The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1894-09-12
He Will Fight IN the Ranks.
Letter From, Senator Butler.

Courier: Your editorial of the Sd
instant, referred to iu the State of yes
terday, gives me the opportunity to
say that my personal or political for
tunes need not in the slightest degree
embarrass the Democracy of South
Carolina in any steps they may see
fit to take to redeem the State from
the clutches and domination Of the
corrap. Ring now controlling it.
trust may be excused for saying
that in the years that are past. since
I reached the age of manhood, | have
..done the State some service" with
out the hope or expectation of reward,
aud am not too old to render her un-
selfish duty now. My candidacy for
reelection to the United States Senate
may therefore be entirely eliminated
from any movementlooking to reorgan-
izatien of the Democratic party in
the State and the restoration of decent
government within her borders.
The. large body of tax-paying, law
abiding white voters caunot passively
submit to the ruthless disfranchisement
Of a handful of selfish Ringsters and
demagogues without the loss of their
own self-respect aud the respect OF
all liberty-loviug people everywhere
In the struggle for northumberland,
if such struggle shall be determined
upon, you may enlist me in the ranks
on,il the end is accomplished or the
chains permanently riyeted.
have no quarter to ask of the
enemies of good government and
freedom Of political opinion and action.
aud none to give. We are being
betrayed from the political faith of our
choice by the men who happen to
control the party machinery. aud led
into the field Of agrarianism, commuD-
ism and auarchism, and because We
decline to follow unprincipled leaders
blindfolded aud without protest, We are
to be charged by them With ''independ-
entism, y with q purpose Of appealing
to the negro vote. etc, etc. For myself
Irepudiate the charge as untrue and SLAM
derous, and am prepared to show that
at the door of the Ringsters must be
placed the responsibility for the pre-
sent unhappy divisions and dissen.
sions among our white people, and
that they have appealed and will again
appeal to the negro vote; that they will
encourage bloodshed fraud. outlawry.
anything to perpe,uate their vulgar
exercise Of usurped power.
[ do not wish to be understood as
embracing within this ing charge
the entire present State Administra-
ton, for it comes within my personal
knowledge that there are some honor
able, conscientious men among them,
who detest Ring rule as earnestly and
feel its injustice as keeDly as anybody ;
but they have not been able, and
are not now able to combat
successfully the reckless and andaclous
Tlawlessness Of those who WELD the
powerof the Ring.
! 1t is not a question Of the rule of
the majority but of the Ring. The
majority is as efectually muazled as
the minority, aud both are treated as
political serfs to do the bidding of
political task masters. There is no
such thing as political freedom 10 South
Caroliua, and / stand ready to aid in
reclaiming it. at any aud every cost.
I trust there will 20 longer be any
doubt as to my motives or plans.
Very truly, etc. NC BUTLER.
Edgefeld, September ). 1894.