The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1892-07-13
HAMPTON STRIKES BACK.
Wade Hampton tells how Tillman has
Misrepresented Him.
CHARACTERISTICS, VA, July Z, 1892

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Vas July Z, 1877.
To the ItIstor of the State My DEAR
SIR: In your paper giving the account of
the meeting in Columbia on the 4th inst,
7 find the following reference to myself
by Governor Tillman, and beg you to
allow me space enough in your columns
to show how absolutely false are the state
ments made by this man, who never hes
itates to resort to falsehoods in speaking
of political opponents, or to promote his
own selfish ends. shall take his state
shall convict him Of falsehood in regard
to the first out Of his own mouth:
Y Sat Aiken two years ago said Hamp-
ton ought to be in the United States SEN
ate forever, and that was willing for
him to stay there" y. sat Aiken
he refused to ride in the carriage with
me-" and yet, after my haYirg done so,
hethat clay, In his speech, made the dec
larat1on as tony remaining in the Senate !!
Yet he now gives that as one reason why
he subsequently opposed my reelection.
Now, aS to the facts in reference to my
refusal to ride to the meeting in the car
rlage with him: was the guest Of one of
the members Of the Executive Committee,
who had invited me to ride with him, and
his invitation had been accepted, as l
he asked me to drive with him: and, be-
sides this, have yet to lesrn that the new,
regime now prevailing in South Carolina
forbids gentleman to choose his own as
sociates or companions.
The Governor proceeds to say, "But he
had no business to interfere in this fami-
lY quarrel" Is seems to me that every
patriotic citize 'our State was called on
to deplore and !eorecate any quarrel
amongst brethren lose only hope for
the welfare Of the State depends on con-
cert Of action and unity Of feeling. But,
waving this question, I ASSET, without
fear Of contradiction, that at the meeting
in Columbia not one sentence, not one
word, In the remarks there made war
rants the assertion that I took part in the
brought such disaster on the State. came
at the request! Of my old constituents OF
Richland to plead tor peace and harmony.
I expressed no preference for any candi-
date, no disapproval Of any, and appeal
to the report Of my speech on that occa-
sion, as published, to substantiate my as
sertion and to prove the falsity Of the
charge made by Governor Tillman.
"He compared Tillman and his friends
to Mahone." is the next count in the in
dictment made against me by the Cover
nor. did nothing Of the sort. warned
our people, as thought my long service
| in their behalf justified me Of doing, Of
the dangers of division and dissension In
our ranks, and I illustrated my warnin 6
by calling attention to the terrible conse-
uuences which had befallen Virginia by
| the quarrel in the Democratic ranks,
brought about by the interruptions con-
duct Of Malone. So much for that charge
4 foh ijra NJ
his on other occasions, proves to be ut.
terly false.
sf will tell YOU" proceeds the Cover
nor, s'where he now is. he is in retire
ment, where he belongs and where he
ought to be. Hampton has taught
US that an Independent was worse than
Radical. That depended whether the In
dependent was his friend or not. II
Hampton had simply said that an Inde-
pendent was still worse than Radical
and that he stood to what he said, he would
| be in the United States Senate to-day" l
/ beg to assure his "Excellency" that ]
stand by and reiterate what said about
Independents in our State, and he must
pardon me when say In perfect frank
ness that regarded him as an 1ndepen-
/ dent when he suggested" himself as
gubernatorial candidate in the famous
| March Convention, and held then, as
I do now, that he and his followers there
| should have been ruled at once out OF the
| Democratic party. This, however, was
not done, and as the Democratic Execu-
| tive Committee unfortunately recognized
| him subsequently, stated that should
| vote for him. This should have done,
| but for fortunate accident which saved
me from what I should always have re:
earded as an inevitable but unmitigated
calamity.
I refused to speak on the invitation ol
Irby, for my experience at Aiken, when
| the Tillman roughs howled me down,
TAUGHT me that nothing could say would
touch the hearts Of my fellow-citizens
| nor influence their conduct. confess j
was with deep sense of pain and morti'
| fication that + found Carolina audience
refusing me even respectful hearing. !
deterrined then-a determination to
| which have adheeed-that would moi
again obtrude my advice on my fellow
citizens on any public question,
am only private citizen, asking no
thing from my State save a last resting
place by th. side of my kindred.
amHir ~nmentwhere Ibelong snd
] where 70 be-" if the verdict Of tAe