The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1890-07-03
SENATOR HAMPTON SPEAKS
At the Columbia Meeting, and gives some
good Advice.

at the Columbia Meeting, and gives some
good Advice.
Senator Hampton was present at the
campaign meeting in Columbia on June
24th, and made the following speech:
Ladies, and my Fellowacitisen of
Richland and of South Carolina: The
cordial greeting that you have given me
has touched my heart 90 that | have
hardly words in which to thank you. l
have come in obedience to the call of The
executive committee of this, my own
County, whose people for yesrs and years
past have given me every honor in with
their power, and whom have tried to
serve with every energy of my heart,
my arm, or my tongue; that l might
come here to speak to you to day on the
grave issues, the gravest, I may say that
have ever touched our State since 1876 !;
that might consult with our Democratic
friends how best to preserve, not only
the Democratic party, but the welfare
and prosperity of the people Of the South,
I have come to see those men, the sur
vivors of 1876, those men whose
heroism, whose devoted effort, whose
courage, whose sublime courage, redeem.
ed the State from rule more disgraceful,
humiliating and more ruinous than that
to which civilized people was ever sub
jected. Applause. 1 have come to
meet them again, to look into the faces
of the men who sustained me in 1876, to
take counsel with them and to show them
what we shall do, and to listen to what
they may have to say.
Ny friends, before l begin to discuss
the Issues, let me say that I concur hearth
ly in what our chairman has said.
Iimplore you to treat every candidate
to day in the most respectful manner for
Il am ashamed to say-that has not
been done at some of the meetings in
South Carolina. Applause. And
when I saw in the papers the other day
that hero who had led South Csroliniaus
into the jaws of death, and who bears on
his body the honorable scars which show
his devotion to South Carolina. Here
there was great applause before Bratton's
name was mentioned. When / saw
that South Carolina audience could
insult John Bratton tumultuous ap-
plause I thought: Good God have the
memories of '61, of '65, have been oblit-
Grated and all that has been done by the
men who have tried to serve South Car
olina? [Applause and "No, no 1 Hurrah
fo- BrattonP' Has it all been forgot
ten7 Oh, my friends, let not that be
said of Richland County. Treat all men
with respect This we are told is a cam.
paign of education. May it be so, but
how can it be-. so unless all the
speakers are given respectful and at
tentiye audience. I ask for every one
here and for myself that you will hear
me for my cause; for my cause is the one
that has been nearest to my heart all my
life. Applause.
1 have come, my friends, to discuss
measures, principles and not men. 1t
would be eminently improper in me
either to advocate the claims of any can.
didate, or to condemn or to criticise any
one whose views, whose methods, whose
policy do not agree with. It would be
improper and indelicate, aud / have no
idea of doing it. Every citizen in
South Carolina has right to seek office.
It is laudable ambition, and if that
ambition leads him, inspires him to seek
it by honoroble ways and honorable
methods, know of no higher cause in
which man may be engaged. Ap.
plause.
But ne are now confronted with the
erayest issues re have had to meet for
years past. l came here and l find dlvis'
ion amongst the Democrats of South
Carolina. When I remember the scenes
that witnessed here on this very spot
In 1876, when this vast space was packed
with the men, who had gone through the
campaign, of which the last meeting was
here: when I remember that all these
galleries were filled with fair, devoted
women, who had contributed SO much to
our success; when l remember that even
the little children were enrolled in the
ranks, and prayed for the success of the
Democratic party when remember
that we all stood shoulder to shoulder to
meet the common enemy, i confess that
nv heart siuks when I see this division
amongst ourselves. This is said to be only
a family quarrel, but you know that no
quarrel can be so bitter as family quar-
rol when it is pushed to the last issue.
We are told that both factions of the
Democratic party are Democrats, are
true Democrats. They doubtless are.
In the ranks of both parties are brave,
honest, conscientious, patriotic men. l
recognize that. / know it. I appreciate
it, and I do and give all honor to. the
men who are following their convictions !;
but, my friends, let me tell you that we
need not look far to be taught what can
be the result of division in Democratic
ranks. Look to our old and great sister,
the Commonwealth of Virginia. You
remember that when Hancock was nom.
mated for President, Malone placed in
the field an electoral ticket in opposition
to the regularly constituted ticket. he
and they all declared that they wore
Democrats, and what was the result I
The State was lost. Malone became
Readiuster, an Independent. As an
Independent Democrat, as he claimed to
be, he was elected to the United States
Senate, and in his first utterance in the
Senate he said that he was better Dem
ocrat than the great Senator from Geor.
gia, Ben Hill and you remember thai
be sold himself to the Republicans and
became the most bitter and malignant
enemy of his own people. Great ap-
plause.
redeemed herself and has consigned
Malone to the infamy be deserved, anc
I pray to God that such may be the fate
of all such renegades and Independents
as he is. Applause
Now, my friends, that is lesson W.
should take home to ourselves. I tel
YOU that if we divide ne shall fall al
easy conquest to our enemies. United
ne can defy all attacks from without ant
within our borders. But do you not SEE
that even now on the calendars of Con
eress are election laws framed by th,
bitter enemies of the South, which, i
exerted, will leave the elections practi
cally in the bands of the United State
supervisors, and our members Of Congress
will be certified by the Federal Judg'
Instead of by the authorities of Soutl
Carolina? My friends, there is fright
tul dauger>before us-a danger not alone
from the division of the party, bu
~ IL. IL