The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1911-09-29
BED SHIRT REVOLUTION
TOLD By 4 PARTICIPANT
Some Interesting Inside Facts Narrat-
ed by D. S. Henderson, Of Aiken,
in The State.

Nobley, the cOmmandant OF the heC
Shirt survivors, TO attend a reunion
in Columbia on the 9th and 2Sth OF
September inasmuch as court en-
sagement prevent my attending, I ask
YOU to publish a few recol1ections OF
+he events leading up to that move
77oenL the occasion and its results. l
was intimately connected with it, and
can sneak from memory and eNper-
5ence.
The Reconstruction Era.
In 1865 the nationaI Democratic con-
vention, which mat in New York,
nominated as standard bearer Horatio
Seymour and Franklin P. Blair; the
Republicans nominated L. S. Grant
and Schuyler ColfaN.
A tremendous mass meeting was
held in Charleston on Meeting street
in front of the Charleston hotel to
ratify the Democratic nominations. AS
a college student, at the College OF
Charleston, I attended that meeting.
James B. Campbell, the great lawyer,
presided. The chief speaker was Gen.
Wade Hampton. He made rHemora-
BILE enunciatior, that at New York he
induced the convention to put in the
platform the words: THE Reconstruct
ton ACTS are unconstitutional, revolu-
tionary and void.'
Grant was elected. These recon-
struction acts, which We're not de-
clared constitutional by the supreme
court of the United States until in
1873, We're enforced On the State of
South Carolina with mailed hand.
Sickles, Candy and Ruger, with drawn
bayonets and martial tread, allowed
the. bunlmers and stragglors from the
invading armies to paralyze every in
dustry and hope of white supremacy.
Notwithstanding the fact, that Gov.
Orr, on the platform of the constitu-
tlonal convention of 1868, in Charles
ton, had warned the members, with
prophetic glance, that if universal
suffrage was given the negroes they
would be relegated within less t. IN
20 years, these deceiNers who had
swarmed into the State enacted the
same as law.
Hampton had retired to his planta-
Sion in Mississippi. The white lead
ers advised the people to remain from
the polls, because they alleged the
reconstruction acts would not stand,
and soon the State government was
In the hands of the "black and tan"
In the gubernatorial race OF 1870,
Carpenter and Butler made a cam
paign against R.. K. Scott, a noted car
petbagger, but the spirit Of the whites
was not in it; they trusted Butler,
but had no faith in the pyrotechnics
of Judge Carpenter.
] settled at Aiken in 1872. During
1873, 1874 and 1875 I attended each
year taxpayers conventions, which
convened in Columbia.
They were presided over mostly by
that peerless son of Charleston, Will
liam Denison Porter.
They were solemn, secret affairs !;
held in. Irvings' hall uptown, and
Parker hall downtown, with closed
doors
Addresses were issued to. the peo-
pie, powerful and forceful, praying
them to keep in heart; addresses to
congress and to the president, pro-
testing against the. condition of public
affairs in the State, brought about by
Radical extravaganza and 1nisrule
The people listened, waited, bore
and forbore, suffered and grew strong
GER from suffering
IL 1874, after Moses administration
of plumber, Chamberlain was nominat-
ed by the Radicals. A boiling set of
that parry nominated Judge Greene of
Sumter for governor, and a San Dom
lingo negro, named Martin Delaney, for
lieutenant governor.
The white people (though some i'm
provements were made at the polls in
NoTember) took no interest in the
election Of this mongrel ticket, and
Chamberlain was elected. The. ROB
Der legislature of 1875 cleaned on
some good judges and elected the ne,
gro brigand from Beaufort, W. J
Whipper, to the Charleston circuit
z. B Carpenter to the Fifth circ1lT
and a. numbskull, named P. =. Wig
Io h.