The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1870-05-26
THINGS IN BA.RNWELL.
ADJUTANT.GENERAL ELLIOTT AND TIE RE-
FORM PARTY.
Celebrating the Fifteenth Amendment
"A Sensible speech-The Weather and
the Crops.
TFRoh OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT

Saturday last was day of general jollifica-
ton among our sable fellow-citizens. The pro-
ceedings were celebration Of the fifteenth
amendment, or, as darkie expressed it, "De
celebration of de Fifteen Commandment, to
show when freedom come" At early dawn
the sound of fife and drum resounded far and
near, and soon our quiet town was astir with
hundreds of gaily dressed negroes, hurrying
to the SPOT from whence came the sounds of
martial music. At an early hour procession
was formed with banners floating to the breeze,
and moved forward to grove in the suburbs,
where preparations had been made for the
speakers.
Arriving on the ground at late hour, thus
lost the opportunity of noting the manner,
style and address of a majority ofthe speakers.
was there in time, however, to hear portion
of the speech of R. B. Elliott whom now saw
for the first time in the capacity Of an orator.
The gist of his remarks seemed to be IN OPP
position to the Reform party, and imagined
/ perceived something like an uneasy express
sion of bis features when he informed his Rad
ical friends that the coming campaign would
be the most important that has ever taken
place in this State-the fight would be des-
perate one, and enjoined upon them to ad-
vance in unbroken phalanx. / must confess
that was rather disappointed in the oratori-
cal powers of this luminary Of corrupt fac
ton. He seldom raised his eyes to a full front,
and hung his head as if conscious that he was
not acquitting himself with too much honesty
fof purpose IN good cause.
The next speaker was colored minister,
by the name of Middleton. Although native,
and of course possessing much fewer advan-
tages than his predecessor, his manner and
evolutionary powers far surpassed him. His
language was temperate, forcible, and deliver
ed in such style as impressed every one, that
while he adhered to the Republican party
'isimply because its principles, as ne interpre-
ted them, of equal justice before the law to all
men, best,suited him. still, If the time should
come when he saw that it tailed to carry out
these principles OF justice and honesty, he
would no longer affiliate with it.
There was one white man who delivered an
incendiary harapgue, and whose sole aim, l
am informed, seemed TO be to excite in the
breast Of his colored hearers an antagonists to
the whites, by recounttng to them all Of the
evils ther and their great grandlathers ever
suffered during slavery-all of the manufac-
tured barbarities inflicted on colored prisoners
during the war; and there Is no telling, If be
had not told all he knew and all he had heard
and read OF, when he world have come to
close. His name Is Boone, and believe he
holds the office of State detective.
Ample preparation had been made for din
ner, the citizens contributing to aid the color
ed folks, and after the speeches the crowd re-
paired TO the tables, where universal good hu-
NOR seemed to prevail amid the rush for ''de
bittles.n Throughout the whole day our col
ored people comported themselves in an or
derly and quiet manner.
The farming interests in this section are very
backward We have had IN this locality little
or no rain in six weeks. Many farmers have
only part of their cotton up, some have bad
stands, while the fewer number have had the
GOOD fortune to have up their full crop.
Wherever q stand has been obtained the cotton
is doing well, and many farmers are low thin
ming out, and waiting for rain to plant and re-
plant where previously sown seed have failed to
germinate. The corn crop is generally very
good, though suffering from the drought. The
gardens, with few exceptions, are things that
were, but are now ''gone up," 80 far as early
vegetables are concerned.
IThe courthouse muddle wakes thicker, and
most uncertain degree of uncertainty at
taches to this long mooted and VeXed question.
Judge Platt arrived to-day, understand, to
meet In conference some legal gentlemen from
thatit remains with the afobesaid Judge to de-
termine peremptorily where the courts for
this county shall be held. Itis rumored that he
has designated Barnwell as the place now and
henceforth. This action, If such be the result,
Illustrates practically the adage ''if you want
thing aoell done do ityourselt and may add
the best way of doing it weNe1s. Il Ia Barn
well. But this unfortunate complication is too
serious to joke about and it is the desire of all
to have it settled definitely, as it seriously i'm
pedes business and incommodes the public.
Leslie will, doubtless, discover another ''cleri-
cal error in the reported action Of Judge
Platt, and stralghthen out matters once more
n favor of Blackville.
I saw q gentleman yesterday who informed
me that in his neighborhood, about twenty
miles from here, in this county, there was a
hail storm on Wednesday last which literally
cut up the crops The earth was covered with
ice, and In some hollow places along the road
there were piles of hail that reached to the
floor OF the buggy. In sheltered positions he
saw 1t until Saturday.
Weather hot, with no signs as yet Of rain.
MEDICrS.