Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1899-01-25
OUT OF POLITICS NOW.


livered himself of the. following
parting shot:
aMr. Speaker, Ladies and Cen
tlemen: I am about to shuttle off
this mortal coil of politics and fly
away to the heaven of my native
mountain, where I may think and
dream in peace, safe from the sick
ening sting of unjust criticism;
safe from the telons of some old
political vulture; safe from the
shiny kiss of hypocrisy and the
keen dagger of ingratitude.
II do not mean to say that all
politicians are vultures or that
all politicians are vultures or that
they are hypocrites or assassins;
for the great majority of our pub
lie men are upright and honest,
and worthy of the confidence re-
posed in them by the people, yet
there are black wings i'll the politi-
cal armament, and reptiles crawl
and hiss in every capital. But
thank God, the live thunders of
eternal truth always clear the at
mosphere, and the heel of justice
will surely bruise the serpent's
head.
"I do not retire from this high
office with the ranking of disap-
pointment and chagrin in my
bosom, but rather as one who re-
tires from labor to rest; from war
to peace; ). from trouble to happi-
ness.
At dn nnt retire The soso1am
lpt;luIist Of a shattered dream, but
with all the buds of hope bursting
into bloom and all the bowers of
the future ringing with melody. 1
am contented with my lot in life.
Three times | have worn the
laurel Wreaths Of honor, twined by
the people of my native State, and
that is glory enough for me.
"While, / believe that the good
in politics outweighs the bad, yet
how thorny is the path and how
unhappy the pilgrimage to him
who dares to do his duty! There
ara no flowers except the few bou-
quets snatched from the graves of
fallen foes; there is no happn ss
except the TRANSIENT thrill of cruel
triumph, which passes like shad-
ow across the heart.
every honest man who runs
for Office is candidate for trou-
BILE; for the frnits of political vic
tory turn to ashes on the lips.
"To me, there is nothing in this
world so pathetic as candidate.
He is like a mariner without
compass, drifting on the tempest
tossed waves of uncertainty, be-
tween the smiling cliffs of hope
and the frowning crags Of fear.
He is a walking petition and a
livingcprayer; he isla packhorse of
publ, sentiment; he is the drome e.
dary of politics. And even if he
rea LES the goal of his ambition,
he will soon feel the beak Of the
vulture in his heart, and the fang
of the serpent in his soul.
II am no longer a candidate.
Never again will I be inaugurated
into public Office. The ark of my
humble public career now rests on
the Ararat of paivate life. I stand
on its peaceful summit and look
down on the receding food of
politice. The dove of 10y destiny
has brought me an olive branch
from happier fields, and I go
thence to labor and to love.
II take with me a heart full of
gratitude and a soul full of prec-
ious memories; gratitude to the
people for their unwavering
confidence in me; precious men,
ories of my friends who have been
kind and true.
"The record that 1 have mad
is an open book to all. I a.
willing to die by it. For whate v
mistakes have committed, l } ,az
kept steadily in view the ho, ,or
the state and the happiness :. of Il
people.
GAS 1 have already nresente
my views on public gu estions
my recent message to t. oe Gener,
Assembly, l deem it unnecessal
to further discuss hem on th
nappy occaslon-hs ppy to our ne