The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1886-10-20
TAKING Up THE GAUNTLET
COL. RICHARDSON DEFENDS THR STATE
ADMINISTRATION.

AUM1NlSIhA11UN.
The Campaign Meeting Of the Sixth
District Mt FiSrehce.
tSyaf Correspondent Ne'cs and co''ier.l
FLORENCE. Octobe: 14th.-The third meet
Ing of the Democratic Stale campaign was
held here to-day, and shows coIiclusiyely That
the Interest In the canvass grows apace as ING
stsndard-b"arersa approach the seaooard. inns
| is not however, surprising circumstance,
inasmuch rs there are political conditions in
| the lower tier Of counties that do not exist IN
the solid and indivisible districts, OF the
mountain region. The meeting to-day was.
therefore Just what 1t was expected TO be, an
outturn Of the very best elements of the town
and county of Darlington. 1t was expected
that the meeting would be addressed by at
least four of the Stale canvassers, Col. Rich
ardson and Messrs. Leitner, Rice and Earle,
| but the last three named gentlemen were pre-
vented from attending through the pressure OF
business engagements. Col. Richardson ana
the Hon. J. w. Dargan were the only two OF
the appointed speakers who responded to the
| emergency, and VITA two local speakers the
programme Of the day was sufficiently varied
and interesting. The meeting was held In the
open mir after the good old fashion, q speakers
stand having been erected for the purpose on
Evans street, in the shade of some beautiful
| trees. Just across the street the Indies of the
the encouragement of their presence and
smiles to the orators Of the day.
| The proceedings we're opened with brief
address by County Chairman g. W: Brown III
which he pledged the support OF Darlington
| to the State ticket and introduced Col. John
Peter Richardson, the nominee for Governor,
who, when the applause which greeted his ap
pcarance had subsidized, spoke as follows:
Governor Richardson's Speech,
My fellow citizens of Darlington, or, rather
I should say. my fellow-citizens Of the 81 iXth
Congressional district, for this meeting has
been appointed by the State Democratic Exc c;
meeting. The meeting has been called fur the
purposes of the canvass of the State, and In Il
campaign which has developed no opposition
the committee or the party leaders entertain
9; one moment doubt that al will Ge we'll
when the second day Of November rolls round.
for as In the past history OF the state we snail
in all free republican governments one Of the
essential features OF their preservation and
5e ss S TgPt e aa sfgpsne peGef Sm they
NV friends, I regret sincerely and truly that
my voice cannot reach, this morning, every
man. woman and child, black and white, In
the Sixth Congressional district. Many OF
county compoSes Il part of the Sixth Congress
sional district, and am happy To say that
belong to the Pee.Dec section. For years and
and years back In the history of the State my
county was reunited with yours in n Congress
sional district Until the Republicans separa-
ted us for some purpose or their own ana uni
ted II to Charleston. l, therefore, speak to
men and the descendants of men, all Demo-
Gratis, farmers, merchants. lawyers, who have
been slOrlously identified with my own coun-
ty, and have come. therefore. not merely TO
speak to you about Democratic principles
alone. 1 have come rather to give you faith
ful account Of my stewardship as your chief
financial 0lficer-your State treasurer l have
come To give you n history. Of the transactions
I>F tl,oC ,nI,f nnN at al
your gallant conduct and efforts In 1876 under
the cheftainship OF Hampton. [Applause.]
THE STATE ADMINISTRATION.
ious to be with you to-day: Rumors have tll-
ed the air. coming from the North and East.
and South and West, and know not whence,
and spreading throughout this fair and beau
ministrqtion of the State which you redeem
ed, has Been cSrrupt; that 1t has been extrav-
agant and untrue 10 the interests Of the State.
N"w my friends propose eboui to address r 81 to you
trate rs briefly and as clearly as l can the true
condition of affairs. am your servant and
have been for nearly six years. There Is not a
dollar which you hnve paid Into the State
treasury which has not passed through my
! bands, us has every dollar that has been paid
out OF the treasury.
fore the people of the ststeTmy constituents
| to render an account OF It, l need not shy
that am not responsible for the laying Of
taxes. That Is the duty or your representa-, repre- dnt,
| proper. But know the ''true inwardnesS" OF
| the financial affairs. know your resources,
your taxation and Its fruits, and know how
the public moneys have been expended.
RATHER BE GOVERNOR THAN PRESIDENT.
| But before proceed, let me say to you and
| to all my fellOw-citZens In South Carolina,
that am not here simply to canvass for votes,
| rn-T lynN f,lIt fh,lf
| endorsement of the Democracy OF this State
| in Constlt utional Convention assembled. rs
sure as the second day Or November comes
around shall be the Governor OF S1uth car. .
| value higher than any on this broad earth,
| IlApplause,l for would rather DC the Govern
or or this State than Presinent OF tile United
my state with as deep and strog devotion as
you love it. There Is not Il grain of sand of its
soil, drop OF water In It's streams, n hill or IL
valley that is not dear TO my heart. My peo-
| bones are buried here, ms hope that mine
| shall be when go to my eternal rest on the
| sacred bosom OF my mother state. Why, /
would rather see my head cut off from my
body than to do or say one thing that would
injure her prosperity or tarnsh ,her fair fame.
| I1Appluusc.l Nay, believe me when say that
TO my best knowledge and conviction You
have had one Of the purest most honest, most
economical and most just Government upon
the face Of Gods earth since 1876.
TIE TROUBLE WITH TIE FARMERS.
But let us see how these rumors affecting
the State Administration have arisen ana now
they have been circulated. II Is easy enough
to explain. 1 am q farmer. My people were
nll farmers, and am familiar with the condi-
ton of the Turning class OF this State, and /
feel in my heart their Inisfortrnes, and
trouble. l know we have had disastrous
season, short crops and low prices, and
know, as q farmer, that have pursued Il sni-
..;,i ,lif.u III iS
and locate our barns and smoke-houses in
the Northwest. We have all made the mis-
take of practically abandoning all but one ng-
ricult tur,l product, and In bad and unpropiti-
farm life, and paying tor them high price
from abroad, we are of necessity depressed
and dissatisfied with our lot in life. From
such causes springs great deal of the diSSat'
iSfactur that exists and IS widespread to day.
1t Is no wonder. indeed that n similar feeling
OF depression should permeate nll classes OF
our citizens, for II Is the indisputable truth,
and 1t Is not difficult TO show that at last all
conditions of llIe, whether high or low, de-
| pend on the comparative condition of the az
ricultural classes. There Is not a dollar OF
wealth that ever existed In the world that has
not come out OF the soil In one way or anoth-
or. Its increase has come through the pro-
cessts of man lpulat!on and change. But why
should it be charged that the state Govern
mcnt Is responsible for the poverty or mlSior.
tunes of our people, when the real causes are
us patent as the light OF the midday sun? Let
us SEE upon what grounds the charge Is made,
and If it be true. We must rertainly know
| the cause of a. disease before we can apply the
remedy, Just MS a physician must know what
Is the II after with his patient before he pre-
scribcs his remedies. So 1t Is with the disease
In the body polite We mu;t iirst ind @ ou,
intelligent men, to relieve ourselves of the
difficulties under which we labor.
THE CHARGE OF EXTRAvAGANcE.
10 tl,ot I'm