The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1894-08-29
sDr. Pope WlshdraWs.
1T is Peculiar, but aftersall not Sur
pr1sing for the Ways Of Reformers
are Beyond Comprehension.

-4G II = SSU41of, 0NS o1soA EssAAsst 5e.,~AH
pr1sing for the Ways Of Reformerf
are Beyond Comprehension.
DR.. Sampson Pope has decided tt
withdraw from the race for Governor
aud on Thursday gave the following
letter to the public, setting forth his
reasons for retiring at the eleventh
hour.
To the Democratic Voters of South
Carollna
am in receipt Of numerous letters
from citizens of different counties IN
this State notifying me that hundreds
of Reformers desire to vote tor me
but that no ticket has been gotten
out. The truth is the machinery oi
the Reform movement is in the hands
t.of the ring" and voters are so much
afraid Of the party lash that whilst
they are willing and anxious to vote
for me they are afraid to allow their
names to appear on ticket. This is
a deplorable state of affairs and only
goes to show how despotically they
are ruled. Under this state of things
it will be impossible for me to get out
a ticket in the majority of the counties
and therefore it will be foolish for me
to longer continue in the race for
Governor. / have this day with
drawn my pledge from the State Exc
cutive Committee and take this oppor-
tunity to say that will not be a
candidate at the primary
Forty thousand Reformers and
thirty-two thousand Conservatives are
virtually disfranclised aud fourteen
thousand ringsters dictate who shall
hold the Offices.
l saw the danger Of this. and when
the Conservatives in a desire to per-
petuate white supremacy in this State
and to conciliate the majority with a
view to peace proposed that if they
were allowed to cast their vote for
one of the four Reformers running that
they would be satisfied, though it
a fair and honorable proposition and
one which did them great credit, and
advocated its acceptance. Their
offer was refused at the dictation Of a
few blind leaders, who were puffed
up with their Importance without
regard to the peace and general vel.
fare of the whole people. The Con-
servatives, l must say, have shown
in this, aud in gracefully submitting
since 1890 to the rule of the majority.
a spirit worthy of emulation. Their
treatment has been simply outrageous
and was enough to drive them 10
desperation.
I'm retiring from this canvass |
desire 20 thank those friends who
have stood by me all over the State,
those in Darlington who
had the manhood to come out and
endorse me. cannot forget the
members Of the press whose treat
ment of me, with the exception Of
three or four weeklies, has been
magnanimous in the extreme
In conclusion let me say to the
forty thousand Reformers who did not
vote in the late so-called primary, if
you vote refrain from voting for
Governor at the primary ON the 2Sth
inst. aud thus put your seal of con.
dernnation upon the ring methods
which have been. employed, cut off
that portion of the ticket embracing
the names of the delegates, or run
your pen through their names. You
have right to do this, and only vote
for members Of the General Assembly
aud county officers
Very respectfully,
SAMPSON Pope.
August 23rd, 1894.