The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1895-10-16

y
Islands of St. Domingo, Hayti and
Mauritius, upon the instine IS of human
nature and correct political philosophy.
But am glad to annunce to you that,
in addition to the approval and adhe-
sion given to the Edgelield or Straight
out policy by most of the distinguish
ed speakers who have preceded me,
the recent State Democratic conven-
ton, by its unqualified and unanimous
adoption of the resolution introduced
by the Hon. George Lamb Buist, the
leading Democrat of Charleston, in
which it was announced that the uni
ty and integrity of the Democratic
party is of paramount Importance to
the success of our cause and the wei
fare of our people in the ensuing elec-
ton, and we repudiate all fusion or
coalition with the Republican party,
has, I trust, given an effectual quietus
to the fusion and coalition policy,
and has indicated the Straighout policy
and the wisdom of the Democracy of
Edgefeld. Her banner is still proud
ly waving in the van Of the Demo
cracy OF this state.
""As today has become sort of poll.
tical love-feast, I will tell you some OF
the secret history connected with the
Straightout movement. I went to the
Centennial celebration at Charleston
on the 2Sth of June, 1876, to nominate
Gen. Butler for governor. He had
been informally announced in several
newspapers and desired to decline Ihe
nomination, in order that we might
agree upon some one else. l put his
nomination in the Journal OF Com
merce. When started home I met
on the cars Gen. Hampton, Gen. Ker-
shaw and Gen. Hagood. I had short
conversation with Gen. Hampton, in
which I soon discovered that he was in
sympathy with the movement Gen.
Butler and myself were trying to in
augurate. He to told me that he did
not expect to return to Mississippi. l
then said to him that I:.intended to try
and have him (Hampton) nominated
for governor on the Straightout ticket; /;
that with Butler and myself on his
flanks we could win this battle as we
had won others in the war. He replied
that he was poor, had come back to
pet the odds and ends of his former es-
tate together; that he did not desire
to run for the office, but that he had
made so many sacrifices for South
Carolina that if he was the choice of
the convention he would run. 1 was
delighted at his acceptance, for | be-
lieved that he could harmonic all of
the differences of the Democratic par.
ty. The contest was between Kershaw
and Conner for fusion and Butler and
myself for the Straighout Democracy:
Governor Hampton had commanded
Butler, Conner and myself: We en-
tered the war as captains under him as
colonel in the Hampton Legion. He
came out of the war lieutenant gen
eral and continued to rank all of us. l
did not believe that Kershaw and Con-
ner and Butler and myself could have
agreed upon any one man, but l be-
Geved that we all would rally under
Hampton. After this conversation,
Gov. Hampton and myself joined Gen.
Kershaw and Gen. Hagood. I an
nounced to them that Gen. Hampton
had consented, if nominated, to run on
the Straightout ticket for governor.
Gen. Kershaw replied: "Well, if the
general is nominated l will fall into
line and support him. always obey
orders from headquarters. At Branch
vile Gen. Kershaw and Gen. Hamp-
ton parted with Gen. Hagood and my
self, they going on the Columbia road
and we on the Augusta road. After
dinner Gen. Hagood and myself were
on the same seat. He said: Gary,
you are an extraordinary man. This
is another one of your off hand
moves, or sudden inspirations, if you
please, that has knocked up in min
ute all our plans in Charleston to run
Chamberlain for governor, with q
mixed tickent.' I replied that it was
no of-hand move in regard to the
Straightout ticket; that Butler and
myselfand other men of Edgefeld and
the State had deliberately and mature
lyconsidered the plan to run Straight
out ticket, but that I had suddenly
concluded to run Gen. Hampton for
governor, and that we would elect
him. When I returned to Edgefeld 1
related this incident to Gen. Butler,
and he approved of it, and said that,
in his declination, he would nominate
Hampton. I thought it was just the
thing, and he accordingly did so.
CHAMBERLAIN IN EDGEFIELD.
Before any nomination was made
for governor either by the radical par
ty or the Democratic party, Governor
Chamberlain had begun to canvas the
State. He spoke in Charleston, in
Beaufort and in several other places.
On the 18th of August he came 10
Edgefeld. What was done that day
had been deliberately planned in the
county executive committee Butler and
myself, Sheppard and Abney had been
selected as the speakers on our side.
Our instructions were to lift the veil
from the Prophet of Khorassan, D. Fl.
Chamberlain, and expose his deformi-
ties in such a manner that the ignor-
ant negro could see them. We did
not intend to puncture with polished
stilleto, but to hack him with a kitchen
caseknife. I ascended to the platform
first. General Butler had not arrived.
He was experimenting the rear of the
column of two thousand men, clad in
red shirts and mounted on horseback.
So soon as I met Governor Chamber
lain I introduced myself to him, and I
caught his eye and he WINGED under
the gaze of the Bald Eagle of Edge