The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1868-07-24

crat, so his bid was not acted on. To
tell you the truth, I think the State
would have saved much money by
making Selby State printer. Iwent
to his printing Office, and think he
has o fine Office. I never saw print
ing done before. They have little
iron spikes, with letters ON them
upside down; but when the paper
comes out the letters are oil right.
The little iron spikes are all put in
kind of tray about half the size of
dinner-table; then they put ink on
and run paper over it in a thing like
sorghum mill; then the paper
comes out next morning with ali that
we do in the Legislature and good
deal more. I gathered up handful
of the spikes standing up in the
trays to look at them, but q boy they
call the devil told me 1 had made
pie out of the whole concern. He
fixed them all back right, but think
he must be n kind of devil to know
how to do all that. One reason I
wanted Selby to get the printing is,
that the less we spend for printing,
the more chance of my getting my
six dollars day. L wish there was
twenty days in week, and I wish I
lived 5000 miles off, What with
pay and twenty cents o mile, it
counts up. L am sorry for these
Richland County members; they
don't get cent for mileage. Six
dollars a day is poor pay anyhow.
The day before the great Union
Senate election, 1 went out riding in
q carriage with three white members.
They invited me so friendly, L
thought L was riding free; but next
day they come on me for one dollar
my share of the ride. 1 paid up;
but next time I know better. L
would rather walk all day than pay
dollar. The sun is powerful hot;
the members sit in the house in
their shirt-sleevcs, which arc not
dccency but is comfortable. The
colored members look well; they
dress better than white people; all
wear collars made out of paper,
white and nice, but fall to pieces in
tho wash. l did not know any bet
ter, So [ gathered up Il dozen and
went to washing them, but in no
time they looked like chawed paper.
Our colorcd members feel their dig
nifty; every man has an umbrella,
besides n walliing-stick; every man
writes his name on the handle of his
umbrella. The white members, and
some colorcd too, is great on bor-
rowing, and forgets to bring them
back.
You must excuse me for writing so
much, bnt L have not yet learned
what they call here condcnsing your
argument. L want to tell you about
the pcnitentiary and the State house,
and a lot Of other places. L will get
to all them in time. To-day is Sa-
tnrday; House don't meet; holiday
Saturday and Sunday; pay goes Oh
all the same. We are going on
slowly and sure; no hurry; all the
year before us. Expect to adjourn
in November; so home for week,
so rs to draw the twenty cents Il
mile, and como right back and go on
regcnerating this glorious South
Carolina. L feel ashamed sometimes
about this pay business and doing
nothing, but they say it's all right.
They say SO on with your great
work; make haste, but make haste
slowly. Governor Orr himself says,
in his great message, that we will be
here four months. The late Cover
nor is funny man; he don't seem
to come out; he is no Democrat and
he ainU in the Republican party yet,
though he must want to be. We
have him on trial now; maybe you
will hear more of him when the
judges election comes on. I wish 1
could vote as 1 wanted to, but the
voice of the party is to be followed;
the motto is "our party, right or
wrong" You know J. was always an
honest man, like my mother and
father were before me. I tell you,
honored sir, our party is more often
wrong than right. 1 will try to keep
to be n Republican, but it is hard
for an honest man like me. If J.
should turn Democrat, 1 am safe in
the Legislature now. I have took
the oath, and they can't turn me out.
Whatever happens, I will bo true to
honesty. [ will stand firm, though
every shingle on Mr.. Postmaster
Janney's Hall was devil. Please
look after my faithful dog, Koon
| Catcher. It is all I nav taxes on