The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1869-03-02
COLUMBIAg s. C.
Tuesday Morning, March Q, 1869.
Tolbcrt Agaiaa

Tolbcrt Agaiaa
The following communication hassbeer
furnished by w. Z. Tolbert. with '.p6lite'
request that it be published, as a reply tc
an article from the Abbeville Press, copied
in Saturdays Phenir. If Charles Dickens
should accidentally "turn up'' in Columbia
he might obtain prototype for another
character of the Uriah Heep and Iittime,
style. OF course, it is to be presumed Tol
bert would insist that his sworn testimony
was correct; but his intimation Of trial fol
his life is very great stretch of the ina.
gination, or rather bid for sympathy. as it
is we'll understood that the plea in his case
will be that he has turned States evi-
dence:' r.
NJ. Editor Of the Phonir.
DEAR SIR: am not writer for newspa-
pers, nor do 1 practice it, though I beg q
small space in your columns to make few
remarks for the public.
FIRsT.-I will say to the public that
was not hired by promises, nor with money,
to do the ''dirty work" of Hon. s. L. Hoge,
moned as q witness, and what testified to
is fact, and will testify to it again if it is
necessary, and they well know it is true,
though I can't blame them..i They kno
that they are guilty of fraud and everything
else that is unfair ir the election. There is
plenty more that will testify to the same as
did when they are 2n oath. ,.,,a.
SECOND. AS to my profaneness, I ac-
knowledge that I am icked, Though I will
hunt up my equals in profanity and drunk
enness; they can be- found IS in iAbbeville
County. There has been too much of it
for all of our good. have seen the error
and felt its. sting, and think it would be
better for more of them to do likewise
THIRD surrendered myself on the 10th
day Of January last to the authorities, and
grounded arms of rebellion, and it would
have been better for us all to have done the
same at the close of the war Although
myself and many others have been inf1u-
enced by the fire. eaters, or, in other words,
hot-headed Democrats, to 60 on in rebel
lion until we have disgraced ourselves and
not only ourselves, but our once honorable
and beloved State forever. Yet we must go
on in our bloody sin and pollution. 1 say
nay. have turned my back on oil such
You may ridicule and Dersecute me-, but it
has no effect upon my heart. Though
! am in prison, and expect to be tried
for my life, must I take all the guilt
off your shoulders and whatever you are
mind to put on mo and say nothing? But
1 say you are sadly mistaken. I yet retain
little chip from the old block, and will
show resistance to that which is untrue.
FoURTH.-I am surprised to see that Hon.
j. A. Leland-the President of a Democra-
tic clnb-has stopped SO low as to ''boot-
lick" the Republican party for the great
office of q Magistrate. I am fearful there
are other 'close pressures to the wall" in
Abbeville County as we'll as they are in Co.
lumbia. Mr.. Leland, my dear sir, when
you occupied the position as President of
the Democratic club at Greenwood, went
to you in person, and asked you to erase my
name from the roll; and you requested me
to give my reasons. and I done 80. told
you thatI was solicited to attach my name
to the "Kn Klnx Klan," and I did not
think member Of this "Klau" ought to
have his name on the roll of the club; that
something might turn up that eventually
would injnre the Democratic cause; and
yonr reply was that 1--WE would all be "Ku
Klnxies after II little;" and now you en-
plntically deny of ever knowing the exist
ance of such an organization. + could not
expect any more, as 'birds Of n feather will
all flock together. though you must wear
the shoe if it does fit rather close.
Gcntirmen. rs have said enongh on this
subj ct, will close by saying, I hope the
day is not far off when you will throw off
your prejndices,- ana your minds will be-
come changed. That you may become hum.
bic followers Of Christ sign my name,
W. K. TOLBERT, prisoner.
Forney foreshadows in his two papers an