The independent press. (Abbeville C.H., S.C.) 1853-1860, 1856-10-24
The New York Times and the Brook
Dinner.

demonstration at Ninety-SiX, occupying two
closely printed pages i'll the New York Times.
The paper is edited by Raymond, the yoke
in these parts. We nre indebted for our copy
to a'friend to whom it was sent. Being n sim
gle copy, it has been we'll thumbed in passing
from hand to hand, and is now pretty we'll re-
duced to the statct which our Northern breth.
rcn think we wish to consign the Uunion and
| presents those marks of rupture and dsmem-
bcrmcnt from which Daniel Webster was ac-
customed to avert the eyes of his imagination.
Before the paper becomes completely illegible,
we wish to dispense few nlo1scls for the a.
muscment of our friends, at distance Our
reporter, by the way, seems to DO quite IN
able one; but contrary to the maxim of Horace,
aspires TO he something more than retailer of
other mems thoughts, and has a mind of his
own, which he expresses freely on all occasions
AS Introductory to the dinner, and the re-
port of the speeches. he gives an account of
his waysi'le experiences: His estimate of
Southern society and manners is upon the
whole favorable, though his detailed account of
certain conversations, in Greenwood is, we
are told, grossly incorrect We can afford to
be amused at his cxtravaganccs, and where lie
blunders upon the truth, to accept it, accord
ing to the well known maxim, even from an
enemy.
Our reporter had letters of introduction to
DR.. Calhoun, at Greenwood, where he arrives
two days before the dinner. In the cars he
met Maj. Wilkes of Kansas, with regard to
whom he says:
sOn my journey thither met in the cars
one Maj. Wilkes, very smart and inteIli-
gent young fellow, who was just on his
way home from Kansas. He was accom-
paied by two men, who had formed part of
troop Of thirty which he raised in South
Carolina, to aid the Missourians in their ef-
forts to expel tho Free State settlers. His
baggagc-at least all of it could sec
consisted Of bowie knife, gun, and
strange accompaniment-a fiddle. His
companions were similarly provided, minus
the music. I asked him as to the condi-
ton of affairs in the Territory. lie said
everything was quiet there at present; tho
war was over, and the Southern Party had
got the Dhip-hand completely, though he
questioned whether that state of things
would last and dreaded very much that
Kansas must eventually become Free
State"
Next follows description of the Village Of
Greenwood, and its inhabitants, whom by some
unfortunate arrangement of his sentences, he
seems to charge, with lack of public spirit
on account of what he is pleased to call, 'the
tantalisingly slow" pace of the railroad, which
runs through its suburbs Hear him:
"The little village of Greenwood, where
stayed till Friday morning, is one Of the
pleasantest spots I know Of embodied in
groves Of oak and persimmon, surrounded
by beautifully undulating country excel.
lently cultivated, Inhabited by planters ol
respectable means, and QUOTAS Sabbath
morning, it was to me very picture of ru.
raj peace and happiness. Nor were the peo
1 pleso primitive in their notions as one fresh
from the North would be likely to expect
The village contains four schools and two o,
three houses of worship. I found every
body with whom conversed thoroughly
familiar with the politics Of the country
and not at all ignorant of public affairs
generally. In some respects, it is true, they
Ise>Ao t@uShtooiy oouiuu tuc S1Scs 1uoIoF
an obvious lack among them of public en-
terprise, though Individually thereis SHARP
look out for the main chance. Railroad
travel is tantalizingly slow. Half the time
isspent in stoppages on the road, and wber
the trains get fairly in motion their speed
rarely exceeds horse-trot. Ispent precisely
seventeen hours and half going from
+ Charleston to Greenwood-a distance o
two hundred and fifteen miles, and thai
too, in continuous travel. It should b,
borne in mind, however, as sort of oAse
5 to this hardness, that accidents on thes'
Roads are almost unknown"
} After giving slam at our country editors
he furnishes, what he terms an instance of tn
!. ignorance which prevails at the South, upol
subjects apart from politics in the fact, that al
9 NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS., enquirsd Of him, "wheth
. er Meaghers' Irish Ness was printed in Eng
. iiahi Wetakeit FOR granted that the gentle
man was amusing himself at OUT friends ez
. .pense. .-- ss s;.ts sga.s, - 81
His remario upon Southern domestic eeono
my however applicable to some loealitissssans
hsve been refutsd by his szpsrisnss at ~
stDostor'a, and We attribpss Nh LISTERS .cf intro
duction, to the grateful memory ofsonlc friend
who retained pie asing recollection, Of th