head and killed-this before any negroes had been hurt. In the meantime a small cannon had been brought from Augusta, and from it four or five charges of canister had been successively fired on the building occupied by the negroes. These commenced to retire and as they did so they were intercepted by the whites.

As the negroes were escaping from the building they were fired on and one of their number was killed. The rest were captured and later five of these-regarded as the ringleaders in bringing on the difficulty were singly shot to death by their infuriated captors.

This shocking affair was the culmination of troubles which had long been brewing in and around the negro-ridden town of Hamburg-in the language of General Butler, "the culmination of the system of insulting and outraging white people which the negroes had adopted there for several years."

"Many things," General Butler went on to say, "were done on this terrible night which cannot be justified, but the negroes 'sowed the wind and reaped the whirlwind.'"

This affair was the subject of widespread comment. Governor Chamberlain, styling it "the Hamburg massacre," denouncing it as an act of "atrocity and barbarism," evidencing a "murderous and inhuman spirit" and presenting a "darker picture of human cruelty than the slaughter of Custer and his soldiers."

The extreme Republican press took up the cry and denounced in fiercest language the bloody doings of "Sitting Bull Butler and his Edgefield Sioux." General Butler contented himself with dignified denials of the charges preferred against him and the repeated declaration that he was ready to meet his accusers face to face in the

courts.

Governor Chamberlain awaited an official statement of the "massacre" before he made public his own conclusions. He sent the Attorney-General (William Stone, his recent appointee in the place of Mr. Melton, resigned) and that official proceeded to the headquarters of Prince Rivers, whom Governor Chamberlain had appointed to judicial office. Rivers was corrupt, incapable, vicious and insolent. According to his own sworn confession in 1877, he had, before Governor Chamberlain selected him to be a judge, been guilty of thievery and perjury—having on more than one occasion taken a bribe from the Republican Printing Company. It was upon the statements of Rivers and of negroes whom he procured to testify

that Governor Chamberlain formed his judgment and framed his indictment of the white people of South Carolina.

It is worthy of notice that Governor Chamberlain never intimated regret for the killing of Meriwether.

No proceedings were ever taken to punish any of the parties alleged to have participated in "the Hamburg massacre." A jury (twelve negroes, ten of whom could not write) empaneled by Rivers, acting as coroner, imputed the killing to certain citizens, but the matter ended there. The parties thus accused were bound over to appear at Edgefield court, and they were duly present at the appointed time. The case was then postponed by the State's attorney, and it was never again brought up.

Governor Chamberlain appealed to the President for help, and of course received from General Grant the assurance that soldiers were at his disposal.

The course of Governor Chamberlain in connection with this Hamburg affair-his intemperate utterances, his appeal to the President and his subsequent attempts at evasion when charged with having called for troops-had a decided effect in settling the policy of the white people in the contest then in contemplation.

THE AUGUST CONVENTION.

On July 12, 1876, the State Executive Committee called a convention of the Democratic party of South Carolina to be held in Columbia on August 15, at 8 p. m., "to announce a platform of principles, nominate State officers and electors for President and Vice-President, and to consider such other business as may be brought before it."

The Convention assembled in response to this call-the roll of delegates being as follows:

Abbeville-J. S. Cothran, Dr. J. C. Maxwell, Dr. J. A. Robertson, D. Wyatt Aiken, W. K. Bradley, F. A. Connor.

Aiken-G. W. Croft, D. S. Henderson, J. H. Giles, Paul F. Hammond, T. J. Davis.

Anderson-J. A. Hoyt, W. C. Brown, C. S. Mattison, R. W. Simpson, John B. Moore.

Barnwell-Johnson Hagood, Dr. G. B. Lartigue, Robert Aldrich, I. S. Bamberg, J. M. Williams, L. W. Youmans.

Beaufort-William Elliott, J. W. Moore, C. J. C. Hutson, J. E. DeLoach, Abram Martin, G. H. Hoover, J. B. Morrison.

Charleston-James Conner, T. D. Jervey, J. Adger Smyth, George H. Walter, C. H. Simonton, L. D. Mowry, Zimmerman Davis, T. G. Barker, J. Bennett Bissell, R. Seigling, J. Ralph Smith, W. S. Adams, S. S. Solomon, S. D. Hutson, C. Irvine Walker, T. S. Browning, W. G. Hinson, C. Kerrison, Jr., A. Melchers.

Chester Julius Mills, T. C. Gaston, R. S. Hope, J. H. McDaniel. Chesterfield-J. W. Harrington, W. W. Spencer, J. S. Miller. Clarendon-John L. Manning, Wm. R. Coskrey, Wm. D. Mc

Faddin.

Colleton-M. C. Conner, T. J. Harley, Robert Fishburne, H. E. Bissell, Dr. J. C. Dick, W. C. Fishburne.

Darlington-J. A. Law, L. R. Ragsdale, A. F. Edwards, E. W. Cannon, E. Gregg.

Edgefield-M. C. Butler, M. W. Gary, G. D. Tillman, J. R. Abney, O. Sheppard, P. Blackwell.

Fairfield-James H. Rion, John Bratton, T. W. Woodward, James

Pagan.

Georgetown-L. P. Miller, J. J. Pringle, A. W. Cordes.

Greenville-J. W. Gray, W. H. Perry, Wm. Beattie, A. C. Steppe, Alex. McBee, Sr.

Horry B. L. Beaty, Danl. Lewis, E. D. Richardson.

Kershaw-W. L. DePass, J. Duncan Shaw, L. B. Stephenson. Lancaster-John B. Erwin, J. D. Wylie, Dr. J. C. Blakeney. Laurens-B. W. Ball, A. W. Shands, R. R. Blakely, Dr. J. R.

