The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1895-01-23
McLaurin On the War Path.


McLaurin on the War Path.
Congressman McLauria, in the Columbia
Register.
AS there seems to be lull in State
politics and without positive kno Wedge
Of what is doing or going to be done, i
submit herewith my own peculiar opln-
ions of the situation.
The time for action, it seems to me, has
arrived, and thus believing, I shall not
longer stide my convictions, but shail
speak frankly and unreservedly as
think the necessities of the situation re-
ouire, and abide the consequences what"
ever they may be.
The general poverty and depression in
the country at large Is intensified by
local conditions. No one expected the
"Movement' of 1890 to divide our people
into two absolute hostile camps, and the
whole thing can be traced to the abandon
ment of the primary election principle
last summer to promote the interest OF
certain individuals.
The Constitutional Convention is upon
us, and with it our internecine strife the
.snigger in the wood pile" Is reviving.
..Not dead but sleepeth" Is written over
the attenuated corpse Of the Demo ocratic
party north Of Mason and Dixon's line,
and even in our own section, and among
our own people, signs Of decay are vis1-
BILE. Our old allies, will not help us, and
/ can no longer be relied upon. Let us
help ourselves. The interests Of ninety
nine out of every one hundred OF our
citizens are identical.
A convention Of a faction, no matter
how able its membership or good Its
work, will be disastrous and drive us
further apart. Everyone admits that,
but unfortunately we have become such
astute politicians that each Of us is afraid
to move for. fear Of injuring his chances
of securing some Office. from that o,
County Coroner to President Of the United
States. We are breeding tyrants aud
political towards in South Carolina. Too
much policy and not enough Of patriot
ism. Why, Mr.. Editor, came within
an ace OF running my hattering political
prospects last summer by few entirety
innocent and kind observations made to
.AIy Dear Appelt" But whatever the
result have the satisfaction Of knowing
that i coined at least one or two apt
words and phrases, which, If they did
not enrich the English language, will
i've for some time, descripto person@.
Ever since wrote That letter, lin
which, God knows, was honest have
been maligned, misrepresented and mis-
quoted. Every time I opened my mouth
I was charged with being in league with
aButler," but that can ba done no longer,
as Gen. Butler in ont of politics and will
soon be q private citizen. While we
differ on some things politically, he will
carry with him my undying friendship
and respect. Had it not been for the
misconstruction which true friends,
/ whose opinion value, would have placed
upon nv conduct. would have died q
thousand political deaths before submit
ting to what I did. The people have
honored me, T love them, and have
studied hard and tried to give them value
received.
@ I have come to Che conclusion that I
do not care whether ever hold another
Office or not, if it involves the least sacri-
flee or dignity, honor or principle, and !
do not propose to occupy any equivocai
or uncertain position. I am in favor OF
harmonlzing the factions If such thing
be possible, but in order to do that we
must destroy q "ring' more desperate,
more autocratic, more tyrannical, more
UQSCTUpCllOuS,stG GudL 0V01 OothAAot0A sAho
State or controlled the destinies Of free
people. I DEFY them! Let them take the
Office I hold, If they can. They cannot
.muzzle my tongue, nor stife my man
hood or independence. They are now
making preparations to control the Con-
stitutionaI Convention, and thereby per-
petuate themselves. in power, and, II
necessary to accomplish this, white men,
as well as the negro, will be ruthlessly
disfranchised. The ssAntis," }" one part are
cowed and whipped, the other part too
mad to have any sense, and while part
of the HReformers'' who want fair play
are silent, an arrogant minority, held
together by the "cohesive power of
spoils,n runs roughshod over. all. Offices
are multiplied by the thousands to pre-
vent M.kicking," while the hands of the
Executive are strengthened by unlimited
patronage, and the towns intimidated by
the threat of depriving them Of the preci-
GUS heritage Of local self.governmert.
The Alliance has been destroyed or sim
ply converted into an adjunct Of the
political machine by methods that would
make the stripes of Tammany Tiger pale
with envy. Men are afraid to speak, or
speak with bated breath. Pretended
salary reductions are made on the princi-
ple of cutting everybody else's salary
except their own. While. the patient,
toiling masses, are in debt and straining
every nerve to keep the "wolf from the
door, their attention is led away and
centred. upon personal and local issues
that, no matter which way they are decid-
ed. will benefit no one except few
individuals. What in the name Of
Heaven can the people expect from such
purblind craftsmanship Where do they
come in? Every man, woman and child
In South Carolina knows that I am telling
the truth, and many good Reformers see
in the ugly picture the finale to the beau-
tiful dream Of 1890.
Our only hope is to get together in this
Convention, and If possible prevent the
firing" from controlling it, and frame 8
Constitution which will command the
respect and confidence Of the whole peo-
pie, thereby uniting and placing us In
selves of the most favorable opportunity
that national politics may then offer. 1t
is useless to temporize. If we be men,
let US act, and, at least, purchase an hon.
orable defeat.
For what have already said and done
along this line have been the subject OF
yituperatiop, slander and abuse, and 1
shrink (no one knows how much) from
offering myself as further target to the
foul pen of hirelings and slaves.
IF doing my duty manfuuy and con-
scisntiously relegates me to private life,
I welcome it. Let the phalanx put all OF
its spears into my body if thereby the
cause OF liberty is conserved.
It was the expressed hope Of many that
the "Forty" ere this would have taken
such action as would have made their
influence felt on the line indicated by
them, which met with such general ap-
proval throughout the State. hope and
believe the matter will soon consummate
in definite action, and thereby unite
all those who sincerely want "peace and
unity"
Men who possess the courage Of their
convictions must confer in the near
future, and adopt such line Of action as
will subserve the best interests Of the
State. It is fight against the "bossism"
and "ring rule" which seeks to prostitute
every principle of popular rights to selfish
purposes.
Let those who believe peace can be OBJ
tanned without an effort deceive them
selves no longer. Peace has never been
purchased Withouta stern battle to secure
its blessings. Yours respectfully
JOHN L. McLAURIN.
Washington, January 13, 1895.
- Read Ayers Almanac, which your
druggist will gladly hand you, and note
the wonderful cures of rheumatism,