The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1895-08-14
A Card from Capt. BroyIes.

MIR. EDITOR: noticed in the last issue
of your paper the nomination OK candi-
dates for the Constitutional Convention,
and was very much grati6ed that such
action had been taken, because it retrieved
the very great error which, in my judg-
ment, was committed at the m ass meeting
on the Monday preceding in not making
any nominations. But the pleasure which
the announcement afforded me was marred
when discovered that my name was in
the list of nominees. / have been affiict-
ed for several years past with catarrh,
which has very much impaired my hear
ing. end I am now under treatment for it.
When my friends have mentioned the
matter to me Of being one of the nomi-
nees have invariably urged upon them
that my af1iction was such as to dtsqualify
me for serving them if elected, except with
very great discomfort and inconvenience to
myself. and I was so urgent that they
would not suffer me to be nominated that
I had hoped 1t would not be done, and
that I would be spared the necessity of
making my affliction thus public. am
not unmindful, however, of the honor they
have done me in this manifestation of their
confidence in me, and while am COM
PEELED to decline the nomination for the
reason stated, am sincerely grateful to
them for it. The reason assigned, I am
certain, will be satisfactory to my friends.
Be it understood, however, that in de-
clining this nomination / have not been In
the slightest degree influenced by the fears
of some of my Dem mocratic friends that to
put forward ticket of our own would
disturb the peace and unity we have so
long enjoyed under ring rule, thatit won''
excite bitterness and strife and retard =
reconciliation between the factions OF our
people SO much desired.
The Reformers, recognizing tho exist
ence of the two factions, have acted in q
practical way by putting forward their
nominees, whether acceptable to the other
faction or not, and have in addition thereto
held q primary election to secure the sue.
cess Of their faction, when every man
knows, or ought to know, that Consti-
tutioual Convention should be non-par-
tisan body. It is due to them to say that
they haYe the courage of their convictions,
and that always commands respect; while
we, on the other hand, who have an equal
right to make our own nominations and
with equal disregard of the consequences,
are admonished that such action on our
part will promote strife and discord, and
seems that we alone so much desire. Such
q ROl1Cy 6OCL1o w 4A0 w AAoNAS w sAAS
That peace, though purchased with sub.
mission and shame, is preferable to defeat
in the manly assertion of whnt we believe
to- be right and just, and that, too, when
submission does not bring the peace which
Is coveted, for submission always involves
sacrifice of conviction and self-respect,
and receives in return "the insolence OF
office and the spurns' that j. deserves.
How such ideas ever obtained currency
among our people, and why they should
be impressed with the notion that the ex-
istence Of two political parties in the State
was wrong, because such state Of affairs
would promote strife and discord, and re
tard or.r material prosperity, is absolutely
unintelligible to me. They exist in all the
other States, and we hear of no such dis.
astrous consequences. They act as
check upon each other. They vitalize the
people with q sense of freedom, and are
necessary to the preservation Of public
liberty. So far from retarding, they pro-
mote the public welfare and prosperity.
But let the policy which have been con-
|demning prevail; let one party sacrifice
and ANONYMOUSLY submit to the dictation
of the other, and accept any terms 1t may
see proper. to impose, and then you may
indeed bid farewell to liberty as we'll as to
peace, unity and to consideration.
The other nominees on the ticket are
good and true men and represent these
views, and IN withdrawing my name I
earnestly beg every friend or mine to give
them his cordial support. Their friends
only ask the use Of their names, and their
patriotism and public spirit in yielding to
this wish will deserve to be remembered
fin the future.
I have the honor to be yours, &c,
a., T. BROYLES.