Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1884-10-09
Sheppard at Walhalla...

udild, ileut. 0oV. Suoppalo W1f =
frat speaker, and was greeted, r.
his appearance, with rounds Of hArt
and genuine applause. He said hs
be was indeed gratified to see 50 en
staunch Democrats present. He Iva
equally pleased, he said, with th
sacrifice they lad made in abanh hor
ing the work of tile harvest to1 re
spond so promptly to the call Of tn
State. He was also gratiGeds t
know that even after their reden
hotly contested primary election t re-
were still alive to the hour. d
said that it was hard for them{ t
realize the fact that there was dan}9e
in the coming election, because o o
their personal security from t9si
political enemies, but he counaf!l
ed them to remember that tAe:
were counties with majority eq,kl
ly great the other way, and tk
their chief reliance was u
the great majorlties Of the upX
counties, 30 far as the State ticg ?
and the electors at-large were q a
cerned. While, he said, we have qh'
State Government, to keep, ! hope
forever, yet the security ofthe pem@c
racy is not yet upon a permandn'
basis, and that absolute safety WI
never come until the National Demds
racy seizrs the reins of the Genera
Government. He said it was stranEe
at this day to be obliged to enter info
vindication Of the State Democracy
but the Republicans were even noF
in Convention assembled and a stro4e
element of that party was urgently
recommending the placing of a f4
ticketin the field. Even if there we're Y
opposition the keeping of the party
organization intact was of supremsee
importance. he then forclbly aT1
graphically described the use Of IL
State Democratic party when COZ
fronted by the apparently inaurmoun9
able obstacles Of the days Of Recal;
struction and Radical rule. M
powerfully portrayed some OF .thd
darkest scenes in the history of th3
state at that time, when debaucherJ,
and crime and corruption stalked uns
punished in the land, and declarey
that the mere mention of the namey
of their former plunderers was enough
to cause them to buckle on again thd
armor of 1876 He said and showet
that the great good which flowed dill
rcctly from the splendid victory q
that year was an ample compensatid
tor all the sufierings and sacrificed
endured in securing that redeaption. /.
He then passed on 20 National poll
tics and reviewed the couditiou<o[
things in the North and West. I'D
touched upon the attitude Of thu
Irish vote towards Blaine, and said
that unless he were sadly mistaken
the last place in the W rid where al
Irishspan would be found on electi
day was in tbe Republican rank
Hs next discussed ,thaENhar raltsg "a
shS aS&n &necffs ecfaf af aa6vsr vesrized him as nats
born and professional liar and knaN
If the American people were 80 blin
he said, as to elect such man to thu
highest Office in the gilt Of the people
they would never cease to regret it
he then placed in juxtaposition to
the disqualification of Blaine the
shining and captivating qualities OF
the Democratic nominee, who, he
said was nominated by Convention
representing the very best interests
Of the Democratic party. Let US see
then, he concluded, that the campaign
of 1884 shall stand in the history
of this country with reference to the
National Government as the campaign
of 1876 stands in the history OF South
Carolina.