The independent press. (Abbeville C.H., S.C.) 1853-1860, 1855-09-28
lFoR THE INDEPENDENT ppEss.1
Alabama Inlnlings.
SOMEWHERE, Sen

part OF Chrlstendom; but circumstances,
for the most part beyond my control, have
prevented me so far from complying With
my promises. There are in our society, in
comparison with yours or other, many pha.
scs, differences and contraSts-some very
striking, Others less so-wlIich, under the
guidance of an ablcr pen than mine claims
to he, could be made deeply interesting and
Instructive to many of your readers. The
subjects had in view in these promises
were such as for the most part belong to
the under-currents OF sociely-such as in
their effects would impress the casual OBJ
server and outsider, but could not be we'll
understood or comprehended by such. Ev-
cry nation of people on earth, and every
State in our Union, has different laws in
some respects. and are moro or less different
in manners, customs and sentiment. There
is wide difference, owing to well discussed
and understood causes between the two
great divisions Of our Republc-and al
though between the different States that
compose the two divisions there is not, in
comparison with each other, such distinct
i've differences as mark the two, or nations
widely separated, there is still enough, par
ticularly between the old and new States of
the South, to strike the observer and engage
the meditations Of an inquiring mind. Ev-
cry cause produces an effect, and every cf-
feet has cause; and rs with individuals the
smallest apparent or imperceptible cause
may change the whole current of life, so
to the same extent, or in like manner, may
some particular circumstance, or the intlu-
ence of particular individual, leave an i'm
press embodied in law, manners, custom or
sentiment for ages or all time to come. To
know all these causes could not of course
be expected Of mind less than omniscient,
nor to trace them properly be the produc-
tons of pen less than inspired. But there
are those, both rs 10 cause and effect which
require no uncommon acuteness of mind to
discover, no great power Of analysis to di-
vide and dlssect, nor more than human in
spiration and ordinary ability to portray. 1t
will be to such as might be expected of me
that will contine myself, should find time
and the spirit moving me so to do. ! have
several reasons that will, think, at = more
convenient season, stimulate me to fulfil in
some sort my promises; and as men may,
MS general rule, be depended on according
to the prompting motive and the value to
themselves Of the. end to be gained, will
state the most prominent IL am the
tr'end-'n-law of your paper-the personal
friend, school-mate and quandons neighbor
Of many of your subscribers, am more or
less acquainted with three-fourths of the
latter; and nothing would be more crafty
ing to my feelings than to be able TO con-
tribute any thing that would give import
ance to your paper or interest your readers
That would be motive enough; but as some
men cannot imagine or believe that desire
to promote the pleasure Of others can be a
sufficient cause of action, if it involves labor
or expense, will remark that with me'pleas-
ure is reflective, and that know some men
who receive as much happiness in con-
tributing to that Of others us those who
receive the contribution. If I have any
purely selfish motive it is the benefit which
man receives who impresses his own obser-
vations and reflections on himself; which to
some men, particularly myself, can only be
done satisfactorily by writing them out. L.
could not be vanity, for the performance
would scarcely justify it; and if $50 be-" the
substance would be wasted among those
very few of whom will ever see this side
Of eternity. 1t could not be for literary re-
pute, for too much time has been lost ever
to be regained, and my pursuits chalked
out for the future are neither literary nor
akin to it.
There may be much or little Ibalderdash"
in the remarks just preceding; but it may
he necessary for them to be remembered by
those who would do justice to my motives,
should attempt to perform something to
please your readers and fail, like the little
boys used to do sometimes when they lost
their hold in attempting to "skin the cat''
for. the ediication of their little sweet
hearts" in the blessed good old days before
innovation and vulgar refinement sent the
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