bptsoely Oh the Justice or vlcOusness Of tn
depend"
TO EXECUTE THIS FRAUD BEGorrEN STATUTE,
tnh oIt fba