Year: 1877

oOuIu CtiOIlnl us one or tho III


hercnt and great difficulties in tho


political problom. I was under tho


political necessity of making politi-


cal appointments to Offices from q


party which, as 4 rule, was not ablo


to furnish competent officers to rep


resent tho government. ="


LEANING on a BROKEN REED.


"1Icrc was tho greatest of nv


difficulties. The majority of tho


Republicans in the Legislature woro
never heartily in sympot thy with me


during any portion of my first torn


of office. Nearly all tho public
measures in which L took decp


interest were passed by minorities


of Republicans and Democrats.


The reduction Of taxes and q moro


economical expenditure of public;


funds wcro nHturally the leading


objects which I had in view; and hero
tits but Justice to say that I met with
almost entire opposition within tho
ranks of the Republican party. Of
course my idea of the way in which
" reformation must be brought
about WAS through the Republican
party, because I knew that maiori--
ty of the people Of the State wcre
attached to that party, and that
there was no hope Of inducing them
to JOIN any other organization, even
for local State purposes. But tho
habits OF Legislation which had
grown up between 1868 and 1874
were too strong for me, aud tho, re:
suit was that L was overcome and nv
policy only partially carried out. 4
great deal of evil was prevented and
some positive good was done, but
only a small fraction of the results
which were within the power Of the
Rcpub lean party, had it co-operat-
ed with me, was made evident. I
feel bound to say that if had been
heartily supported from 1874 to-
1876 the state of feeling which pres
cedcd the nomination" Of General
Hampton would not have existed.
In brief, if my administration had
beer supported by the whole Re
publican party, it would have de-
prlvcd the Democrats of their griev~
ances and made them &C uuiosce in
the supremacy Of tho Republican
party for n long series of yours"


In reply to the question whether
he received sympathy or support
from his former political opponents
in the State, Mr.. Chamberlain
said: ''l am glad you have asked the
question. L answer, most assured
ly L did, and no change of circuln-
stances in political fortunes will
ever lead me to deny or depreciato
the generous and hearty support
which the best men of South Caro-
lima and CT tho Democratic party
pledged me from 1874 down to tho
time of tho nomination of Hampton
in tho fall of 1876 It was generous
because they recognized that my
policy meant the welfare of the
State, and that SO far as this was
concerned nero political considera>
tons had no weight. I'doubtif any
public man was ever moro heartily
or unselfishly supported by political
than was by the Demo~
Gratis of South Carolina during the
period to which I refer. Our sub
sequeDt differences occurred from
other causes than the want of SYM
pathy between their views and mine
upon questions Of practical adminis-
tration within the State" ''.'


The reporter then requested to
know tho ex~govornor's opinion as
10 "the ability of tho colored people
to take possession Of q government
md logislato in thoir own way The
answer was as follows: ''.s


81 think tho coloted people aro


Just rs competent to legislate and
a government as al Y other
people who have had as little educa::
ton and experience. They only
want brains. 1t is idle to expect
under any circumstances q good
government without q largo pre-
pondcranco Of intelligence. The
strength Of every community in tho
Union is measured by this fact.
While, therefore, I do not reflect on
tho colorod race in saying that they
were badly prepared for the task
they assumed, I still contend that
successful self-government, under
tho law Of universal suffrage, re-
quires education, intellectual trains
ing and largo amount of accumu-