Year: 1876

The following is the full text of |
Gen. Wade Hampton's speech to the


South Carolina Democratic Conven-


tion, after his nomination for Cover
nor:


MIR. PRESIDENT AND GENTLEMEN.-l
In accepting the honorable post to
which you have called me-that of
YOUR standard bearer in the great
Struggle for reform which you have
begun-I do so with the most crate


full appreciation of your kindness and
and the most profound sense OF the i
high duties, the grave responsibilities
pertaining to the position. In the


better days of our country, when the
mrest passports TO official station were
fonnd In the ability, the honesty and
the integrity of her public servants,
the most distinguished soHs OF South
Carolina looked upon the Chief Magi-
stracv of the State as the goal OF their
highest ambition and the best reward
of their public services. If the men
of whom South Carolina is so justly


proud held in such deserved estimation
the distiction of being thoughtworthy
by their fellow citizens of the highest
Office in the gift of the State in the
days of her prosperity and peace, how
much more highly should l esteem the


honor you have done me py gaming
me unanimously to lead you In this


hour of gloom and peril, You are


struggling for the highest stake 1or
which people ever contended for
You are striving to bring back TO your


prostrate State the inestimable bles>
sings which can only follow. orderly


and regulated liberty under free and
good government.


We believe that these blessings can
only be secured be secured by q come


rate change in the Administration OF
our public affairs, national and State.
believing this, our sympathies and
our interests lead us naturally and in~


evitably into alliance with that great
party upon whose banners are inscrib-


ed the watchword of Democracy: Re-


form, good government, Hard
Money and Home Rule. You have


indorsed and ratified the platform OF


the Democratic party adopted at st,
Louis; and, planting yourselves nrmiy
on that. you look forward hopefully
and confidently to victory in which
} you will not only share, but to which


you have adopted here Is so catholic
. | In its spirit, SO strong in its foundation
, so broad in its construction, that


eyery man in South Carolina who
honestly desires reform can find room
to stand upon it. With such a plat
form, where citizens of all parties and
all races can stand assured of equal
, rights and full protection, you can
surely bring back to our distracted
,, State the great blessings of good gov.
ernment. For myself, should ! be
elevated to the high position for
which you have nominated me, my
sole effort shall be to restore our state


Government to decency, to honesty
: to economy and to integrity. l sbal
: be the Governor of the whole people
!, knowing no party, making no vindic
l tive discrimination, holding the scales


of Justice with firm and impartial
: hand, seeing as far as in me lies that
the laws are enforced in justice with
a firm and impartial hand, seeing as fal
j, as in me lies that the laws are enforced
= in Justice tempered by mercy; protec-
a ting all classes alike, and devotine
S every effort to the restoration of pros
t perity and the re establishment Of
2 honest government. Thanking you


gentlemen, for the honor you hav'
: conferred upon me, and invoking th
!, blessing gf God on your praiseworth,
I. effort to redeem our State. / herr
: pledge myself to work with you il
!, that sacred cause with all the zeal, al
the energy, all the ability and all tn
r constancy of which I am capable.