Year: 1874

Government League for mass meeting OF
the citizens of Charleston, irrespective of race
or party, between seven and eight hundred
persons assembled at Military Hall recently.
The meeting was organized by the election of
j. G. Clausen, president; A. E. ONeale, vice,
president, and j. A. Galliott, secretary. The
president on taking the chair, briefly explained
the objects for which the League had been or
ganized. He alluded to the necessity Of bring
ing the Conservatives and the Republicans
together, which was the primary object of the
Honest Government League. By means Of
this organization it was proposed that the two
races should unite upon one ticket and sup.
port it. This ticket was to be composed OF
one half colored and one-half white men. All
that was asked of the conservatives was that
they should come up to the Republican plat
form, to the extent Of being willing to assist
the Republicans in the election of honest men
to Office.


Major Delaney, colored, was the first speak
er called on, and he made one of these sensi'
BILE speeches so characteristic Of the man.
He began by saying that this was an unusual
gathering to meet in Charleston. He desired
to say in the outset that there was no such
thing as a Ring among the employees OF the
Customhouse, Of whom he was one, and ne
wanted to say this much in behalf of the COL
lector and the employees. He then alluded to
the political questions Of the hour. AS a
gentleman he held Mr.. Chamberlain in high
esteem, but his surroundings were so PERM
cious that he did not believe that he would be
permitted to do right. [Applause.] He was
surrounded by the most Infamous set of scoun:
drels that ever lived [Cheers.] He desired
to be distinctly understood upon the score
He did not believe Mr.. Chamberlain would
do anything wrong if left to himself, but his
surroundings would make him do wrong. In
reference to the organization of the Honest
Government League, he said that it was the
step that ought to have been taken years ago.
if it could have been done. The trouble was
that the blacks and whites couldn't trust each
other. Now, both classes are looking things
in the face, and intend to 60 hand in hand to-
gether. The State, said he, consists of white
and black people, who occupied the relations
to each other of labor and capital. They
were the two bases of wealth in the State
[Applause.] And it was manifestly in the
interest of both races to fulfill the eternal tit,
ness Of things, and to 60 hand in hand to-
gether-to live on the very best terms with
each, without seeking to invalidate each 9TH
ers rights. [Applause.] He was not here to
say anything against Republicanism but what
it deserved. The trouble was that Republi.
canism in this State was not led by the best OF
Republicans. He alluded to the New Or.
leans revolution, and said that he commended
the colored troops for not firing upon the
whites. Kellogg himselfhad not urged them
to do it, and in that he showed his good sense
He knew they would have been massacred
But this was not the way white Republicans
do in this State They get up a fight between
the whites and blacks, and then run Oft and
leave them to fight it out. ['"That's so" from
the crowd He, for one, was here to oppose
any such thing, and to help his race out by
good advice, to the best of his ability, and he
had no idea of advising them to fight the
white men. His advice was for the two races
to stand side by side, each conceding to the
other what belongs to it, and working togeth-
er for the good Of the State. He did not ask
the Democrats to become Republicans, nor to
give up their political principles. He only
asked them to throw aside their politics for
time, and unite with the honest Republicans
in securing an honest State Government.
[Cheers.] In conclusion, he said that it was
the duty of the white and colorcd people to 60
hand in hand on platform so broad that 1t
would hold even him Delaney and old Gov.
Perry, whom he styled radical Democrat
Cheers They must not stop this movement
but carry it on, and when the next conven'
ton came around, there would be no little
Ring in Columbia, with money changing
shop in the corner, to say who shall be the
peoples candidate for Governor. [Tremen'
dous applause.