The Greenville enterprise. [volume] (Greenville, S.C.) 1870-1873, 1871-12-13
"REMINISCENCES
OF THE
COUNTY OF GREENvlllE
BY EX-GOVERNOR b. f. PERRY.
CONTINUED FROM LAST wEEK.1
HENRY MIDDLETON.

lhe following sketch and re-
membranes of Governor Middle
ton was published in the " Xix
Century," and as he was, for some
years, a citizen of Greenville, rep.
resenting The District in the State
Convention, have thought proper
to rc-publiSh it among my "Remiu.
iscences" of Greenville. 1 have
already stated that Governor Mid.
dleton was an early settler Of the
District, owned large possessions
here, and remained with us till his
mission to Russia:
Governor Middleton wasRhe son
Of Arthur Middleton, one of the
siSners of the Declaration of In-
dependence, and a lineal descen.
dant of Henry Middleton, Presi-
dent of the convention which threw
off tho proprietary government in
South Carolina, and adopted, in its
stead, the royal government of
Great Britain. lie was a small
boy during the Revolutionary
War, and accompanied his father
whilst attending the American
Congress in Philadelphia. In con.
sequence of the disturbances OF the
Revolution, and his attendance OH
his father, lie said his early cduca.
tion Lad been neglected. His son.
in law, MIR. Fisher, of I hiiadelphia,
thinks he meant by this that he
did not, like his elder brother,
have the advantages of a collegiate
course i'll England. Mr.. Fisher
knows that he had n private tutor,
and was thoroughly taught Latin.
Greek, French and Italian. He
travelled a great deal, whilst a
Young man, in Europe, and was
in France for some time during
the French Revolution.
In tile fall of 1882, Governor Mid.
dleton was in Grcenville with his
family. He had formerly resided
here before his mission to Russia,
and had disposed of his house and
farm to Washington Earle
Through my influence he was elect
ed member of the State Cunven-
tion from Greenville, together with
myself. Colonel Brockman and
Silas r. Written, called in the fall
of 1882, to nullify the tariff law of
Congress. Before starting to the
convention, and after we reached
there, we were good deal togeth-
er, and l derived a great deal of
valuable information from him,
and was always delighted, as we'll
as edited, by his Conversations
In my journal, l have made mem.
oranda of some of these conversa-
tions. He amused me often with
his anecdotes and sketches of pub
lie men. In one of these conver-
satio he told Inc that he then
had in his possession a manuscript
of his father which contained a
speech of Mr.. Madison, taken
down in shorthand, advocating a
treaty with Great Britain, on the
condition that she would acknowl
edge the independence of all the
colonies north of the Carolinas.-
The Carolinas and Georgia were to
remain British provinces. The
resolution embodying this propo-
sition was introduced in tile old
Congress by Mr.. Madison himself
Many years afterwards, whilst
| Governor Middleton was q mem.
ber Of Congress, he mentioned the
subject of this speech to Mr.. Madi
son and expressed his great surprise
at it. Mr.. Madison acknowledged
having introduced the resolution
and made the speech. lie justi-
fed himself on the ground that
the Carolinas and Georgia were a,
that time conquered provinces, the
country was overrun with British
troops, ard the royal government
restored. these coloni,s were
considered entirely lost after Gates
defeat at Camden, and all reason
able hope OF recovering them was
gone forever. An address had
been presented to Lord Cornwall
lis, signed by many Of the mos
prominent citizens of Charleston
congratulating him on his victory
and the final subjugation Of th,
proyince. i do not remember t.
have seen this remarkable fac
mentioned in the history of oul
country. The address to Lore
Cornwallis ! had heard Of man,
years before, but not the speecl
and resolution of Mr.. Madison. -
Congress sat, at that time, will
closed doors, and their secret pro
ceedings were not known to tb,