The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1895-08-07

have heretofore announced their emphat-
ic disapprobation of the same, and de-
clared themselves in favor of putting
forward candidates at the election on the
Goth inst. who would be pledged to refer
the work of the Convention back for the
decision Of the people, whose agents they
are and, whereas, there has been no
change in the minds Of the said Conserv-
ative Democrats az to the wisdom and cor.
rectness Of their views, and they still
condemn the ring rule and tyranny OF
The leaders of tho o-called "Reformers,"
vet We feel that to put forward a ticket
would bring about a renewal of the ex-
citement and bitterness of several pre-
ceding wears, and thereby tend to post
pone q reconciliation between the great
majority of the white people in this
County and State, which we earnestly
desire TO see hastened, as well as to fur
ther retard the material prosperity OF our
country. Now, be it
Resolved, That we believe that 1t would
not be expedient at this time to put for
ward our candidates, and will therefore
vote for such Of the primary nominees
as measure up, in our judgment, to the
high qualifications necessary In man to
represent Anderson County in the Con-
stitutional Convention.
The resolutions were seconded by M.
Berry Williams, who made a few re-
marks In favor Of them.
Hon. Hugh Prince was next beard
from. he said he was opposed to the
resolution, as it placed the Conservatives
favor..of nominating ticket composed OF
men who were in favor of submitting
the work of the Convention back to the
people to pass judgment upon. The
powers of a Convention are above Courts,
Legislatures or Governors. No power
but the people can alter or change it. SO
sacred did our fathers think this that it
was inserted in the Constitution Of the
nation that not even the aggregated wis
dom of Congress could add to or take
from or in any way amend the Constitu-
ton without submitting it to the people
for approval, and 1t required three
fourths vote of the State to ratify it. It
was against a Republican form ofgovern-
ment and undemocratic to take this right
from the people. The recent primary
was undemocratic because the framing OF
the Constitution is pre-eminently the
work Of the people, by the people and for
the people, and as the people had to dele
gate this power to a Convention, they
should have had the widest range in the
choice of delegates. This the primary
prevented. The cry of peace! Is
it sincere? No. We in 1892 went
into the primary on peace plat
was wider division and greater discord.
In 1894 we put out no ticket and proposed
to go into the primary and do the best we
could with their own material. Again
they excluded US from some sort of a
closs communion primary and forced
their choice on rs. We accepted them,
and vet there is no peace, nor will our
submission to this outrage upon our
rights bring US peace. We are simply in
the dreadful predicament of being damn
ed If we do and damned If we don't.
Then il we are to be damned anyhow, for
Gods sake let us have the poor privilege
of choosing what we shall be damned for.
They harp on defeat az if defeat was the
most dreadful thing that could befall an
individual or party. Is defeat so terri
BILE as to call for the sacrifice of manhood,
self.respect and cherished principles to
avert it? A thousand times no! The
grandest sentiment that ever fell from
human lips in defence Of patriotic duty
is that uttered by Horace 5000 years ago,
"dulce ct decoTuan est pro patriea n,ori,"
and that which fell from the lips of our
own great orator and statesman, is but
the 10Th century echo of Horace, "give
me liberty or give me DEATH" The
grandest spectacle ever seen by human
patriot on thealtar ofright battling against
wrong-a spectacle that compels the ap-
plause of humanity and draws down the
approving smiles of Heaven on the self
devoted victim. ~, for one, am ready to
brave dangers of the battles forefront, to
meet death, fneed be, to fall with the
noble and brave and find q resting place
among the honored dead rather than
basely submit to the wrongs that are be-
ing forced upon free and civilized peo-
ple." He favored nominating ticket
and placing it in the field, even fit did
not get mere than ten votes.
Mr. Prir co.'s speech was most eloquent,
and was listened to with intense interest.
The above brief synopsis does not do
him Justice, and we regret that we are
not able to reproduce it word for word.
Col. L. E. Campbell followed Mr.. Prince,
and said he was one of the first t. leave
Columbia to fight Tillman's movement.
and had been lighting it ever since. He
bad no apologies 70 make for his action.
He agreed with Mr.. Prince in many things
he had said but disagreed with him in
dering principle. The Conservatives had
no organization, and it would be folly to
oppose the Tillmanites at this time. He
was in favor of letting them have the
Convention and bear the responsibility of
it. He wanted to see peace among the
white people, but as long as Tillman and
Irby were the leaders ne would not get it,
for they were not fit men to lead an intel
ligent, christian people. They were dis.
grace to the State, and was ashamed that
the once proud Carolina had put such men
in power. He hoped that the day was not
far distant when the men who followed
Tillman would see the error Of their way
and come back into pure Democracy aud
elect men to positions of honor and trust
on their merits.
Gen. Bonham spoke against the resolu
tions and said they did not represent his
principles. He was comparative stran-
ger to the people of Anderson County, and
would not undertake to advise them as to
the expediency of nominating candidates
or not, but he could not vote for any man
as delegate who WAS opposed to letting
the people pass Judgment upon the work
of a Constitutional Convention, at it was
too much power to delegate to any set of
men.
Col. M, P. Tribble said he stood upon
the same platform as the gentleman who
had preceded him. He was in favor of
making a fight, for it would be battle for
the light. The cry ofpeace had been heard
now for five years. but peace was as far on
as ever before. He had his principles, and
could not support any man who did not
represent them,
J. W. Quattlebaum, Esq said he wanted
to place himself on record as opposing the
wording of the resolution. He said he
could not vote for any man who was op.
posed to referring the Constitution back
to the people for ratification. He moved
to strike out the words after candidate" in
the resolution, so as to make it read as fol.
lows:
ReSolued, That we believe that Ii would
not be expedient at this time to put for.
ward our candidates.
J. l.. Tribble, Esq, said he was in SYM
pathy with the sentiment of the pream-
BILE, but thought 1t would be good policy
not to put up ticketin opposition to the
candidates who had been nominated in
the primary. He knew the candidates,
aud all ofthem we're his personal friends,
but he could not vote for them, as the
platform upon which they had been NOM
mated did not represent his principles,
for he believed the people had a right to
reject or ratify the work of the Conven-
ton.
Mr.. Quattlebaum's motion was then
put and adopted.
After few rambling remarks from
oh hof 60fnQtn