Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1860-08-06
nun YANcEY-wUO Is HE?

BILL YANCEY-wHO Is HE?
As this has become notorious in consequence
of bis bold efforts TO destroy the National Democratic
party and precpitae the Cotton States into revo-
luton" under the guse and cloak of Democracy il has
been suggested to be proper and right his antecedens
should be referred TO occasionally The precise attitude
in which this individual first the light OF day, has
not been fully settled-he claims that credit belongs TO
South Carolina, but others say it is due to lit lie town
called Rlngd or Fungas, we don't recolect which. But
that is immeteral His first political efforts made
at Greenville South Carolina in favor Of utilization and
in rebellion the patriot Jackson, in which efforts to
Grouse rebellion he most unsuccessfuly failed.
His first appearance in Alabama, in Cahaba, in
1887 where he attempted to dsorganize and break
anti.Snte Bank Democratic county meeting, at which
time difficulty occurred between him and our worthy
aud excellent friend, Col G. w. Gayle, Gayle being op
posed to the rotten State Bank system and Yancey
pousng the cause and subsequently got rather deep into
the State Banks shown by the report 10 the Legs
lature
Yancey next took charge Of the Southern Democrat at
Cahaba and p-ositued that paper TO the cause OF the
State Banking system. Finding he was playing losing
game both in popularity and money he left Cahaba went
10 Wetumpka bought three or four newspapers in
that city, and merged them all into paper called the
Wetumpka Argus law suits followed the purchase Of one
or two Of the Offices and Yancey came out Of the little
end of the horn by the law suits going against him
About this time his BROTHER b. O. Yancey came to We
tumpka from South Carolina Georgia took charge Of
the Argus and Bill went Greenville South Carolina,
aud in few days after his arrival there became involved
in personal difficulty which resulted in the death OF
Dr. Earle, an uncle by marriage. Yancey was tried,
found guilty OF mansaughter, sentenced TO two years i'm
prisoumeut and fine Of fifteen thousand dollars. After
lying in jail three or four mouths his sentence was
committed to the payment of the fine.
The next thing we heard of Yancey his admission
to practice law at Kingston Augusta county, Alabama,
soon afterwards he became candidate for the State Sen
ate in Augusta and CoOSa counties in opposition TO Judge
W. w Norris the regularly nominated Democratic can
didate-lancey taking up the White basis hn6ug, and
finally defeated Judge Morris the Democratic candidate
lie served two sessions in the Senate Tho next move
meut he made TO smugge into the District Conven-
on at Centrevie, lot of bogus delegates from Coosa
and Augusta counties his nomination for Con-
gress over Col Geo. W. Gayle, who was then the favo-
rite among the Democracy Of the district for Congress
Yancey secured the admission of his bogus delegates in
10 the convention and be nominated for Congress,
and the Democrats rather than raise disturbance and
for the sake of their party, PERM ted the election OF
Yancey. On his appearance in Congress, the rst thing
done was TO challenge Mr. Clingmau from North Carroll
ua for duel. They met, discharged one shot, Yancey
shooting before the word, his ball going into the
ground about feet in front Of his antagons-the DIFF
fculty was made up Yancey returned and rode rough
hOd over everything in the district and was again elect
ed to Congress He voted for the Wimot Proviso in the
Oregon Territorial Bill and resigned his seatin Congress
Col Cottre of Lowndes, nominated by the Democ-
racy Sam Beeman, hslfbrother Of Yanceys Wing
then but now Black Republican in Minnesota, also be-
came candidate. Yancey took the field for Beeman,
the Whig in opposition to the Democratic nominee, and
by his msehieyous interference within about 80
votes of electng Beeman the Wing candidate. We
next hear of Yancey boiling from the Baltimore Oonven-
ton in ls4S and during the campaign doing all he could
against the election of Gen. Cas-, the Democratic nomi
nee. He then became quiet until 1882, when we find
him giving aid and comfort TO the disunion ticket OF
Troup and Quitman and against the National Democrat
c NOMENCLATURE and King. He found himself be-
longing 10 a handful of disunonists and secessionsts,
though he had abored hard in bis State Convention at
Montgomery in 1851, to disorganZe the Democracy oil
Alabama and commit the party to secession.
We next hear OF him in the State Convention OF
1856, insisting upon the adoption OF resolutions de-
handing Congressional nonntervention by the Cincn-
natl Convention, and If not granted by that Convention
fol- the Alabama Convention TO withdraw de was ap-
pointed delegate and eector for the State-weDt to
Cincinnati and he found nonntervention the doctrine
of the party at Cincinnati and thus he prevented
from carrying out his fdvore mode Of withdrawing, and
he did really support Mr.. Buchanan, the first Democrat
he voted for for about twelve years But being dsap'
pointed 10 securing appointment from Mr. Buchanan,
in less than eighteen months after the election we ind
him proving about in Lowndes Macon and Montgon-
cry counties forming what he termed Southern Leagues
with the motto-"A Southern Republic is our only
safety" inscribed upon their banner. This league was
TO nuse into the minds Of the young men Of the coun-
try hatred for everything North and to prepare for
Southern Republic We do not only find him organi-
zug these leagues in Alabama, but writing letters to
different States urging them to retain their name oil
Democracy, but to go in the Southern League move.
ment and predicting in these letters that disunon would
certainly be brought on in 1861, at farthest.
We find him next taking position against the regular
Democratic nominee for Congress in his district and then
in the convention at Montgomery in January, 1861 in
sising upon the adoption of resolutions requiring the
Charleston Convention to abandon noninterventon and
adopt Congressional protection and not acceded to by
al. Al. 1.1a
must withdraw, and accordingly find him at Charles
ton in May following, Withdrawing from the Charleston
Convention and endeavoring to disorganize the ei1o
cratic party. What he has done since is familiar with
all; and this is brief history Of this mischievous man
He has never done any good but has always been en-
deavoring to tear down and do mischief