Year: 1876

Makes u Ringing Addres.


The Inauguration OF Gov. Hampton
took place in front of Carolina Hall on
the afternoon of the 14th. The square
| in front of the hall was densely packed
with persons of both races, and the
| house tops were covered with spec
totors. At $3.50 p. IN. Hampton
was escorted to tho stand amid demon


strations of great enthusiasm. Mem
bers OF the General Assembly occupied
the space Immediately surrounding the
stand, with Il large crowd in the rear
Gen. Hampton then read his inaugural
address, of which the following is an
extract:
"Gentlemen of tho Senate and House of
Representatives


cit is with feelings OF profound So


licitude that l assume the artluous du-
ties and grave responsibilities of the


high position TO which the people of
South Carolina have called me. It is
amid events unprecedented in the Re-
public that I take the chair OF Chief
Magistrate of this State. In II time of


profound peace, when no legal officer


had been resisted in the proper dis


charge Of his functions, we have wit
messed spectacle abhorrent to every


patriotic heart and fatal to republican


institutions General Government


troops used to promote tho success of a


political party. Undismayed, though
shocked. by this gross violation of the


Constitution of the coutry, our people,


with determination that no force


could subdue, no fraud could defeat,


kept steadily and peacefully i'll the path


of duty, resolved to assert their right as


American freemen at the ballot box


that great Court Of final resort before


which must be tried the questions OF


the supremacy of the Constitution and


the stability of our Institutions. What


the verdict Of the people of South Car


olinu has been you need not be told. II


has reverberated throughout the State,


and its echo came back from every


land where liberty is vcnerated, declar-


ed in tones that cannot be mistaken, that


standing on the Constitution of on,


country we propose to obey its law,


its peace and honor, and to carry out in


good faith every pledge made by us


for reform and honest government.


We intend to prove to the world the
sincerity of our declartiOn that the sole


motive, which inspired the grand con-


test we have so successfully made was


not the paltry ambition for party supre-
macy, but the sacred hope of redeeming
our State.


"But it was sought to wrest the fruits
Of this victory from us by gigantic
fraud and base conspiracy When
the members elect of the General AS
senbly repaired to the Capitol to take


their seats, armed soldiers of the Fed


eral Government confronted them, and


their certificates of election were exam


ined and PASSED upon by the Corporal


,>f I


ing scenes that the members of the


General Assembly We're called on to


resume their duties as the representa-


lives of Il STATE, and that State one OF
the original thirteen VINO won our in
dependence and framed our Constitu-
ton, by the free exercise of their rights,
by the presence of armed force prevent
ing Il legal quorum of the Courthouse,
after placing on record Il protest, quietly
Withdrew from the Capitol, ,and proceed
ed to organize that branch of the Gen
eral Assembly. You have seen a mi
nority Of the House using the powers
of the whole body; you have seen the
majority expelled from their Hall by
threats of force; you have seen persons
having no show of Il claim ;,s members
admitted to seats as representatives by
the votes of men who themselves were
aCClIp III ulIcCt NlOllllCn Oh JnO COnStl-
tuition and you have seen the last
crowning act OF infamy by which can
didate for the Office of Governor, de-
feated by the popular vote, had himself
declared elected by his conspira,ors.
1t is due to my position, rs tho Chief
Magistrate of this Common wealth, to
place on record my solemn and indig-
nant protest against acts which / con-
slider as sub\ ersivc of civil liberty and
destructive of our form Of government.
GA great task is before the Conserva-
tive party of this State. They entered
on this contest with Il platform 80
I broad, so strong, SO liberal, that every
honest citizens could stand upon it :;
| they accepted the amendments of the
| Constitution in good faith they pledg-
| ed themselves to work reform and
! establish good Government; they


promised to keep upan efficient system


of public education, and they declared
soiemnly that all citizens of South Car


olian Of both races and of both parties


should be regarded as equal in the eye OF


the laval to be fully protected in the


enjoyment OF every political right now
! nnSGpSSpl by them To tho f,;4