The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1886-08-19
TILDEN IN 1875.
Why rllden was Dlsllkod in South Carolina.

far as there was any feeling on the sub
ject, it was one of distrust and aversion
This was due 10 the manner 10 which
South Carolina was treated by Mr.. Tilden
in the campaign of 1876. Mr.. Tilden had
no expectation whatever that this State
could be carried by the Democrats, and
was ayerse to the straightout movement
There were electoral votes enough in sight
he thought, to make him President, with
out any help from South Carolina, and
there is good authority for saying thai
Mr.. Tilden had no doubt of the result. III
South Carolina would only keep quiet
But South Carolina determined to make
an. heroic effort to throw off theipolitical
yoke, and what in the beginning seemed
impossible was, in short times vel
within the bounds of probability. Il
should have been evident to every dispas
sionate observer that nothing was beyond
the reach of the white people of South
Carolina, united as they were, and ami.
mated with one purpose and Que hope
Nevertheless, Mr.. Tilden gave the South
Carolina Democracy the cold shoulder
This caused considerable irritation in the
State, and engendered the idea of voting
for Hayes and Hampton. By this plan s
considerable number of colored votes was
obtained for Gen. Hampton the Demo
cratic candidate for Governor in ex
change for white votes for the Republican
candidate for President. The Democracy
of the State felt that they were deserted
by the leaders of National Democracy
and made the best bargain they could or
their own account.
Towards the end of the canvass Mr.
Tilden seemed to realize that he hai
made mistake, and promised to contri
butte the enormous sum of $1,000 tosthe
Democratic campaign fund. { A. draft fol
this amount was accordingly made, and
was discounted by one of the Charleston
banks. Mr.. Tilden, however, failed tt
provide for the draft, andit was ultimate
ly paid out of money raised in South
Carolina. This story concerning. the
draft and its fate comes to me from ar
uuimpeachable source.
It will be remembered that Gen
Hampton was elected by majority o.
1,134, while Col Simpson, the candidate
for Lieutenant Governor, had majority
ofonly l39. The majority, for the Re
publican electors in .thist State twas 1854
It is very evident from these figures tba
the electoral vote of South Carolina coule
have been secured by Mr.. Tilden if ht
had sustained the Democracy of the State
in their efforts, iand had given them, il
the canvass, the assistance they desired
and to which they we're entitled: But HI
Gid not realize this fact until too late.
After the. election it was proposed t.
buy one of the Republicanelectors. The
whole history of the negotiation vii
probably never be known, but it seems t
be reasonably certain that one of the lo
offered to cast his vote for Tilden ane
Hendricks for the sum of $50,000. One
Of. Mr.. Tilden's agents came to Soutl
Carolina to look over the field and ascer
tained that this could be accomplished
but the money was not forthcoming
MI. Tilden relied upon Oregon, and LEI
South Carolina go. The Republicans
heard, in some way, of'the negotiations
which were in progress and we're consid
erably alarmed. It is said that when tht
Electoral College met, one of the Repub
lican electors took pistol from his pock
ct and announced, with an oath, that bt
would blow out the brains of any electol
who ventured to vote for. any other per
sons than Hayes and Wheeler. @. G
Bowen was credited with this exploit
At all events, the electoral votes of South
Carolina were given TO the Republican
candidates.
Mr.. Tilden, as l have shown, literally
threw away the election. South Caroli
mas electoral votes would have given hin
a majority, without the vote of Louisiana
and Florida of which he was robbed BY
the Returning Boards. Besides this, ht
earned the ill.will and dislike of the peo
pie of South Carolina by his attitude
towards them at the time of 'theil
successful struggle for. deliverance from
Radical misrule. The feeling of The
people was well.expressed, four. year,
later. by Gen. James Conner, who was il
the thick of the political battle Of 1876
When the effort was made to foist Tilder
upon the Democracy in 1880, Gen. Con
nor said openly that it was better to bt
beaten with Bayard than to win witt
Tilden.
There was never any doubt of Mr.
Tilden's ability, especially in money
making, but in South Carolina lie hae
but few enthusiastic admirers, for The
reasons I have given. There was alway!
an idea that Tilden lacked nerve in {
political crisis. Is it to be supposed fo
q moment that Hancock would have al
lowed himself to be defrauded of tht
Presidency as Mr.. Tilden was? Not
bit of it. Gen. Hancock would have
opposed any compromise of any sort, ant
would have appealed, if necessary, to th'
people of the country to place him in tn!
office to which he had been elected. /
was the conviction that Mr.. Tilden Lacked
courage that made Southern members o
Congress willing to acquiesce in tn.
eight.to seven Electoral Commission bill
There was hope for South Carolina
and Louisiana upon the installation o
MIR. Hayes; and the two States made th'
most of the situation. Much, too, q
Mr.. Hayes has been abused, it should b.
remembered that it was during his tern
of Office that the Southern States begar
in earnest their recovery from the ills ant
losses of the civil war. There was littl
room fortimprovemsnt during the Gran
era. When King Storks gave place t
| King Log there was assurance OF peac
and order, and the Southern States moved
forward with rapidity which uas sur
prising to even their own people. ~.
Passing from Mr.. Tilden to anothe
conspicuous politician Mr.. James g
Blaine, I recall fact which is as NOTABLE
,as the;story about Cen Logan, which
told some weeks ago. Gen. Logan, il
will be remembered, notified the Nationa
Republican committee that he wouIt
withdraw from the Republican ticket
the committee circulated, as campaign
| document, the scandals about Mr.. Cleve
land. At the first meeting of th'
National Democratic committee, afte
the nomination of Mr.. Cleveland TO
President, the shocking reports 'abou
Mr.. Blaine's early marriage we're men
toned, and it was soon seen that tn
members of the committee were in pos
session of the details of the whole sac
story. No vote was taken on the subject
No motion was made. With one accorc
the committee declared that they woulc
have nothing 10 do with the dissemina