The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1902-03-13
HAMPTON AND ROOSEVEL,T.
The Ofd Hero is Nearing His
Eighty Fourth Birthday.


= The Columbia correspondent of tn
n Augusta Chronicle writes as follows o
/ an interview with Gen. Wade IIamp
! ton, who consented to talk for publica
ton Oh the present status of affairs:
General Wade Hampton, who is ap
J proaching his Slth birthday, has beer
= very i'll for weeks, but is slowly gather
ing strength and today consented tt
, talk Tor publication in regard t.
the proposed visiI of the President &c
the Charleston Exposition.
General Hampton declares cmphati-
cally that President Roosevelt will now
be given great ovation, and that the
welcome which he will receive will be
one which the President will always
remember with pleasure. He dcplorcd
recent occurrences and spoke with rc-
grct Of the probable effect upon the
State Of South Carolina.
The General speaks with some am
uscmcnt Of an incident which happen
J cd several years ago. General IIamp-
ton was at that time Senator from
this State. Hon. Hugh S. Thompson,
formerly Governor of South Carolina,
afterwards comptroller of The currency
under Grover Cleveland, was at that
time one of the heads of the civil service
department, and young Theodore
Roosevelt, of New York, was also
high official in that department. Roosc-
welt had even then shown symptoms
Of his strcnuosiLy, and was the butt of
some very sarcastic witticisms at the
hands of the editor Of the Washington
Post. Roosevelt was ready TO invade
the sanctum Of the editor, " bust" his
bottle of vitrol and throw in a few
punches in the face ust TO show that
editor how fierce he really was. Gov
ernUr Thompson cndcavnrcd in vain to
dissuadc Roosevelt. Finally they saw
Senator Hampton approaching and by
mutual consent decided TO let the Cen
cral decide the matter.
General IIampton's readiness to
grasp a situation in Il crisis and his
calmness when the nerves of others are
taut, probably saved this State from
a second revolution in lS7G, when l0,-
600 determined and desperate South
| Carolinans (and some from beyond the
Savannah) came here with rifles across
The backs Of their horses /" just to see
the State Fair." a word of COM
mand from Hampton and the garrison
OF Il thousand Union soldiers here
would have been as chatr in the hands
of these stalwart farmers just out Of
the Confederate army.
But when they gathered around his
home and called on General Hampton
for Il speech, he told Them that he
hoped that they would enjoy the State
Fair where there was Il lot of stock on
exhibition. The & boys' caught the
infer ence. There WAS no stock at the
Fair except The horses and mules which
they had ridden into the capitol city.
They understood that there was TO he
no physical demonstration, but that The
leaders Of the Democratic party desired
to win the victory BY methods which
would prevent bloodshcd.
1t was just such advice which ,;cn
eral Hampton gave young Roosevelt
and the editor Of the Washington Pos
was not a victim OF strcnuOsity. 1t is
20 be hoped that General Hampton
having again properly gaugcd the tenn
per Of the people of South Carolina
will be given the same Difference b.
the President which was shown on tha
former occasion and that the nation
executive will attend the Exposition
His person will be guarded CAREFUL,
by the people OF South Carolina, ever
| by those who at first disapprovcd O
, inviting the President, but the State
, honor is now at stake.