The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1890-10-30
HASKELL MADE 4 MISTAKE.
Gen Hampton's Opinion of the New
Movement, the Position of the Gai-
liant Old Soldier in the Present
Crisis in the State.
rSpecial to the News and Conrier.

Especial to the News and Courier
COLUMBIA, Oct. 24.-Seuator Hamp-
ton has addressed the following letter
to Col. J. L. NJ. 1rby. 1t will not salts
fy extremists on either side, perhaps,
but it will meet the appreciation of all
other citizens: \: G. G..
]. l.. NJ. Irby-My Dear Sir: When
wrote a personal letter 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 re-
turn home so many friends have asked
of me an expression of opinion on the
condition of political affairs that l
gave a brief statement to the press a
few days since. This, perhaps, renders
it unnecessary for me to address you
again; but as various COMMUNICATIONS
and invitations to speak at public meet
ines have reached me | take this me
thod of making my views known to
those who have done me the honor to
ask for them.
Another reason that induces me to
take this course is the fact that my
position regarding political matters
here and my conduct have been grossly
misrepresented in some quarters, and l
desire that my fellow-citizens may be
fully informed as to both, SO that they
may judge Alright. .,.
When my old constituents OF this
county, who had so often trusted and
honored me in the past, invited me TO
address them in June last, l came,
having but one object in view, and that
was to appeal to our people for harmony,
for conciliation, for unity Of action. l
expressly disclaimed any intention OF
interfering in any way with the canvass
for Governor, and l neither advocated
any candidate nor opposed any. l 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 full and free eX-
preston of their wishes as to selection
of candidates, I urged that primary
should be held, and had this plan been
adopted the present deplorable condi-
ton of affairs would not have existed.
Other counsels prevailed, and the result
| is a divided party and a bitter contest
between Democrats, all ofwhom should
| be united to maintain the supremacy
| of our party and to promote the welfare
of our State.
Noone deplores the unhappy dissen-
sions in our party more than myself,
| and would willingly make any sacrl-
flee to heal them were it in my power
to do so. But the only remedy that
can be applied must come from the
conservatism and the patriotism OF the
people themselves, and we can only
hope that by the exercise OF these
virtues the dangers threatening us may
| be averted. ,.,..
It was the conviction fmy Inability
TO reform our broken ranks now that
induced me to decline to take part III
any public discussion on the hustiDgs.
Nv Judgment is clear that public meet
! incs at this iuncture would be unWlse;
| that they would only tend to widen the
existing breach in our party, and per
! hans TO make it irreconcilable. we
want no further excitement; we nave
had already too much Of that, and OF
pernicious character; the issues involved
are fully understood by the people
who are entirely competent TO decloe
| them.
| But whilst shall not speak again in
| this canvass, shall support the ticket
| nominated by the Convention IN Sep
tember; but in doing this | by no means
endorse the grave charges which have
been made against the Democratic party
of the State. Honesty and integrity
have marked every administrator
| which has governed the State since
| 1876. and we Shall indeed be fortunate
if our officials in the future shall be
as able, as patriotic and as honesG as
they have been in the last fourteen
am compelled to support the Sep
tember ticket because it was nominated
bv the Democratic I onventlon, and be-
cause the other ticket lacks that en-
dorsement. I regret deeply that this
latter ticket has been brought out,
though I have the greatest respect Tor
the Gentlemen composing 1t, ana 40
not, for one moment, question tne
motives of tho:e who nominated IT,.
For the gallant and distinguished gen
tleman who is at its head l entertain
the highest possible regard and esteem.
I cannot forget his eminent services TO
the State, in peace and III war 10
him we were largely lndeOteo for 1ne
success which crowned our enorts III
1875. and there is no office III the g1ft OF
the State for which I would not earn
estly and cordially support him were
| he endorsed by the recognized authorl-
tv of the Democratic party. All de-
| nunciation of him and Of those whom
he represents is, in my opinion, unWor-
thy of those who indulge in it, and 1t
will only serve to prolong and emoltter
the unfortunate strife which now
divides our party. No one who knows
Col. Haskell can doubt his sincerity,
his conscieutiousness or his Democracy.
| certainly do not; and while L think
| that he has made mistake IN lendlng
his name and his Influence to the
| movement inaugurated by his friends,
I shall not denounce the man who was
nv comrade in the war, who was one
| of the ablest and bravest officers IN my
command, and who was my trusted
| friend and adviser in '76.
I do not venture to offer advice to
nv fellow citizens, for my last honest
effort to do so fell UNDECIDED; but do
appea! to them, by the glorious memo
ries offs, by all our hopes for the en-,
during prosperity of the State, to AVOID
all semblance of violence in the conduct
of the election. Any act of that sort
would not only tarnish the fair fame OF
the State, but it would place IN the
| hands of our political opponents the
most powerful weapon to be used
against US, and it 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 a
special guardian of the peace, and let
US prove to those who traduce US that
whatever differences may exist in our
! party we can settle them at the ballot
| box, without resorting to intlmldatlon'
to fraud or to violence. Then we may
confidently cherish the hope that when
the bitterness engendered by the pre-
sent unhappy strife has died out we
,,ni.oS rartC and a