The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1900-06-21
col ORR'S ADDRESS
ON WALLACE HOUSE.
INCIDENTS OF THE DARK DAYS
Facts About the Famous Dual Gov
ernment In South CarOlina-Thc
BloOdless Revolution of 1875.

ernment in South CaroIina-Th
BloodIess Revolution of 1876.
The Anderson M all recently publ;sN
q ed tho,following address OF Col. Jane
l.. Orr upon the campaign OF 1876 an
the famous Wallace House Of whic
he was cOnsDicuOus member, whic|
was delivered before the Daugh tors O
the Confederacy in Anderson. His ad
dress Ia full OF valuable facts, and IS a
follows:
You are quite familiar with tht
canscs and elects Of the Revolution o
177G, when the colonies declared to tn,
mother country tnat. they would not
submit to "Iax"tion without represcn
tation' and that "they would spend
millions for dc tense, but not one cent
forstributc.' England was most pow,
erIul, the colonies small and poor, but
lmpclled by the spirit OF indcpcn, cncc
and love OF freedom, they cast fear and
expediency to the winds and shook the
thrones Of every kingdom in Europe
by their priva.iOns and ultimate sue
cess. That has been chronclcd in
song and story, and every boy and girl
is .familia:' with the stirring incidents
Lranspirinr from the battle OF Lex
ington to Kings Mountain and York
| tOwr.
One hundred years after that in 1876,
q blOOdless revolution occurred in
South Carolina. which was just rs i'm.
pOrtant In It's results to our own pe0
pie and State, which has not been
written about and is fading fast from
memory, ~ those who took part in its
enactment are passing away. At your
request ! have jotted down my rcco-
lectiOns 0! the incidents occurring in
that campaign hoping they might in
struct 'and interest you, for The State
was then submitting to "taxation with
out representation" and contributing
millions for revenue"
The Republicans obtained possession
OF the State government in 1865 by the
election OF II, *. Scott as governor,
and the other Offices were flied with
carpet baggers and scalawags and ne.
grOes. Scott WAS succeeded by f. j.
Moses, Jr., and q condition OF cOrrllp-
tion and Incompetence prevailed which
was never cquallcd in any government.
Cham berlain followed in 1871 and
while he was personally honest, he
was surrounded by such q set OF thieves
that pccuatlCn permeatcd every de-
partmCnt OF the State government
Tho bonded debt OF the State had in
creased from about six million dollars
to over twenty-scvHn million in these
seven years, Notwithstanding the fact
that taxes were increased year by year
nntil they became unbcarablc. The
House OF Representatives composed Of
12G members in 1874 had about
twcnty-four Democrats, about ten
white Republicans and the balance ne
grOcs; the Speaker being q black, cor.
rupt and insolent negro named Elliott.
The white people Of the State were
becoming very restless under the dom
ination OF the negro and carpet bag
ger, but tho crOwDing infamy which
aroused NE manhood OF tnc State from
the mountains to the sea was the clcc.
tiOn OF W. j. Whipper, an Ignorant
dishonest and dissipated negro, aud II.
JAMosesA ssy; ;forE, en-, Governc: and the
worst degeneratein South Carolina, to
the bench in 1873. The judiciary is
the bulwark Of freedom Of every gov.
crnmcnt and ,%hc n:s5hat, too, was in
vadcd by the iga0fant, corrupt aud
liccntous; our people felt that there
was no longer any hope and all would
be ruined. a.
You CAN: scarcely consider what q
stupendous undertaking 1t Was in 1876
to throw OFF this yoke Of tyranny and
despotism. The negroes had more than
two votes. to the white peoples one.
All the olices from Governor to con-
stable wero in their hands, including
all the election machinery OF the State.
Every officer in the Federal govern
ment was not only an avowcd Repub-
lican but an ardent partisan, and the
strong arm Of the government as rep
resented by military garrisons were
scattered all over the whole State.
Many OF our own people beloved il
would be impossible to succeed and
Il l,,,{ 81,
prcssOrs to Tighten the thumscrews.
Under such circumstances you can
understand that the standard bearers
should possess above every otlcr quail
| itication,, courage ard determination.
Our candidate for Governor, Gen.
| Wado Hampton, was the pcrsoniiica
| tiOn Of these, and the athrr officers
| down to the members OF the Legislature
were chosen for these qualities. The
result was that whilc there have prob
ably been in the history of the State
moro polished and brilliant State Off
GERS, In my Judgment South Carolina
never had body OF ollicers, TAX on as a
whole, OF higher courage. sense OF
honor and determination.
Tho canvass OF 1876 will never be
forgotten by any person who. took part
in It Or Witnessed the paradcs. and
|
highest point, aud at every meeting
hundreds and at many Of them thous-
ands, OF negroes attended, and white
men were there expecting riots and
bloodshcd. The Democrats attended
many Of the Republican meetings and
insisted on "diVlding timc," that is
having joint discussions whether il
was consented to Or not.
The history Of the world does not
furnish precedent Of our condition q,
that time. The former slaves, not
withstanding the const. tutional. pro
visions guaranteeing the protection .
The South in its slave holding, were
not only emancipatcd, but The tepub
lican party, composed OF wtitc ncOph
OF the North, East and West, in the
heat OF excitement and under the spun
OF revenge Immediately succeeding
| the civil war gavo the 81 yes the righ
. TO vote and tried in every way to plac
r then over tho white race uf thc South
politically and socially. Th.re Nigh
! have been some palliation had the
been strangers and OF q different pee
pie, but they were the same, like an
cestry, traditions and impulses, yc
Il IL. - .t,Ntt k..