The independent press. (Abbeville C.H., S.C.) 1853-1860, 1856-05-02
MISCELLANY.
Judge Butler and his Accusers.

| It's sought to he made fashionable in
South Carolina just at this time to arraien
our esteemed Senator, Hon. a. L. Butler,
for Inconsistency of conduct and impurity
OF motives. Beside the studied attacks of
the Evening Ncws and Charleston Mercury,
rlnlliplcs have latterly been Illuminated
against him from Columbia and from TN
lonville. One or two other minor ma
chimes have caught up the javelins hurled
by their better grown models, with the vain
desire to bring down the towering eagle
from his pride Of place. 1t is gratifying to
see that these efforts have fallen in thei.
mcIplency and are likely, if they produce
any effect whatever TO recoil upon those
who originated them.
What has been the political crime of
Senator Butler:
NO question seriously duplicating either
the honor or the interests OF his State has
here demanded that he should speak out
with the authority of leader and a guide.
The policy Of going Into the Cincinnati
Convention is to be argued, and has been
argued, ms a matter Of propricty and good
sense. No issue is necessarily involved in
it that should call forth from our congress
men warnings of peril at hand. 1t is ac-
companicd 10y no dangers from without nor
symptoms Of revolution within. 1t is Il
peaceful measure OF State policy, threaten
ing neither our happiness nor our rcputa-
ton. And as such we hold it to be one of
those matters upon which it would be well
tor the reoplr to decide f themselves. The
head and front then of Judge Butlcr's,of-
tending has been that, while leaving his
llglI-mlndcd and intelligent constituency
to adopt such action in the premises as
their patriotism might suggest, he has vet
vent"rcd advice for the purpose of impart-
ing t" any delegation South Carolina NAV
send To Cincinnati us much responsibility
as can be given to it hv the jul lg,nent and
influence OF our most experienced citizens.
Where Is his dercliction of duty here?
where his inconsistency? Judge Butler has
not from the first given encouragement to
Il representation in the Democratic Convcn-
tlon. And still lie has regarded it us one
ot those things from wlicl' he might with
out lmpropriety stand in some measure
aloot, ut least to the extent of rcfr:,inino
from amy uncallcd for official pronuncia-
mcnto against the views of IL large and res
pectablc portion Of his people. In private
he has spoken his sentiments candidly upon
this subject. Before leaving for Washing
ton III November last we heard him thus
express himself And we doubt not, if hc
had been properly called upon, that his
views would have been readily given
through the press at any time. If some of
Ills fcllow-citizens choose now to regard his
omission to pusl, Ills opinions on this nues-
ton before the people of South Carolina
(asked or unaskcd) in the light of n heinous
delinquency, far greater number of them,
we are sure, will approve his discretion and
sustain his course.
Some men there are in South Carolina
who arc continually croaking about the fall
ing off OF good principles and good man
ners in our State and yet, when occasion
prompts them, they can exhibit evidences
OF rs rapid dcclcnsion rs the rest. 1t has
been custom amongst us, call it "time
lionored' if yelike, to reverence age and
integrity, especially when connected will,
long and laborious public services. And
yet for slight cause, it is now attempted to
lmpugn the motives of as noble and disin-
terested heart as ever beat for tile honor
and veal of the Palmetto State; and this,
too, when the individual is one whose life
and strength have been wcll-nigh exhausted
in the employment OF that State. The
demonstration needs no comment.
We make no charge of unworthy inten-
tons upon those who have thought it right
thus to assault our Senator. They are
gentlemen, above all trickery and dishon-
esty. But, unwittiugy, they are inficting
upon an old servant gricvous wound-a
wound Of the spirit, which might perhaps
60 further towards bowling his gray hairs
into the grave than all the tolls Of many
years. And VIC call upon them, by every.
motive Of Palmetto fellowship and Pal
metto generosity, to desist their i'll timed
attacks.-Edgefeld advertiser.
BLUE RIDGE RAILRoAD.-Judge Frost
left this place on yesterday morning, after
stay Of one week. During the week, our
usually quiet town has presented quite n
scene of hustle. All tie sub.contractors.
or nearly so, have been here for the purpose
of renewing their contracts with the Com
pany, and we learn that all have done 80,
will, the exception Of one or two who were
deemed to be wholly irresponsible for any
contract they might make, and entirely un-
able for the want Of sufficient means to
complete the work, had they received the
contracts asked for. Public confidence
seems to be established on firmer basis.
s :.ye trust~that the work will now prog
IL h ranidity. Judge Frost nanifests
orA /zeat IN ft,ns a;cchoro,o ~ L;, J,.:.,I -