The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1895-12-11
s.The Sage Of Edgefleld."
Columbia state.

close of the COnv6ntlOn'6 proceedings Oh
the final night. 1t was the last speech
made in the Convention, and coming as
it did from South Carelins's veteran
statesman at such time, it was listened
TO with the closest attention. It deals
with the Federal outlook in an interest
ing manner.
Here is the speech in full:
Mr.. President and gentlemen Of the
Convention: I had no expectation OF
being invited to address the Convection
on-nothing in particular and everything
in general. But since have been called
on in such complimentary manner, l
would either be more or less than man
If did not thank The Convention for such
compliment.
Mr.. President, we can all hope great
deal from the Constitution we have
adopted. It is not such an instrument an
we would have made If we had been
free people. We are not free people
We have not been since the war. fear
il will be some time before we can call
ourselves free. I have had that fact very
painfully impressed upon me for several
years, IF we were free, instead Of having
negro suffrage, we would have negro
slavery. Insead of having the United
States government we would have the
Confederate States government. Instead
G. paying $4,000, 000 pension tribute, we
would be receiving it. Instead of having
many things thag we have, we would
have other and better things. But to the
extent that we are permitted to govern
ourselves and pay pension tribute to our
conouerors, we have framed as good an
organic law, take it as whole, as the
wisdom and patriotism of the State could
have desired.
Perhaps, sir, i'll were to speak appro.
priately on such an occasion as this, l
ought to speak from a national point OF
view-about our Federal relations and
about our future as forecasted by our
present surroundings. But 1t Is too vast
8 subject to be taken offhand.
The Convention, though, Is tired out.
Many Of them are making preparations
to 20 home, and I shall therefore not at
tempt it.
/ will casually allude to a few matters
in national politics which give me hope
of better future for us. One is the fact
that I am satisfied that the Republican
party has adopted new departure to-
wards the negro. The silver question has
to great extent superseded the negro
question. It was the silver question that
saved us from not only more reconstruc-
ton hell in 1890. but that saved the gov
ernment of the United States from being
revolutionized from top to bottom. The
Lodge force, bill under Reeds manipula.
tion, passed the House Of Representatives
and came within one vote of passing the
Senate. SO near did we come to having
our present form Of government over
thrown, and yet South Carolinians were
wranglirg over local matters here, simply
scramb bling for Office without any princi-
pie at stake and didn't seem to realize
how near we were to having politicai
volcano exploded under our feet. Free
silver saved us. The free silver Senators
said eve are more interested In free
silver than we are in the rights or wrongs
of the negro. And as the South Is almost
unanimous for free silver, we would be
parcel of fools to help the Eastern States
Cypress the South on the negro question: p
Free silver then saved ns In 1890. and l
believe, gentlemen, free silver will save
us in the presence Of the overwhelming
Republican sentiment that now domt-
mates the North. Not only dominates
the North, but all the border slave States.
Renem Der Delaware, Maryland, West
Virginia, North Carolina, Tennessee and
Missouri all went Republican at the last
election on account of the Federal elec-
|. tion laws being repealed. The free silver
question will not die soon. It is living
question. It has as much vitality as the
negro question ever had. or course,
Dlsraeli was right when he said race
issue in politics was the most vital that
ever could be started. But financial
question like free silver is almost as
strong. It will be years perhaps before
the silver question Is finally settled, and
until 1t is the negro question Will be
relegated to the rear. The Republicans
realize that the negro question Is secon-
dary question now, and hence 1t was they
consented to the repeal of the Federal
election laws, which gave them back the
Southern border States, aud those border
States have gone to the Republican party
naturally belong. Hence there Is NO
more solid Democratic South. We are
to find other alliances and economic
issues are to take the place of the once
great race issue. Besides, the Republi
cans, when they choose to exercise 1t,
without passing any laws, can exercise
great power over tho South-admitting
or excluding her Representatives or
Senators. They will be put to the test
whether they will be willing to shut the
doors of Congress to the South Carolina
Representatives in the present Congress.
Not feeling the necessity for it in the
house, they may not do it except in some
cases where they may feel it necessary to
keep the negro in heart, to retain the
balance of power in the Northern States,
which are controlled by the negro votes
because they have to do something occa-
sionally to warm that race up. But am
satisfied they have adopted g new depar-
ture. They are divided themselves on
the silver question. The East is not solid
for silver. The West has large majority
of silver and to-day the only two princi-.
pies left to the Democratic party in South
Carolina are enmity to Cleveland and
friendship to free silver and the silver
Senators will not permit any legislation
on the negro question and the Courts
have recently shown that they are not
eager to punish South Carolina. So we
can reasonably hope to have some peace
and quiet for q few years at least. Thev
are going to let us alone and If we don't
pile on too much animus opibusque
parati in attem pting to assert our sover-
eighty they will let us have considerable
elbow room. But they are queer Eco
pie, especially under the rule of Tom
Reed. who at the present stands the best
chance of being the next President of the
United States, and If he ia. tremble at
what may happen. Iwas laughing the
other day with some gentlemen at the
idea of anybody quoting the Constitution
OF the United States to Tom Reed. If he
were President. He is very ambitious
man, but there Is many slip hetwixt
the cup and the lip and better fate mey
be in store for this country than to have
such dangerous man for President.
I conld go on and enlarge on this
theme if had dreamed that 1t was the
pleasure Of the Convention to listen to
me. If I had had any idea thatit was the
pleasure of the gentlemen to call on me
would have presented other silver Innings
to the cloud that hovers over US. do
not despair for the republic. cannot
believe that the great God above us is
going to desert this people and turn over
to anarchy or civil war. believe in the
sober second thought of the great Anglo
Saxon race, who will decide their differ
ences at the ballot box es rather than with
the cartridge. believe that we are
going to have new alignment of politi-
cal parties. There Is no telling What
parties or factions we will have in the
future. None of us need make any rash
promises or assume any extreme posi-
tions as to where we will be one year
hence in politics. believe new political
parties will be organized. Democracy is
not Hood 1ta Drincinlas ara eternal and