Rensselaer Union, Volume 11, Number 9, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 14 November 1878 — A Victim to His Own Party. [ARTICLE]

A Victim to His Own Party.

Gen. Wade Hampton was elected Governor of South Carolina on a platform of equal rights and exact justice to every citizen of of the State, black as well as white, Republican as well as Democrat. After his election, and before the Government troops had been withdrawn from the State, he visited Washington and assured the President, in the most solemn manner, that if permitted to assume control of the State Government he would be responsible for the protection of all'classes in their political rights, and would put an end to the reign of force and violence in South Carolina. These promises and pledges have been publicly repeated at many different times and places. But events recently transpired in South Carolina show that Gov. Hampton has not fulfilled his pledges. The blacks were ryot protected, and equality of rights was not enforced. As long as there was no election pending, things moved smoothly enough, but the opening of a political campaign was accompanied by a renewal of trouble, and to all appearances intimidation and terrorism seemed to be the order of the day* as much as ever they were. Gov. Hampton has not redeemed his pledges J He has not made his word good. What is the reason of this P Was he insincere when he made the promises, or has he been nnable to fulfill them? Did he inend to deceive and betray, or has he found it impossible to control the turbulent elements of the Sonth Carolina Democracy? The following passage from a letter written by a correspondent of the New York i'imes in South Carolina throws some light on the subject: “There is not in Sonth Carolina an honest light-minded man who does not know that from the mountains to the see the Democratic minority of South Carolina has determined by fair, means or fool to defeat and override the Republican majority. Gen. Hampton declares that be does not approve this determination, and it most be admitted at the outaet that he has done his best to secure justice for the freedmen. Bat he has not been sacoemfnl. The conservative element, to which he undoubtedly belongs, an element made np of educated, intelligent and independent natives of Booth Carolina, gentlemen in the highest sense of the term, men who wonld be an honor to any State or any country, has been obliged to snocomb to the rule of the lawless and intemperate majority whioh dictates the policy of the Democratic party. Wade Hampton, strong as be is. influential as he is, cannot stand np against what is dearly the will of a majority of his followers. They have determined that no,Republican shall hold office in South Carolina; they have determined teat the overwhelming Republican majorities in Wbat ate called the black Counties shall be overcome, fairly if possible, by fraud and force if necessary; and Gen. Hampton, against bis best inclina'ions it may be. is forced to go with the tide. He took a contract wbieh he is nnable to fill. He made pledges whioh he has been nnable to koep. He has been compelled to break bis promises or lose his popularity, and he he* seen fit to take the former course. This is probably the true state of the ease. Gov. Hampton's words and acts have .been those apparently of an honorable i6an,' #ht> ifftended ftThdI force law and deal justly and fairly with all classes. It Is probable that when he promised protection to the blacks is their political rights, and pledged his word thsb hereafter elections in South Carolina should be free i- . • • . . ' - -,h '■

and honest, he really intended to redeem his promise, and that he made some effort to do so. But Gov. Hampton, popular as he is in his own State, is not populnr enough or strong enough to control - tbe turbulent Democracy. Doubtless there is a small conservative element in that party which deprecates the use of force and violence in elections, but it is powerless before the element of ruffianism which pervades the majority. Supposing the foregoing explanation to be true—and it is the most honorable that can be made for Gov. Hampton, for otherwise he most be supposed to have been guilty of. deliberate duplicity and bsse treachpry—supposing the foregoing explanation to be true, it places Gov. Hamilton in a pitiable position. Committed by his own pledges, and by every consideration of personal honor, to the enforcement of law and to the protection of all classes in their political rights, he is compelled toyield to tne brutal temper of his party; and to witness tho most flagrant violations of law and abuse of political rights without daring to resist or punish the outrage. A great man, or a man of high convictions and determined purpose, would not have been forced into such a position, He would have Jet party go to the winds, ftififfwould have fought for the right. Gov. Hampton has lost the greatest opportunity of his life to make a National Reputation. He has shown himself to be a tipie-servcr and coward. Ha has sacrifided principle to popularity, and instead of manfully resisting W weakly yielded to Jk., ciDiunltr i(uiMrw<la iliimuiwltl nj luu 111 111 till ij lßtm tlUuo Sdu tnntrttmtß w* his party. He is' in the position of a man who, starting out with an honest effort to manage a mad bull, ends by surrendering (Si control of the animal, and contents himself with watching its performances and keeping out of the way. —lndianapolis Journal.