The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1886-07-21
GENERAL JOHN BRATTON.
The Gordon of South Carolina.

In several papers Of the State Cen.
cral John Bratton has been sug.
gested as q suitable man to receive
the Democratic nomination for Gov.
ernor Of South Carolina. In this
connection few words about the
public career Of the man whom it is
thus proposed to honor may not be
out of place.
After n career in the Confederate
army, which was conspicuous for
bravery, fidelity and efficiency, Gen
eral Bratton returned home, to take
his part in the endcavor to restore
the State, in some degree, to the
prosperity which had preceded the
wreck and ruin Of the war. In 1865
he was sent to the State Senate from
Fairfield, without opposition. Brief
as was the opportunity thus afforded
soon rs did the Federal soldier
with his bayonct take possession of
the government OF South Carolina
General Bratton imprt scd his col.
leagues and his constitu .ncy with his
fitness for his trust.
In the trying period from the en-.
forcement Of the reconstruction meas.
ures to the political revolution of
1876, General Bratton was always
at the service of his people, in what.
ever capacity he might do aught that
promised relief from the burden of
misrule, robbery and outrage that
made South Carolina as conspicuous
for the infamies done in her name as
she had once been for the greatness
of her leaders and the purity Of her
government. In the movement re.
sulting in the assembling Of the Tax.
payers Conventions, he lost no Oh.
portunity to further the success of
our oppressed citizenship, who saw
in the Tax Unions the only means
Of slowly dragging themselves out of
the condition in which the Radical
party had placed them.
For services rendered in times
such as our people experienced from
1868 to 1876 there could be neither
reward nor the hope Of reward, save
in the consciousness Of duty done
under very trying circumstances.
Patriotism was here subjected to it's
highest test, without the incentives
which make abititious men patriotic.
The men who were true to the State
in those times could expect neither
public honors nor popular plaudits.
Silent gratitude, even, seemed some.
times wanting. The men who, like
John BrattOn, served South Caro-
lima then, served her for Carolina's
sakc--not for their own gain.
1t Is ensy to understand that in the
disOrganizcd state in which the white
people found themselves in 1876
after every cXpcdicnt had failed to
bring relief from the evils that beset
them, the reorganization Of the Dem
ocratic party was difficult task.
The work of cnlisting the good pco.
pie Of Fairfield in contest that
promised little else than difficulty
danger and defeat, was no easy one
That duty was assigned to John
Bratton. The fruit Of lis labors-
ably assisted at all times by the
County Executive Committee and
backed at last.b BY the good people OF
Eairfield--was seen in perhaps the
most effective political organization
that has ever existed in South Caro-
line. That organization was built
up on q sentimcnt--that sentimcn,
which makes "huty the sublmcst
word in the English language, ',nay1
which could only be calledasd thc
one in whose sense s'~'
fidelity to the3:t Of &c General
fullest tr"' likewise q member of
J'>'''e Executive Committee