Year: 1877

la1n's Goodbye.


COLUMBIA, April lO.-The U. )
troops were formed in line and moved
out of the State House at noon to-day
Chamberlain has just issued the following
address, retiring from the contest foi
Governor:


TO the Republicans of South Carolina:


By your choice was made Governo,
of this State in 1874 At the election on
the 7th of November last 1 was again
by your votes elected to the same office
NV title to the Office on every legsl and
moral ground is to-day clear and per-
feet. By the recent decision and action
of the President of the United
States, l find myself able no longer
to maintain my official rights
with the prospect of final success, and l
hereby announce to you that l am un
willing to prolong struggle which can
only bring further suffering on those
who engage in it. IL announcing this
conclusion 1t is my duty to say for you
tnat the Republicans OF South Carolina
entered on their recent political struggle
for the maintenance of their political and
civil rights, constituting beyond ques-
tion large majority of the lawful voter
of the State. You allied yourselves with
that political party whose central
and inspiring principle has hither-
to been civil and political
freedom of all men under the Constitu-
ton and laws OF our country. By heroic
efforts and sacrifices, which the just verdict
of history will rescue from the cowardly
scorn now cast upon them by political
placemen and traders, you secured the
electoral vote of South Carolina for Hayes
and Wheeler, and in accomplishing this
result you became the victim OF every
form OF persecution and injury. From
authentic evidence it is shown that no
less than leo of your number
were murdered because they were
faithful to their principles and
existing rights sclemnly guaranteed to
them by the nation. You we're denied en-
ployment, driven from your homes, rob-
bed of the earnings Off year OF honest
industry, hunted for your lives like wild
beast, your families outraged and scat
tered, for no offense except your peaceful
and firm determination to exercise your
political rights. You trusted, as you had
right to trust, that if by such efforts
you established the lawful supremacy of
your political party in the nation, the
government of the United States in dis
charge of its Constitutional duty would
protect the lawful government OF the
State from an overthrow at the hands OF
your political enemies. From causes
patent to all men, and questioned
by none who regard the truth, you
have been unable to overcome the un.
lawful combinations and distractions
which have opposed the practical supre.
macy of the government which your
votes have established. For many weary
months you have waited for your deliver.
ance. While the long struggle fer the
Presidency was in progress, you were
exhorted by the representatives and
organs of the national Republican party
to keep your allegiance true to that party
in order that your deliveIance from the
hands of your oppressors might be GER
tain and complete. Not the faintest whis
per or possibility of disappointment in
these hopes and promises ever reached you
while the struggle WAS pending. To-day,
the 10th of April, 1877, by order OF the
President whom your votes alone rescued
from overwhelming defeat, the govern
ment of the United States abandons you
deliberately withdrsws from you its
support, with the full knowledge that the
lawful government Of the state will be
speedily overthrown. By new interpre-
tation Of the Constitution of the United
States, at varience alike with the previous
practices of the government and with the
decisions of the Supreme Court, the Ex-
ecutive of tbs United States evades the
duty of ascertaining which of the
two rival state governments is the
lawful one, and by withdraw
ing the troops now protecting
the State from domestic violence absn-
dons the lawful State government to
struggle with an insurrectlonary force
too powerful to be resisted. The grounds
of the policy upon which such action is
defended are startling. II is said that
the North is weary of the long Southern
troubles. 1t was weary, too. of the long
troubles which sprung from the stupen-
dous crime of chsttel slavery, and longed
for repose. II sought to cover them from
sight by wicked compromises with the
wrong which disturbed its peace, but
God held it to its duty until, through
conflict which rocked and agonized the
nation, the great crime was put away,
and freedom was ordained COR all. 1t Is
said that if a majority of the people Of q
State are unable by physical force TO
msiltai their rights they must be lett
to political servitude. Is that doctrine
ever before heard in our history? II it
shall prevail its consequences will not
long be confined TO South Carolina or
Louisiana. 1t is said that a Democratic
House of Representatives will refuse an
appropriation for the army OF the United
States if the lawful government of South
Carolina is maintained by military force.
Submission to such coersion marks
the degeneracy of the political
party or people which endures it. A
government worthy of the name or po-
liticsl party fit TO WELD power never be-
fore blsnched ut such threat. But the
edict has gone forth. No arguments or
consideration which your friends could
present have sufiiced TO avert the dlsas-
ter. No effective means of resistance TO
the contamination of the wrong are left.
My strict equal rights are, OF course,
wholly unaffected by the action OF the
President. No court of the State has
the jurisdiction to pass on the title
tc my office. No lawful
legislature can be convened except upon
nv call. Ii the use of these powers
promised ultimate success to our cause, |
should not shrink from any sacrifices
which might confront me. Il is cause
which. by light of reason and conscience,
man might lay down his HE,
but to my mind my present
responsibility involves the considers
ton of the effect Of my action
on those whose representative l am. l
have hitherto been willing to ask YOU, Re.
publicans of South Carolina, to risk all
dancers and endure all hsrdships until