Abbeville press. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1860-1869, 1866-06-15
BILL APF is CALLED BEFORE THE RECON
sTRUCTION COMMITTEE
(sUprREssED TESTIMONY

testimony before the Destruction Commit
tee, I have felt soiter sighted because no
mention amt been made of mine. sup
pose It has been suppressed, but I am not
to be hid out in obscurity. Our country
is the special jury, and by and by this bus.
mess will 60 up before it on appeal. The
record must 60 up fair and complete, and
therefore I'll take occasion to make public
what l swore to. said good deal more
than can put down, Mr.. Editors, and at
timcs my nguage vas considered impu--
dent, but they thought that was all tho
better for their side, for it illustrated the
e.ebel!ious spirit heard one Of 'em say
"l4et him 50 on-the ruling passion strc.ng
10 death. He's good States evidence"
When was put on the star.d old Bout
we'll swore mo most ferce)y and solemnly
to speak the truth, and I observed that he
was then entertaining about a quart Of
double recti6ed, and it looked like it had
soured on his stomach. Old Blow was
settin off on one side with memorandum
book, gettiu ready to note down some "gar-
bled extracts"
Old Iron Works was Chairman, and
when he nodded his Republican head, old
Boutwell, says he: ''Your name is Arp,
believe, sir7'
$50 called" says I.
"You reside in the State Of Georgia, do
Sou%
II can't say exactly" says I. Il live in
Rome, right in the fork Of two injun riv
crs."
I'm the State Of Georgia" says he fierce.
"In a state of uncertainty about that"
says I. eve don't know weather Geor-
gia IS State or not. would like tor you
to state yourself, if you know. The state
Of the country requires that this matter
should be settled, and l will proceed to
state,"-
"Nevcr mind, sir" says he. "How old
are you, Mr.. Arpa"
!HThat depends on circumstances" says
q. Il don't know whether to count the
last FIVE years or not. Durin the war your
fol- Ks said ,ha. a State couldn't secede, but
that while she was in state Of rebellion
she ceased to exist. Now you say we got
out and we shan't get back again until
1870. A mans age has got somethingto
do with his rights, and if wo are not to
vote, don't think we ought to count the
time. That's about as near as can como
to my age, SIR"
"Well, sir" says he, "are you familiar
with tue political sentiments of the citizens
Of your State3'
Got no citizens yet, sir, that we know
Of will thank you to speak ofus as peo-
ple.'"
swell, sir" says he, "1'll humor your
obstinacy., Are the people of your State"
"Don't speak of it as State, sir, if you
please. I'm on oath now, and you must
excuse me for being particular. Callit Sec
tion.'"
"Mr. Arp, are the people Of your section
sufficiently humbled and repentable to come
back into the Union on such terms as we
may think proper to imposes"
mot much they aint," saysI. 81 don't
think they are prepared for it yet. They
wouldn't voluntarily go it blind against
your hand. They say the deal wasn't fair
and you've marked the cards and stole the
trumps, that at the same time they don't
caro- darn for what you do.-They've be.
come indifferent and don't care nothin
about your Guy Fawkes business. I mean
no respect to you, gentlemen, but I was
swore to tell the whole truth. Our peo-
pie amt noticin you only out of curios-
ity. They don't expect anything decent,
or honorable, or noble from you, and
they've gone to work diggin and plowin
and plantin apd raisin boy children"
Right here the man with a memoran-
dun scratched down garbled extract,
ana oia boutwell, says he; "What do you
mean oy that, sir7 What inference do
you intend 2" -
"fm stain facts" says 1. .You nus,
drawn your own influence. They are ,o-
sin boy children. Any harm abou, 49,
Any trsasopf Can't a man ra;se ho.
ehildrena Perhaps you'd like to amend
the Constitution and stopit.. Old Pharaoh
trisd 70 stop.it among the Israelites, but it
didn't pay. He finally caught the dropsy
in the Red Sea. We are raisin boy child