The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1895-12-13

to punish South Carolina. SO we can
reasonably hope to have some 7 eace
and quiet for few years at least.
They are going to let US alone and if
we don't pile on too much auimis OPT
busque pariti in attempting to assert
our sovereignty they will let us have
considerable elbow room.
But they are a queer people, especi-
ally under tho rule Of Tom Reed, who
at tho present stands the best chance
of being the next President of the
United States, and if he is, L tremble
at what may happen. l was laughing
the other day with some gentlemen ut
the idea of anybody quoting the Con-
stitution of the United States to Tom
Reed, if he were President. He is II
very ambitious man, but there is many
slip betwixt tho cup and the lip aud
u better fate may be in store for this
country than TO have such u dangerous
man for President.
1 could go on and enlarge on this
theme if 1 had dreamed that it was the
pleasure of the convention to listen to
me. If had had any idea that it was
the pleasure of the gentlemen to call
on me 1 would have presented other
silver Innings to the cloud that hovers
over us. / do not despair for the re-
public. L cannot believe that the great
God above us is going to desert this
people nud turn 1t over to anarchy or
civil war. I believe in the sober sec
ond thought of the great Anglo Saxon
race, who will decide their differences
at the ballot boxes rather than with
the cartridge. 1 believe that we are
going to have new alignment of po-
litical parties. There is no telling
what parties or factions we will have
in the fnture. None of us need make
any rash promises or assume any ex-
treme positions as to where we will be
one year hence in politics. L believe
new political parties will be organized.
Democracy is not dead. Its principles
are eternal, and the principles an
nounced by Jefferson, the great father
of it, in his first message in 1901, have
been the political bible of freemen
throughout the world; it is their bible
to-day, and all that we hive to do is to
teach our boys and young men those
principles and let them always refer to
them as the test of every public man
and public measure We may join the
Republican party down here for mo-
tives of policy. L sometimes think
that il we had Joined tho Republican
party just after the war it might have
been better for us, but we could not do
it. We were too honest and too proud.
We had to come down sorter by
degrees.
Now our pnrty has been almost dis
banded by the treachery of Cleveland,
and the policy ofthe Republican party.
There is no change of heart in them.
They never went back on the negro
from principle; it was policy. Their
gold bugs would insist that silver
should be destroyed rs money, and
their own people revolted ut it because
thev were not willing to have white
ed to regulate wages bye ptrolitBt.l ~
amount OF money in circulation. That
is what saved us once; it is what saves
lis now. 1t is what will save us for
many years in the future, which shows
that God in his mysterious way works
out things to the right end in the long
run. There are general causes which,
under the same circumstances, with
the same men, will work ont the same
results. Those causes have been at
work for our good as well as for our
harm In some respects.
Mr.. President, this is perhaps tho
lust time / shall ever talk in delibera-
tive assembly of my countrymen. 1
am done with public life. AS L re-
marked on n previous occasion, have
enjoyed far more than the average
share of public honor My ambitions
have been gratitied. L have nothing
to regret except that l could not do
more for my country.
In our debates here I perhaps may,
In the heat of the moment, have said
things in II tone of irritation or made
remarks thai had better not been
uttered. There was no personal feel
ing il did so. 1t was but the impulse
of an honest heart trying to speak the
truth rs it was understood by me. If
L have hurt any members feelings in
any way, either in debate or in free
personal intercourse, | beg his pardon.
For the few years that are left me, sir,
L shall always cherish the remem-
brances Of this convention with pleas
urc. believe speak what every
member on this floor feels in his heart
when | say from the first day when we
met here to the present hour, the con-
vention has become more and more
consolidated rs one man, and inspired
by one purpose, stimulated by one
effort, to do the best we could for our
old mother State, showing that we
never have been divided on principle
during the last six years OF strife, and
that our politics have been based upon
men and not measures. personalities
and not principles, and true Democ-
racy n defined by Jefferson demands