The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1895-02-01
McLAURIN ON THE WAR PATH
and Smashing the Ring, but Fails
to Tell How il Must be Done.

As there seems to be a lull in State
politics and without Il positive know
ledge Of what is doing or going to be
done, [ submit herewith my own
peculiar opinions of the situation.
The time for action, it seems to me.
has arrived, and thus believing | shall
no longer stitle my convictions, but
shall speak frankly and unreservedly
as think the necessities of the situa-
tion require, and abide the consc-
quences whatever 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 abandonment OF the primary
election principle last summer to pro-
mote the interest of certain individuals
The Constitutional Convention is
upon us, and with it our internecine
strife; the "nigger in the wood pile y
is rcviving. Not dead but sleepeth y
is written over the attcnuated corpse
of the Democratic party north of Mason
and DiXon's line, and even in our own
section, and among our own people.
signs of decay are visible. 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. Every one admits that.
but unfortunately we have become
such astute politicians that each of us
is afraid to move for fear of injuring
his chance of securing some office,
from that OF county coroner to Presi-
dent of the United States. We are
breeding tyrants and political towards
in South Carolina. Too much policy
and not enough of patriotism. Why,
Mr.. Editor, | came within an ace of
running my ilattering political pros
poets last summer by few entirely
innocent and kind observations made
to My Dear Appclt." But whatever
the result | have the satisfaction of
that | coined at least one or
two apt words and phrases, which, if
they did not enrich the English langu-
age, will live for some time, descripto
pcrsOn;V.
Ever since I wrote that letter, lin
which. God knows, | was honest
have been maligned, misreDresented
thu ISNc'y Il opcHcu
my mouth | was charged with being in
league with Butler" but that can be
done no longer, as Gen. Butler is out
Of politics and will soon be a private
citizen. While we differ on some
things politically, he will carry with
him my undying friendship and re-
spcct Had it not been for the miscon-
5truction which true friends, whose
opinion | value, would have placed
upon my conduct, ! would have died u
thousand political deaths before sub
to what | did. The people
have h0norcd me. love them, and
have studicd hard and tried to give
them value received.
! have come to the conclusion that
do not care whsther | ever hold
Office or not, if it involves the
least sacrifice of dignity honor, or
principle, and | do not propose to
occupy any cquivocaI or uncertain
position. | am in favor Of harmonic
i'm the factions if such thing be pos
5iblc, but in order to do that we must
destrOya ring" more desperate, more
more tyrannical, more un-
than ever dominated the