The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1870-05-27
4 Letter nom D. Wyatt Aiken.
CoKssbuRy, Mav ID

CoKEsBuny, May Ia.
To the Editor Of tie Charleston Ne,Os
| It appears that tho remarks l mad,
before tho recent convention in your
city have excited the ire, disgust ant
contempt Of both friend and foe, anc
icursos hot and heavy havo been heap
ed upon me from every hole and cor
ner of the city Of Charleston. What
arc the facts in tho case?
On the morning Of tho last day O.
tho convention, after free discussion
upon subjects generally pertinent tt
the object of the convention, I ven
tured to obtrude upon that body my
opinions, and, in reply to a memb
who had argued that in importing
immigrants to this country vs. mus
receive them as our equals socially,
entered my protest against any sucl
inducement being presented. A pro
miscuous recognition of social equali
ty with strangers from any quarter
would not subscribe to. Neither
would you, Mr.. Editor, nor would i,
be asked for or expected by any ip
telligent immigrant.
This was tho idea. I intended ad.
vancing. If was unfortunate in ex
pressing a different idea, [ CAN but
regret it. l feel that no man in tho
State, according to his means, has
done, can do, or will do more than
to encourage immigration, elevate la
Dor, and rcjuvenate our old worn-out
lands. If to effect this end policy
forbids the truth should be told, then
my consolation is + am, too honest to
be even polite.
A word, if you please, to the Char
lesion press. Your German paper
says have learned but little:during the
past six years. I plead guilty to the
charge, and confess the Correspond.
ent has by no means increased my
learning. It calls me sa slaveocrat.'
Wherefore ? Because, forsootb, l did
not extol the fair-haircd German, and
waste volumes of gas in declaring the
generous welcome that awaited the
immigrant.
l narrated simply what I had seen
OF the Chinese, and expressed myself
pleased with their labor; that where
working with negroes they had al
lowed Spectators to pass unobserved,
while the negroes stop their work to
take survey Of the visitor; that they
are frugal and economical, while their
colored co-laborers were extravagant,
and oftener than otherwise would
spend on Saturday the next earnings
of the week; that the Chinese would
answer for our tide-water lands, but
not for the upper country, and that 1
did not advocate their introduction
into the latter section. For this and
this alone the Suedlicher Correspond.
ent accuses me Of seeking for South
ern redemption through Chinese Ia
Dor, and uses other truthless' and
inconsistent remarks that have fallen
harmlessly at my feet. For it's cdi6-
cation may say, l have in my en-
ployment Germans and native whites.
and colored laborers, who are perfect
iy content and satisfied with the
treatment they receive, and would
not exchange homes with any of nv
traducers. Only to-day I have re
ccived from Charleston q family of
English immigrants, who seem nei-
ther to fear the "Slave Pascha," nor
to anticipate his extending. to them
ought else than kind treatment, and
prompt payment for labor performed,
both Of which. they will surely get.
But enough of this ircful German.
"A friend has handed me two copies.
of Radical sheet published in Char
lesion, one. of which contains an ex-
tract from an article in the News that
l had not seen. This article enumer-
ates n host of great men who in the
past have risen from humble origin.
Shakespeare was wool-comber, he
says. Shall I, therefore, anticipate
poetic ideas from the Englishman
who is this day ehearing my sheep?
Because the father of Gregory VII
was carpenter, does it follow that
every carpenters son must be Pope !?
Ridiculous nonsense. Such instances
prove that genius cannot be hid under
a bushel, and nothing more. Merit
should be rewarded, and conscience
tells mo have never rejected its
claims.
This same sheet has dotted all over
its columns garbled extracts from
what l said, and a paragraph or two
Of what have written. 10 this I
have no objection. AS q target I
have been shot at SO often by Radical
mar rksmen that their assaults are re-
ceived rather as healthful tonics. I
take them as dyspeptic would "Sol.
omon's Bitters." - i? /.
Mr.. Editor, I cherish individual re.
spect, but have never stopped to court
it. L have not "crooked the pregnant
hinges Of the knee that thrift might
follow fawnipg." I esteem the regard
Of a acommunity, and have never will.
fully given offence. If Z have done
20 in this instance, It Is because / have
been misunderstood, and. therefore I
feel no modification for what 1 have
said. :,
What speaker before the conven.
tion claimed that "all the sense and
all the cultivation Of the universe was
confined to South Carolina?" Who
said we could not learn much from
the German, the Irishman or the En-.
glishman Certainly I did not; for
among the adopted citizens Of thia
State ] have the honor. TO nuin bel
many warm, personal friends. And
one Of the :stannehsst friends / have
is 2 Nerthern man who ,is: now nv