The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1888-08-01
THE SECOND CAMPAIGN MEETING
SPEECHES BY THE CANDIDATES AND
OTHER PROMINENT GENTLEMEN.

i
OTHER PROMINENT GENTLEMEN.
Public Questions of an Interesting Char
acter Discussee Before the People.
(From the News and CoDrier)
The second of the public meetings
appointed by the Democratic State Ex-
ecutive Committee was held at Green
vile on Tuesday the 23d inst.
Capt. G. G. Wells, in the absence of
County Chairman B. F. Perry, pre-
sided.
Governor Richardson was introduced,
and was received with applause. He
spoke in substance as follows:
GOVERNOR RICHARDSON'S SPEECH.
He said that he had been quite un-
well and was unable to address his audi
ence as he had hoped to do, but he could
not refrain from attempting at least to
meet the demands of the occasion.
There was something which thrilled him
in the presence of South Carolina au-
dience, for Carolinians, whether they
lived in the centre or on the borders Of
the State, were yet one people with one
pride, one hope, one destiny. He did
not intend to say here at this late day,
twelve years after Hsmpton's great VIC
tory, to show figure by figure, dollar by
dollar, that the Democrats who consti-
tute our State Government excel in the
honesty and ability of their administra-
ton the aliens and robbers Of the old
Radical days. It could not be that the
Governor of South Carolina, or any
other officer, was required to go over
the State and maintain such PROPOSE
ton. The man who attempted, the
Governor said, to deal with facts and
figures of moment to the people of this
State must assure the public of their &C
curacy or stand convicted as unworthy
of public confidence. Applause.
As at Hodges, the Governor took up
the charge that the present State Gov
ernment was practically as oppressive
as that robber Government, which was
overthrown in 1876, and it did not take
long by an attractive combination Of
ELOQUENT words and equally eloquent
numerals to drive the slander from any
Judgement in the minds of his hearers.
His discussion of State finances was
masterlY. Instead of the S2S, 900
debt which we had before 1876, our in
debtedness was now but Sc, 900, 900, most
of which would fall due in 1893.
Let the State Government continue to
be managed with fidelity and conserva-
tism, and this debt could be refunded at
4 per cent, efecting an annual saving
of Sl2O,00O. "That's economy" COM
mented the Governor. These savings
should be enough, he added, to estab-
ish, without the Clemson bequest, two
frst-class agricultural colleges.
Referring to the Tillman charge that
the expenses of the State Government
in 1ss6-87 were 1924, 900 greater than
1879, he said that the individual who
made the assertion did not know enough
about the matter to sustain his own
charge. If he had understood the mat
ter as be assumed to understand it, he
would have seen that instead OF an IN
crease of 1924, 600 there had been one Of
1884, 900. When a man made differ
ence in figures of over hundred thou
sand dollars against himself In his own
argument he did not consider him as re-
liable ss Davies's arithmetic.
In speaking of the recklessness of the
charges made by would-be statesmen
and aspirants for political power, the
Governor referred briefly to the fact
that away off in one of our counties
candidate for the State Senate had &C
cused noble and true public servant,
Governor Hugh S. Thompson, of steal
ing the furniture from the Executive
Mansion. After declaring that the charge
of such baseness against such man was
not worthy even of denial, Governor
Richardson said that the man who could
utter such an accusation like that against
an honorable officer was himself capable
of committing the deed he charged.
This sentiment was enthp- .astically sp-
plauded.
Considering the difference in the ap-
between 1861, Cover
nor Richardson did not bring out all his
figures, but explained that the increase
was caused by the new appropriations
for the militia, University, Citadel, COM
pletion of the State House and the pub
lie debt. Each Of these appropriations
he successively took up and showed the
reason for. There WAS particular ap-
plause when he alluded to the militia
appropriation. But one thing stayed
the hand which, in one section of the
State, was ever ready for the torch, and
that was the presence of the gallant
boys whose white tents were on yonder
hill to-day.
He resented the imputations cast upon
she Legislature by the ultra agitators OF
the day, and presented proofs OF the
industry and constant striving after
of its members.
As to the Clemson College, the Gov
ernor repeated his declaration made at
Hodges, that he was in favor of the
widest education in schools and colleges,
and his approval OF the acceptance of
.he much discussed be9uest if it should
prove valid one and the people wanted
It. South Carolina was no longer a
oauper and need stand at no door to
beg for clothing, bodily or Intellectually,
out what she adopted should be under
aer control and used for her people and
her only. Applause
He appealed to the people of the State
20 educate their sons, to touch not a
single institution which they had, but
% build for all the youth of South Car
olina. The old State did not need to
devote all her care and love to one class.
Upward and onward should be the cry