The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1870-03-18
G. P. Leslie.

@: P: Leslie is tho "erratic senator
from Barnwell," as he ispropcrly desig-
mated by his senatorial associates.
IT the Senate were to meet to-mor-
row and tho Especial order" on the.
days calendar was bill to ascertain
whether Leslie was a lunatic, q knave
or fool, it would be difficult to fore
tell the result of tho vote. and it
would be but ordinary prudence for
those betting upon tho question to
''hcdge" as much as possible. There
is certainly a variety of opinions
among the senators. Corbin and
Maxwell and one or two others have,
in their seats stated that ho was
crazy; Wimbush and others have
asserted several times that he was a
knave, and on one occasion Leslie said
that he had not made fool of him
self, to which Nash replied: "No,
that you haven't for God saved you
the trouble" Leslie is a native of
Brooklyn, and during the war repre-
sentcd that city in the New York
Legislature. lie tloatcd South after
the war and lodged somewhere in
Barnwcll County, became magis-
trate and then n senator, and after
ward q land commission. Ho is of a
quick, nervous temperament, and
speaks quickly, loudly, disconnectedly
and apparently very earnestly. He
is very fond Of using odd expressions,
for instance: In speaking of colorcd
men! trying to run 4 colored mans
party, he said it was very much like
going down hill in an old wagon-it
wibblcd and it wobblcd, and you
didn't know whether you were going
to tho bottom or tho devil. On an
other occasion he spoke of the objcc-
tion South Carolinians had to Yam
KEGS, and said: They would not be
satisfied with any of them some of
them wouldn't be satisfied with an
gels. When the angel Gabriel blows
his trumpet they will swear that it
isn't him, but some old Yankee blow
ing q tin horn. All his speeches were
filled with just such sentences. Up
to two or three weeks previous to the
adjournment, he had moro influence
in the Senate than any one, excepting
Corbin. But about the time montion-
ed his Radical associates became sus-
picious of him, especially the colorcd
portion, who asserted that he was
trying to form "third party" It is
generally believed that he resigned
the office of land commissioner be-
cause forced by Governor Scott, who
feared his influence among tn. color
ed people Of the State. His motto is:
"What's the use of State being a
State unless it can take care of it's
statesmen" The Brooklyn papers
have several times written of Leslie,
making him out very bad character
~ Wv oSSuoAoh1 10 GAo sLOfy goes, ne
was asked if these articles would not
injure him? "No," replied he, ~,
like great many others Of the North
ern men down her, have reason to be
thankful that my constituents can't
read" AS regards Leslie's politics,
it is difficult to place him. He was
originally Democrat, then Repub-
lican when he was turned out of the
Legislature, he avowed himself q
Democrat when he returned, he was
Radical; at the commencement of
the last session he was.a bitter Radi-
cal ut it's close a Conservative, Re-
publican, or something It is said
that he twill stick to friend through
thick and thin" With all of his
faults there are few men who have
tho moral courage to make the speech
that he did on the last night of the
session-a full synopsis of which was
published in tho NEws.-CAarleston
Mems.