The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1896-04-01
ter1u destroved and q new party take

die will cause the Populists and silver
men to sweep the South and the West
and the Democratic party will be only
a name and will become the third par
ty, should it be fortunate enough to
carry a single State. But those who
urge that we stick to the party, no
matter what may be its platform, will
retort at once that if the silver Demo
Gratis bolt at Chicago the same result
will follow. I grant it so far as the
present organization is concerned ana
also so far as the name is concerned,
because there would inevitably be a
new party formed embracing all the
elements of the three parties when
stand for free silver and financial re-
form. But the principles and the plat
form of such a new party, If 1t be
formed. will be those of Jefferson and
Jackson and Lincoln; and if it does
not win the victory this year, it will
be bound to carry the country in 1900.
1t will be the genuine Democratic
party. 1t must not be forgotten too
that the Republican party is split and
torn over this issue as well as ours.
Now let us look at out local condi-
tions in the light of past events and
the present notwithstanding
The Register seems entirely to ignore.
In 1892there were not less than thirty
thousand Reformers in the State and
possibly more who were strongly
tempted to vote for Weaver and were
loath to participate in the national De
mocratic convention by sending dele
gates to it. Where do these men stand
today, after having been deceived and
betrayed2 The news comes to me
from all parts of the State that they
| feel Just what the Rev. Mr.. Reid ex-
pressed in his letter, and they feel it so
strongly that unless they have assur.
ances that participation in the next
National Convention will not bind
their consciences and votes if they do
not see proper to endorse its action,
that they are now gravely consider.
ling the question of remaining aloof
from the party primary in May.
I think. however their numbers are
largely increased, and that they in fact
embrace great many Conservatives
and large majority of the Reformers.
There is noanalogy in the comparison
which The Register makes between
those Democrats who in the past have
run on Independent tickets in the State
and those of US who now propose to
leave the party at Chicago should it be
untrue to its principles and its old
faith.
Our one overpo wering and overmas-
tering issue in State affairs has been
white supremacy, and this under the
conditions existing before the new con-
stitutiou was adopted made revolt
against the white majority nothing less
than a crime. While those conditions
do not now exist, and while am al
ways ready to abide the will of the
majority of the white people of the
State, there is nothing which demands
such loyalty in national affairs as is
urged by The Register. The party or
ganization in the State will remain in
tact and those white men who choose
to 20 to the Republicans or to ally
themselves with goldbugs OF the Cleve.
land Carlisle stripe, can do so. What
I am striving to prevent is the division
of the silver Democrats and the de-
struction of the Reform movement,
just what has occurred in every'other
Southern State.
| know there are some men in the
State who will remain in the party as
now organized, and be for whoever
may be nominated on any kind of a
platform, but it is a poor compliment
to the people at large to consider them
so blind and so welded to the name
Democracy that they will longer take
the shadow for the substance. have
striven with might and main to pre-
vent the disintegration of the Reform
Democracy. There are few who will
be bold enough to deny that 1 kept
the Alliance fromcommitting the blum
der of sloughing off and joining the
Populists in '92, which practically de-
stroyed it in other States. I have
promised the people who have trusted
me and who have needed my counsels
that would lead them out when the
time came. That time is now upon us,
either to purify and reorganizs the
party or leave it, and if my advice has
any weight with the people of the
State, they will align themselves in
solid phalanx for the purpose have
indicated, and by so doing force the
retirement of the towards aad syco.
phants and treacherous leaders now
masqueradiug as Democrats. The
party can only be thus rejuvenated
and then press onward in its glorious
mission of emancipating the people
and restoring their liberties under the
old banners, and always under the
time honored principles of Jefferson
and Jackson. 1t is simply question
of reforming the party and bringing
| it back or leaving it. If we can re-
form it we can hold on to the name
and the principles. If we do not sue
ceed in doing this then we take the
principles and seek new allies and a
new name.
Every consideration of statesman
ship and patriotism demands such &C
ton on our part. We cannot stand
still but must move forward or surren-
der to traitors. As South Carolinians,
we should move together and towards
the light, boldly and bravely. We all
want to stay in the party and hold on
to the name If we can do so to retain
our self.respect. This will be deter.
mined when we get to Chicago. The
present duty is to turn out at the pri-
maries and select true men to attend