The independent press. (Abbeville C.H., S.C.) 1853-1860, 1858-09-10
The Bonham' Dinner.


The Editor of the Conscryatist. was in at
tendance at the Bonbam d;,,sr ~ raa,s.,a
m ,ts o. ;,.e ,I cu.
~ '"'s;, anu give 'ho following sketch
OF the proceedings:
We were present at the complimentary din.
ner given TO our Represen tati Sy Tie citizens
ofEdgefeld on ;fhe End instant Tba crowd os
about fifteen. hundred persons assembled at II
o'clock under tie cool.sl,a of the grove which
surrounds: the Males Academy. Mr.. Ronbom
was Welcomed 10 q hand some manner by Mr.
8. 8. Tompkihs, who addressed him in a neot
speech of avery few minutea duration Mr.
Tompkihs said; that Ills constituents had met
to do honor toa faithfuLrepresentativc Of their
Interests injthe National Congress that not.
withdrawing Mr. BonRam lind voted different.
ly from, the entire Southern Delegation in Con.
gress, with One distin gbished execution. on the
Kansas: :gompromise his Constituents of Edge.
field not only tolerated. but approved aud en-.
dorsed hisposition,; that they did not censure
.any;s6nthern n,euber Of Congress 'fop Y oting as
Shii eonse,enee aid sense OF duty Dictated, but
SHAT stheys1bust bc'allowcd to testify their cor
dial support Of Mr. ,Bonlam's vote by this pub.
lie derionstration ; and that it gave them es.
special pleasure to afford him this opportunity
Of defending his position before the peop]e Al
Ter Mr.. Tompkif's speech. the subs,nnce os
which we hope we have Given Mr. o Ronhsu' 81. S.'
cented The stand the Edeefield Brass Band in
the mean time playing n lively mir. The music
over,fMr: Bonham arose and addressed the au.
uience in a7speech ofnearly two hours long.
He alluded 10 happy manner 10 the illustri
Gus names of those Who had preceded him in
representing his present CONSTITUENCY at,Wash
ing, in which he paid worthy tribute to tho
slamented Preston 5. Brooks lie went into an
elaborate discussion of the Kansas controversy
exposing much of the trckery of party rolitics
and giving his reasons for voting as he did. lie
Ssaid;he.bad formed his. utlmcnt by the lights
before him, that he stood by it then and stood
byit now, and that he felt sure in this, that he
had discharged his duty fairly and honestly
he endorsed the Administration and expresscd
hn'willingness to 60 with the Democratic par-
tyssot lo9gSsand only SO long as they were
right; He believed that in no other party
could we find any safety and favored our co.
operation withLit as long a. it stood by the
constitution and States Rights and State Sow.
erclgnty. lie differed with Senator Hammond,
that'there. was no distinction between M
uonal Democrat. and dwct upon bis concep-
sion of.this important difference. He signifies
nis Willingness to 60 into the National Con
non OF Democrats. because he believed the
States lights party the South should have
nand da; theinomInation of the candidate for
'ehe ), next R PRESIDENTIAL election and that they
could control the the Convention. lie favored
the Tn dissolution of the Union. in the event of
pisek ,.e republican being elected in 1860. and
SoeIlesed that such:wouid the result. In the
course OF ms remarks.he; spoke in an affecting
manner OF h,s once glorious cliieftain and nf
rewards gallant colleague in Congress. Gen.