The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1895-05-29
Hear hampton !

WASHINGTON, -. u, May rs.
To the Editor of the Spartanburg Her.
ald-My DEAR SIR: In the Columbia
State, received yesterday, I saw your
kind and flattering call made on me to
come to the aid of our State. To-day 1
see another communication from one OF
our colored citizens in the same line as
yours. Let me say, before proceeding
further, that appreciate these evidences
Of the confidence still reposed in me by
some Of my fellow-citizens, and hope
they will never have cause to change
their opinions.
I need hardly say that there is no per-
sonal sacrifice would not willingly
make to preserve the honor or to promote
the welfare Of South Carolina. All my
efforts in the past for these ends give the
best guarantee Of my sincerity now, but
with every desire to work for our State,
1 see no way in which I could give sub
stantial aid. When last attempted to
plead for peace and restoration OF the
fraternal relations which since ''76' had
governed all Of our citizens, q South
Carolina audience refused to hear me,
and drove me from the stage. have
State since then not because my inter-
ests in them was abated, but because
had been rudely notified that my voice
had no longer any weight in the counsels
Of the State. I have, therefore, kept
silent, Offering no advice, uttering no
complaint or reproach. have tried TO
serve the State when called on to do 30,
but when my fellow citizens declared
that could do 30 no longer, accepted
this verdict without one word OF protest.
But am still citizen Of South Carolina,
proud OF her honorable record In the
past, jealous Of her honor, and deeply
mortified at the condition she now occu-
pies and the estimation In which she is
held throughout the Union.
It is not my purpose to DISCUSS now
this deplorable condition has been brought
about, for do not intend to indulge In
reorimination nor in reproach, my only
desire being to see our people reunited
and the State placed where she stood
proudly of yore. am in full sympathy
with all you say as to our present condi-
tion, but 1t seems to me that can only
aid by my vote to bring about better
state of affairs, and have even been
refused the privilege Of voting because
happened not to have compiled with all
the requirements Of the dominant party
to show that was Democrat. If my
advice can have any weight in the State,
it would be for all Conservatives, the
only true national Democratic represen-
tatiyes In the State, to refuse to go into
any primary or any so-called compro-
mise to nominate in every county the
ablest and best men-Co Conservatives and
Reformers-who will strive to make q
good Constitution, referring 1t to the
people for ratification or rejection, and In
all cases to sell their faces resolutely
against all fraud in our elections.
Ihave no fear Of negro domination-a
cry. used only to arouse race prejudfces
and to put the coming Convention under
control Of the Ring which now dominates
our State. The negroes have acted OF
late with rare moderation and Hberality,
and If we meet them In the same spirit
they have shown, they will aid in select
ing good representatives for the Conven..
ton, I, for one, am willing to trust
them, and they ask only the rights guar
anteed to them by the Constitution Of the
United States and that Of our own State.
"Corruption wins not more than hon.
for defeat on that line Is better than VIC
tory by fraud.
& i have never refused when called on
by the people Of my State to serve them.
Nv ability to serve them now may be
past, but the wish to do 30 will expire
only with my life.
The effort made by the Forty is in the
right line and Is creditable to its origina-
tors, but it seems to me to be impractica-
BILE, for none Of them have authority TO
pledge any one save themselves. We
can work In conjunction with them and
7 hope that the work may be successful,
but If any Conservatives 60 into the
Convention by primary they will walk
into The trap cunningly prepared for
them and will thus be responsible, in
part, for any Constitution framed by the
Ring.
Thanking you and my colored friend
for the kind lines in which both speak OF
me, am, very truly yours.
WADE HAMPTON.