The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1890-10-31
Hampton On Haskell.

either side, perhaps. but it will meet the
appreciation of all other citizens:
Columbia, =. c., Oct. %. 1890.
A. - h.,.- g.. Milan
| wrote n personal note to you recently my
intention was To remain silent until could
give my views to you more fully than was
then done, but since my return home so
many friends have asked Of me an express
sion of opinion on the CONDITION of Ioliri,al
affairs that gave b icf statement To the
press n few dnys since. This, perhaps,
renders il unnecessary for me T. address
you agnin but as various communications
and invitations to speak nj public meetings
have reached me take this method of max
ing my views known to those who have done
me the honor To AJAX for them.
inothcr rea son that induces me to take
this .ursc is the fact that my position
regarding political matters here and my
c'nducr have been grossly misreprcsent ID
in some qmrrters, aud | desire that my
fellow citizens mny he fully informed as t.
both, So that they may judge ar ght.
When my old constituents Of this county,
WHO had so often trus cd and houored me
in the PAST. invited me To Cddacs, them in
June last, | came, having but ono object
in view, and that was to appeal 10 our people
for hnnnanny, f..,, oo,soiifatfon, for ,.sity
action. expressly disclaimed any iuten
ton Of interfering in any way with the
canvass for Governor, and | neither advo-
Gated any candidate, nor oppose any. |
said that the people were the sole and proper
Judges in the selection of their officials, and
that from their verdict there should be no
appeal. In order that there might be q full
and free expression of shes as TO the
selection of candidates, ! urged iha,
primary should be held, and had this plan
hpnt q, nl lnt1. al la ,rnl,
ton ofniiairs would not have existed Other
counsclS prevailed, and the result is a
divided party aud II bitter contest between
Democrats, all of whom should be united to
maiutain the supremacy of our party anl
10 promote the wc!farcof our State.
No enc deplorcs the unhappy dissensious
in our party more than myself, and would
willingly make any sacrifice to heal them
were ii i'll my power to do so. But the
only remedy that can he applied must come
from conservatism and the patriotism of
The people themselves, and we can only
nope that by the exercise of these virtues
the dangers thrcating Us may be avertcd.
II was the conviction Gf my inobiliy to
reform our broken ranks now that induced
me {, decline to take part in any public dis
cuSsion OH the husings. My judgement is
clear that public meeting. I this iuncturc
would be unwisc; that thry would only
tend to widen the existing breach in our
party, and perhaps to make it irrcconcilablc
We want no futhcr excitement we hava
bad already too much of that, and Of .
rcrnicious character the issues involved
arc fully understood by the people, who arc
entirely competent TO decide them.
But whilst shall not speak again in this
canvass, | shall support the ticket nominated
hy the convention III September; but in do
ing this by II" means endorse the grave
charges which have been made against the
democratic party of the State. Honesty
and integrity have marked every admins
triton which hNs governed the State since
1876, and we sha | indeed bc fortunate il
"nr officials in the future shalt lie as able, |
aS patriotic and as honest as they have been
in the last fourteen years.
l am impelled to support the September
ticket because it was nominated by the
Democratic convention, and because the
other ticket lacks that endorsemept.sSIsSre I
gret deeply that this latter. has 5e1n> ~ ought
Cut though have the greatest respect for
the gentlemen composing it, and / do not,
for one moment, question the motives cf
In ose who nominated it. For the ga liant
and distinguished gentlemen who is 1T its
head entertain the highest possible regard
and esteem | cannot forget his eminent
services to the State, in peace and in war
To him we were largely indebted for the
success which crowned our political efforts
in 1876, and there is 20 Office in the gift of
the State for which ! would not earnestly
and cordially support him were he endorsed
hy the recognized authority of the demo
cratic party. All dcnunciation of him and
of those whom he represents il, in my
opinion, unworthy Of those who indulge in
il, and will only serve To prolong and cmbit-
ter the unfortunate strife which now divides
our party. No one who knows Colonel
Haskell can doubt his sincerity, his consci
entiousness or his democracy certainly
Ito not ard while | think that he has made
n mistake i'll lending his name and his inilu-
cncc to the movement inauguratcd by his
friends, ] shall not denouncc the man who
was my comradc in the war, who was one of
the ablcst rnd bravest officers in my com
mand, and who was my trusted friend and
adviser in 20.
| do not venture TO offer advice to my
fellow citizens, for my last honest effort 10
do so fell unhceded but | do appeal TO
them, by the glorious memories Of 20. bv
all our hopes for the enduring prosperity of
the State. TO avoid all semblance of violence
in the conduct CT the election Any act of
that sor; would not only tarnish the fair
name of the State but it would pace in the
hands Of our political opponents the most
powerful weapon to he used against us and
1t would furnish the strongest argument for
the enactment Of the odious federal election
bill now pending before Congress.
Let every man who holds the honor of our
State dear constitute himself special guar
dian of the peace, and let us prove to those
who traducc us that whatever difference
may exist in our party we can settle them at
the ballot box, without restoring to iniimid-
alton, TO fraud or to violence. Then ma may
confidently cherish the hope that fh6I
bitterness engendered by the present unbap-
py strife has died out we shall see again a |
united party and prosperous people-a re-
turn to the time |
When none was for party,
When all were for the State |
In the brave days Of old"