Year: 1876




Committee.


At q meeting Of tho State Central
Executive Committee Of tho demo
cratic party, hold in Columbia on
Thursday, tho 9Th instant, tho fol
lowing address to the people Of the
state was unanimously adopted and
ordered to be published


THE ADDRESS.


71tAe People Of SoutA Carolina:


The State Central Executive Com
pittee of tho democratic party do
not deem it necessary to publish any
lengthy statement Of tho reasons
which induced them to meet at this
tims. It is sufficient to say that
events with which the people of the
State are painfully familiar, nude it
Indispensable that the organization
Of the democratic party in South
Carolina should be revived, as the
oDcedicst and most practicable means
Of bringing together our hitherto
scattered forces, and of concentrat-
ing them in the struggle into which
wo ore forced for the maintenance
Of liberty and law in tho State. Thus
it has become tho duty of the State
Committee to take such steps rs
will enable tho people of the State
to begin the work Of party reorgani
zation ut once md make it thorough
and complete.


In the contest in which wo are
about to engage we must win. De-
fent cannot be borne. Success,
however, cannot be expected to
crown our lubors unless there be ab
solute unity in the democratic par
ty, together with such discipline as
will ensure the prompt and ofii
cient execution of it's policy when
declared. From our adversnrios
must we learn, at last the lesson
Of organization and activity. When
the agencies on which society relies
for tho conservation Of it's varied
interests menace those interests with
destruction, and threaten whole
people with ruin, politics are no
longer q matter Of sentiment i'll
which tho citizen is free to engage
or not, according to his tastes.
Upon the management of our politi-
cal affairs depends the security of
property, as well as tho safety of
person. BY political movements
alone cnn the publication of the
State Government be accomplished.
Only through political instrumcn
tnlitics can honesty, fidelity and ca
pability regain prepondcrating in
fucncc in the councils of the State.
TO politics then, for their own saliva
zion, must tho people Of South Caca
.Na now address themselves with
the vigor, the persistency and the
systematic endeavor which mark
their. conduct in business life. It
would not be wise to declare n poll
cy before the party, which shall give
effect to it, is ready for both dclib-
Grafton and action. The officers must
not DO chosen until tho rank and
file Of the political army shall have
been mustered in and trained.
There should bo, i'll fine, such organ
I'm, 'n c,"h ward, township and
county, that whell OIL State Conven-
ton shall assemble, it annu ronrn-
sent, by it's delegates, tho k..I>yn
wishes, opinions and purposes Of
the organized democracy of the
State. Then will it's voice be the
voice of tho people it's determine
ton theirs it's ti"ht their battle.
To such organization, searcI ing and
far-rcaching, should tho pooplo of
the State without delay address
themselves. Without it the State
cnnnot be saved


The State Convention, when it
shall assemble, will determine MI
thoritativcly the policy Of tho party
md by the decision Of that Conven-
ton shall wo Ill bo bound AS,
however, the democratic party, as
such, has had no active existence in
South Carolina for somc years, the
State committee desire to sny en-
phatically that, in recommending it's
instant and comprehensive organi-
zation, their solo purpose is to OBJ.
Cilln an NOneSt tli"u ocOnOmlcGl gov
ornment in South Carolina, which
shall maintain, without abridgcment
or change, the public rights and
liberties of tho whole people, and
guarantee to MI classes of citizens
the blessings Of freedom, justice and
peace. And in this crisis in tho
constitutional life of the State, when
civilization itself is in peril, wo look
for and confidcntially expect to re-
ceive the sympathy and aid of every
citizen whose aims and dosires arc
ike unto our own.


In ct mmon with their follow citi-
Zens, the State Democratic Commit
ice have watched with anxious So
licitude and growing confidence tho
course of the present Governor of
the State. They recognize and mp
precintc the value of what he has
done, in promoting Reform and Re
trenchment, during the past year.
They applaud his wise and patriotic
conduct in exerting his whole Off
cial power and personal influence
for tho undoing Of the infamous
judicial election. And they declare
their belief that the democracy of