The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1895-06-05
Wednesday, June 5. 1895.
The Hampton Letter.

In our laSJ issue we eApESSSeO l1lS
belief that General Wade Hampton
would not lend himself to in
creasing the feeling of bitterness
now existing between the factions,
but if his recent public letter is an
Indication, it seems to US that he
would make the breach wider and
permanent. He advises. the Con-
servatives to 'refuse to go into any
primary or so-called compromise; to
nominate the ablest and best men
conservative and Reformers-who
will strive to make q good Constltu-
ton; referring it back to the people
for ratification or rejection, and Tor
all to set their faces resolutely against
all frauds in our elections.
This is his ultimatum in the face OF
sincere efforts to heal the existing
breach, but we believe the seed so"n
by this letter will cause thinking
men of both factions to double their
efforts in uniting the white people.
In our judgment the Hampton letter,
if the people were to act upon the
lines suggested by it, would be sur
render of the white man to the negro.
1t would be virtually making the
negro the sole arbiter of our differ
ences. The fact of wanting the Con-
stitution sent back for ratification or
rejection is sufficient to cause those
who believe that the future of South
Carolina depends upon the certainty
of white supremacy, to spur them
selves on in the work of having the
Convention controlled by men who
will not send the Constitution back.
Under ordinary conditions it would
be right that the people should have
voice in the acceptance or rejection
of a Constitution to be made for
them, but when it is remembered
that one of the principal reasons for
changing or making new Constltu-
ton is to secure to the white people
of this State the government which
is theirs by right and in order to at
tain this end there must be a curtall-
ment of vast negro majority, then
We say it would be suicidal to refer
the Constitution back, because there
are 140, 900 negro votes against 100000
white votes, and if, in the new Con-
stitution, there is anything that will
cut off any portion of this large
negro vote, when the matter is sent
back the negro will vote solidly for its
lection.
The white men OF this State can
not afford to let factional prejudices
or jealousies keep them apart on a
grave question like this. We must
get together on this if we differ on
every other issue.
General Hampton talks about
frauds in our elections as though he
has just found out that such thing
as fraud ever exists in the elections
in this State. He certainly has for
gotten the modus operandi of the
elections which took him from his
plantation in Mississippi and landed
him in the gubernatorial chair OF
South Carolina and afterwards in the
United States Senate If fraud ex-
listed in the elections since 1890
when those in power had no opposl-
tion to defraud-what was it prior to
1890, when the party was fought in
every election?
1t is all fol-de-rol to talk about
frauds at this late day, and it is
never heard except from the dlsap-
pointed.
What we want to see is, for the
white men to put forward men in
whom they have every confidence
nominate them in the primary. and
then elect them at the general cleo
tion.
We do not want to see the factions
brought into the selection of the
delegates, and we believe if the poll
ticians will preach this kind of doc
trine instead of demanding impossi-
bilities, the Constitutional Conven-
tion-on which so much depends, on
which the future welfare OF our
children depends-will be made up
Of men who will go there with our
condition and the needs of the State
in their minds.
Our view of this matter is that the
people want a Constitution that Will
insure white supremacy and give the
white children better school facilities.
Politicians, however, want whole
lot of excitement and noise IN order
that the people will take sides with
them, and each side is fighting for
the largest crowd.
The State Press Association held
it's annual meeting in Sumter last
week, and the members of that Or
sanization who had the good fortune