The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1894-03-28
CAPT. SHELLS REPLY
To an Invitation to Attend the spartanburg
Meetipg-AWord to His Defarmers.

Meetiue-AWord to His Defarmers.
Capt. E. G.. Allen, Chairman of the
committee on invitation for the Spar
tanburg meeting, has received the fol-
lowing letter form Congressman Shell
in response to an invitation, to speak
at that meeting, 'if he were a candi-
date for Governor"
Capt. E. G.. Allen and Others of the
Committee, Spartanburg, S. c.
GENTLEMEN: Your favor without
date, inviting "all candidates for
Governor and for Congress in the
Fourth District to attend a mass-meet-
ing of Reformers called for Spartan
bury Country on the "a inst" was
duly received.
Why this invitation was addressed
to me I can badly imagine, because it
is we'll known to every intelligent man
in South Carolina that I declared my
intention to retire from politics, and 1
cannot conceive how I could make it
| consistent and accept an invitation to
address q mass-meeting, either as
| candidate for Governor or Congress.
It would have given me much pleas
ure to have met with my Spartanburg
friends on that occasion and had ac-
corded me an opportunity of defend
ing myself against the contemplate
! Misrepresentation constantly made
against me, but your invitation is so
evironed with conditions that I can
not easily accept your profered kind
| ness. There may be time in the
, near future, however, when will seek
an opportunity of saying something to
the good people of Spartanburg Coun-
ty on matters and things Of my own
choosing, and when ] do, my future
aspirations and intentions will not be
misunderstood. I have an ambition
not satisfied, but, if health will permit,
I vet hope to secure the fulfillment OF
nv hearts desire, and when accom-
plished all the decent people in South
Carolina and elswhere will rejoice in
its consummation.
| When properly informed of my con-
duct, our people will have no just
course of complain against me and my
action as public servant. Indeed,
there is no objection, except on the
part of those who are diseased with
political leprosy," and filthy bench
men employed to do their bidding. The
political sitaution in our State is we'll
understood, and we are marching with
rapid strides to the end of our journey.
The Reform party was inaugurated,
with rare exceptions, with pure in
tentions, and should have been as
lasting as the "rock of ages" but it's
existence is now threatened with dire
calamity, which sooner or later, unless
rescued from the despoilers, will bring
it in disreptue and finally to wreck and
ruin. The people, however, are alive
to the situation and know full we'll
who assisted in bringing about the rev.
olution which resulted in giving them
government of the people, by the
people and for the people" 1t is true
some of those who were earliest toilers
in the Reform vineyard, and who gave
! their time and money freely for its sue
cess, have been ignored and neglected, ,
even by those who have shared most
in the grand speculation for spoils and
plunder. We hear no complaint or
expressions Of dissatisfaction on the
part of those neglected and abused,
but, on the contrary, the howlings and
mutterings of the craving malcontents
can be heard throughout the land.
They are clamorous and savage for
reform, full of desperation and de-
nouncing everything and everybody
who do not yield quick obedience to
their will and dictation. The impa-
tience Of those who feed on the passions
Of the people shows that they know
full we'll their only possibility of suc-
cess depends on the amount of racket
and confusion they can create aud
the quantity of filth they can disgorge.
There is nothing wrong with the Re-
form Movement. It will be kept intact
by the patriotic influence that domi-
nate the State, regardless of selfish die
tation of imported hirelings, who are
prostitutes to principle, and are al
ways for sale cheap to the highest bid
der. It would be exceedingly mortify-
ing if thought all these years of toll
and trouble had been spent in vain,
but relying upon the loyalty and wis
dom of the people, consciousness of
security tranquilizes the mind, and we
have no fears but what at least the con.
summation devolutly wished for will
be realized.
Revolutions seldom 60 backwards,
but ofttimes go down from the weight
of im becility and burden of mistakes,
but let US hope that the latter condi-
tions will not obtain, or discourage
those who are honestly endeavoring to
do their duty, but persevere on, relegat-
ing to the rear all whose selfish ambi-
ton is paramount to our common
country. The situation is critical
enough at best, without supplementing
our dangers with ridiculous PROPOSE
tions and dogmas too exaggerated to
attract sensible thought. We ale a
part and parcel of the greatest nation
on earth, and are expected to contrib
ute our share to its wealth, honor,
prosperity and its remotest destinies'
To accomplish these things we must be
in svrnnathv with all its institutions