The Savannah morning news., 1902-04-12
WADE HAMPTON.


South Carolina began the week in
gala attire; she closes it in sackcloth
and ashes. She had no more than
turned from speeding her parting
guest. the President of the United
States, when she was called to weep
at the bier of her best beloved son,
Wade Hampton. The echo of her plaud-
it's for the Union and its chief execu-
tive had hardly died away when the
occasion arose for her to lay the laurel
and the palm upon the breast of a
gallant leader who won undying fame
in the cause of the Confederacy, al
belt he died in the national faith and
as firm a defender of the flag of the
reunited country as any man who fol-
lowed the Stars and Stripes through
those terrible four years when he
fought under the Stars and Bars.
The sisterhood of Southern states
mingle their tears with those of South
Carolina. They feel that Hampton be-
longed to them all. He was a typical
Southron of the old regime;. upright,
courteous, polished and brave. AS such
he represented the best of the South,
as we'll as that of South Carolina. If
there was any departure in him from
the type, it was in the matter of his
conservatism. Though a slave holder,
and the son and grandson of slave
holders, at the very beginning of his
public career he took a stand against
the resumption of the slave trade and
made a notable speech on the subject
in the Legislature. He knew that his
position would be unpopular, but he
had the courage Of his convictions. He
foresaw the storm that was to break
later. That honesty of conviction, toll
erance of the opinions of others and
upright bravery that characterized his
entry into public life remained with
him to the end.
OF his career as a soldier it is not
necessary to speak here His name
written on the brightest pages Of the
history Of the War Between the
States, into which he entered a pri-
vate and from which he emerged a
lieutenant general His services to his
state in peace were no less notable
than his services to the Confederacy in
war. In 1876 conditions in South Caro-
Ina, under the reconstruction policy of
the national government, had become
unbearable. Everything was dark and
desperate. A leader of unimpeachable
integrity and unquestionable bravery
was wanted. Instinctively the people
turned to Wade Hampton. He accepted
the trust, and made the memorable
campaign which resulted in overthrow
ing the rule of the carpet-b aggers.
soalawags and ignorant blacks. South
Carolina had seen a second emancipa-
ton, the emancipation of her white
people from the hateful tyranny of
alien and venal government; and
Wade Hampton's name was one to con-
jure with. AS a reward for his services.
as well as in recognition of his native
abilities, he was advanced from the
governorship to the United States
Senate, where he served with honor
and credit to himself and his state I'M
til there arose in South Carolina a new
and so-called reform element in the
Democratic party. Then not even his
great services to his people were suf-
hcient to save him from political
slaughter. He was ruthlessly ousted
from his position, to make room for
the new order" The wound this made
In Hampton's heart never healed. He
suffered more from it than from all
the wounds received upon his body in
open battle on the Aeld However.
notwithstanding he was sacrificed by
the politicians, he died in the love and
esteem of his people. And greater
honor no man can have.