Year: 1877

There is disposition, we regret to see, on
the part of many, both North and South, to
indulge in harsh and unkindly criticism Of
Governor Hampton.


Some, indeed, have gone so far as to accuse
him of want of patriotism, or at least of a
want of fealty to the Democratic party, and
all because he has seen proper to address let
ters, identical in sentiment and language, to
the two men who are confessedly the central
figures Of the two parties contending for the
control of the Federal Government, and in
one or the other of whose hands that Gov.
ernment must fall. There is nothing either
in the sentiment or in the language of these
letters that is in the least Objectionable nor
does there seem to be any objection to the fact
that such letter was sent to Mr.. Tilden.


The objection is that Governor Hampton
should, under any circumstances, send any
communication to Mr.. Hayes, even though
that communication only reiterated what he
had said hundred times before, that is to
say, that be and bis friends in South Carroll
ma proposed to obey the Constitution and
laws of the country, and desired that the
right should prevail by peaceful methods
rather than by force of arms.


This is the extent of his offending and no
more, and for this offense, if offense it be, the
man who less than thirty short days ago was
lauded and praised more than any man in
America, has been cast down from bis high
estate, soon to become, it would seem, the
common object of distrust, suspicion and an
imadversion. This is an age of swift sus-
picion, it makes haste to pass judgment, it is
no respecter of persons, nor does it consider
blameless lives nor eminent services.


And the press of the country is in a great
degree responsible for it. The hard rule Of
those who conduct the press is to crush out,
with the strong hand, all opposition to the
particular policy that may have been agreed
upon as the proper one to be followed. If
any man in America ought to have deemed
himself safe from calumnH from suspicion
and even from unfriendly criticism, that man
surely was Wade Hampton. From one end
of the country to the other, in every nook and
corner of the land, the sound of his praises
was heard. 1t mattered not which party men
preferred, they all concurred, with few excep-
tions at least, in their tribute of admiration
for the rare skill and prudence and discretion
and manly patriotism with which he conduct
ed the canvass in South Carolina. And GER
tainly from Democrats this tribute was due,
as but for his consummate conduct Of that
campaign, we could never have carried a
single one of the Northern States so necessa-
ry to our success in November.


But it does not accord with the views of
some self.constituted manipulators of public
opinion for Governor Hampton to say to Mr..
Hayes, individually, what he has said to the
world collectively scores of times; and straight
way his pre.eminent services are forgotten,
and newspapers and their correspondents at
once enter upon course that if persisted in
will, in thirty days, bring it about that few
there will be so poor as to do reverence to him
who but yesterday commanded their warmest
expressions of grateful admiration and devo-
ted homage.


We really think it is time to call a halt in
this matter. 1t will be we'll, we think, for US
to pause and consider before we condemn
Gov. Hampton as wanting either in fealty to
the country or in devotion to the party.
When Wade Hampton betrays his trust and
plays false to honor and 10 liberty, we shall
begin to believe there is indeed no future left
to us.-Raleigh, NJ c., Observer.