Conservative Party of South Carolina
Encyclopedia
The Conservative Party of South Carolina was a political party of South Carolina
during Reconstruction. It was founded in 1874 by James Chestnut
from the State Tax Union to provide an organization for the mobilization of white voters. The absence of an active and statewide Democratic Party
led many Democrats to become members of the Conservative Party for the Election of 1874. The reemergence of a strong Democratic Party for the election of 1876 ended the Conservative Party.
A convention in Columbia
for the State Tax Union was summoned for September 10, 1874, by James Chestnut. The purpose of the convention was to plan for the election of 1874 and to dispute a statement by President Grant
on September 2 about the recent activities of the Ku Klux Klan
(KKK) in the South
.
Chestnut called for another convention of the State Tax Union to be held on October 8 in Columbia to discuss election strategies and choose candidates for office. The delegates agreed to support the Independent Republican
statewide ticket and adopted a platform of honesty and efficiency in state government.
The Independent Republican statewide candidates were all defeated for the general election on November 3, 1874. However, the Conservatives did reduce the majorities of the Republicans in the House
and the Senate
, albeit modestly. A fusion of the Conservative and Independent Republican parties in Charleston County
enabled Conservatives to be elected to the General Assembly
from Charleston and for the Independent Republican Edmund W.M. Mackey to win a seat in Congress from the Second District
.
While unable to achieve its electoral goals in the election, the lasting effect of the Conservative Party was to provide a basis for the reformation of the Democratic Party. The failure of the Conservatives caused the Democrats to believe that in order to gain control of state government, they needed to nominate a full slate of statewide candidates for the election of 1876.
South Carolina
South Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
during Reconstruction. It was founded in 1874 by James Chestnut
James Chesnut, Jr.
James Chesnut, Jr. of Camden, South Carolina, was a planter, lawyer, United States Senator, a signatory of the Constitution of the Confederate States of America, and a Confederate States Army general...
from the State Tax Union to provide an organization for the mobilization of white voters. The absence of an active and statewide Democratic Party
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
led many Democrats to become members of the Conservative Party for the Election of 1874. The reemergence of a strong Democratic Party for the election of 1876 ended the Conservative Party.
A convention in Columbia
Columbia, South Carolina
Columbia is the state capital and largest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina. The population was 129,272 according to the 2010 census. Columbia is the county seat of Richland County, but a portion of the city extends into neighboring Lexington County. The city is the center of a metropolitan...
for the State Tax Union was summoned for September 10, 1874, by James Chestnut. The purpose of the convention was to plan for the election of 1874 and to dispute a statement by President Grant
Ulysses S. Grant
Ulysses S. Grant was the 18th President of the United States as well as military commander during the Civil War and post-war Reconstruction periods. Under Grant's command, the Union Army defeated the Confederate military and ended the Confederate States of America...
on September 2 about the recent activities of the Ku Klux Klan
Ku Klux Klan
Ku Klux Klan, often abbreviated KKK and informally known as the Klan, is the name of three distinct past and present far-right organizations in the United States, which have advocated extremist reactionary currents such as white supremacy, white nationalism, and anti-immigration, historically...
(KKK) in the South
Southern United States
The Southern United States—commonly referred to as the American South, Dixie, or simply the South—constitutes a large distinctive area in the southeastern and south-central United States...
.
Chestnut called for another convention of the State Tax Union to be held on October 8 in Columbia to discuss election strategies and choose candidates for office. The delegates agreed to support the Independent Republican
Independent Republican Party of South Carolina
The Independent Republican Party of South Carolina was a political party of South Carolina during Reconstruction. It was founded in 1872 to oppose the election of Franklin J. Moses Jr. for Governor of South Carolina after he had been nominated by the Republicans on August 21, 1872...
statewide ticket and adopted a platform of honesty and efficiency in state government.
The Independent Republican statewide candidates were all defeated for the general election on November 3, 1874. However, the Conservatives did reduce the majorities of the Republicans in the House
South Carolina House of Representatives
The South Carolina House of Representatives is the lower house of the South Carolina General Assembly, the upper house being the South Carolina Senate. It consists of 124 Representatives elected to two year terms at the same time as US Congressional elections...
and the Senate
South Carolina Senate
The South Carolina Senate is the upper house of the South Carolina General Assembly, the lower house being the South Carolina House of Representatives...
, albeit modestly. A fusion of the Conservative and Independent Republican parties in Charleston County
Charleston County, South Carolina
Charleston County is a county located in the U.S. state of South Carolina. According to a 2005 U.S. Census Bureau estimate, its population was 330,368. Its county seat is Charleston. It is the third-most populous county in the state . Charleston County was created in 1901 by an act of the South...
enabled Conservatives to be elected to the General Assembly
South Carolina General Assembly
The South Carolina General Assembly, also called the South Carolina Legislature, is the state legislature of the U.S. state of South Carolina. The legislature is bicameral and consists of the lower South Carolina House of Representatives and the upper South Carolina Senate. Altogether, the General...
from Charleston and for the Independent Republican Edmund W.M. Mackey to win a seat in Congress from the Second District
South Carolina's 2nd congressional district
The 2nd Congressional District of South Carolina is a congressional district in central and eastern South Carolina. It includes all of Lexington, Beaufort, Jasper, Hampton, Allendale and Barnwell counties; most of Richland County and parts of Aiken, Calhoun and Orangeburg counties...
.
While unable to achieve its electoral goals in the election, the lasting effect of the Conservative Party was to provide a basis for the reformation of the Democratic Party. The failure of the Conservatives caused the Democrats to believe that in order to gain control of state government, they needed to nominate a full slate of statewide candidates for the election of 1876.