Smith.

Lexington-H. A. Meetze, Gerhard Muller, Godfrey Leaphart. Marion-J. G. Blue, W. W. Harllee, H. H. McClenaghan, J. G. Haselden, R. H. Rogers.

Marlboro-C. W. Dudley, H. H. Newton, Knox Livingston, Newberry-J. N. Lipscomb, T. W. Holloway, W. D. Hardy, R. L. McCaughrin.

Oconee James A. Doyle, John W. Shelor, W. C. Keith.

Orangeburg-J. F. Izlar, Dr. B. H. Knotts, W. A. Easterlin, I. T. Shumaker, A. D. Goodwyn, O. B. Riley.

Pickens-R. E. Bowen, John R. Gossett, A. B. Tolley.

Richland-Wade Hampton, John T. Rhett, A. C. Haskell, J. H. Kinsler, William Wallace, R. O'Neale, Jr.

Spartanburg-G. Cannon, H. L. Farley, A. B. Woodruff, H. F. Scaife, John W. Wofford.

Sumter-E. W. Moise, T. B. Fraser, J. S. Richardson, J. W. Stuckey, E. D. Shiver (colored).

Union-W. H. Wallace, T. B. Jeter, J. C. Richards, Dr. J. P. Thomas.

Williamsburg-W. H. Kennedy, S. T. Cooper, J. A. May.

York-B. H. Massey, Cad. Jones, J. F. Hart, Andrew Jackson, Robert Plexico.

James A. Hoyt was unanimously elected temporary chairman.

For the presidency of the Convention, two gentlemen were presented-Gen. W. W. Harllee and Col. C. H. Simonton. It was understood that Gen. Harllee represented the immediate-nomination party, and Colonel Simonton the "watch-and-wait" party-those who favored postponement until the Republican Convention should act.

The vote resulted as follows: Harllee, 80; Simonton, 66. By counties the vote was as follows: For Simonton-Charleston, 19; Chester, 4; Darlington, 4; Fairfield, 4; Georgetown, 3; Abbeville, 4; Barnwell, 2; Beaufort, 5; Clarendon, 2; Lancaster, 1; Lexington, 1; Orangeburg, 6; Spartanburg, 2; Sumter, 4; Union, 3; York, 2. For Harllee-Aiken, 4; Anderson, 5; Colleton, 6; Edgefield, 6; Abbeville, 9; Barnwell, 4; Greenville, 5; Horry, 2; Kershaw, 4; Lancaster, 2; Laurens, 4; Lexington, 1; Marion, 4; Marlboro, 2; Newberry, 4; Oconee, 3; Pickens, 3; Richland, 5; Spartanburg, 3; Sumter, I; Union, I; Williamsburg, I; York, I.

The announcement of the result was received with cheers from the floor of the hall.

Messrs. John R. Abney and Zimmerman Davis were elected secretaries.

Vice-presidents were elected as follows: Johnson Hagood, J. S. Cothran, John L. Manning, Cad. Jones, J. W. Harrington.

Colonel Cothran introduced the following resolution:

Resolved, That the sense of this Convention be ascertained as to whether in the approaching campaign the nominations for State officers, when made, shall be of straightout Democrats.

Colonel Rion offered the following:

Resolved, That it is inexpedient at this time to make a nomination for State officers, or to adopt a platform by which we are to be governed as far as the same relates to State officers.

The Convention then went into secret session. That session lasted from 11:30 in the morning till 16:30 in the evening, with a recess of about an hour for dinner.

At the close of the discussion the doors were thrown open and it was announced that the following had been adopted by a vote of 82 to 65:

Resolved, That this Convention do now proceed to nominate candidates for Governor and other State officers.

General Butler nominated Gen. Wade Hampton for Governor. Mr. Robert Aldrich seconded the nomination.

General Hampton ascended the speaker's stand and said:

Mr. President and Gentlemen: I need not tell you that the words of kindly allusion to myself which I have heard spoken have deeply touched my heart. But I desire to say a few words in personal explanation. I have all along refrained from expressing my opinion in one way or another, except when called upon to do so as a delegate. I have not tried to influence this convention in word or deed. I came here only to pour oil on the troubled waters, if necessary, and to promote unity and harmony if I could.

In the card I published in the Columbia Register the other day I expressed my opinions fully and earnestly. When the war was raging I was asked to come here and allow my name to be used as a candidate for Governor, but I preferred to stay where I thought I could do the most good for my State and my country; and since the war I have never offered one word of advice unless it was asked of me. I felt that my day was past, and that in returning to my native State I was like him who said: “An old man whose heart is broken is come to lay his weary bones among you. Give me a little earth for charity."

I have claimed nothing from South Carolina but a grave in yonder churchyard. But I have always said that if I could ever serve her by word or deed, her men had only to call me and I would devote all my time, my energy and my life to her service.

I will now be perfectly unreserved with you on another point. Men whose patriotism is beyond question, and in whose wisdom I have great confidence, think that my nomination would injure the Democratic party of the United States. If it were left with me to decide between that party and the interests of South Carolina, I would not hesitate in my choice. But I believe the success of the Democratic party of the United States will bring success to South Carolina, and that if Tilden is elected we can call South Carolina our own. Now, I do not wish to embarrass the gentlemen of the convention, nor to jeopardize the general Democratic party. I would, indeed, gladly decline the nomination. Besides this, there are men in South Carolina who think I possess a disqualification of which I cannot divest myself, and would not if I could. I mean what they call my war record. That is the record of fifty thousand South Carolina soldiers, and if I am to forfeit that, and say that I am ashamed