The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1871-05-16

| The negroes but for him and ms ulsCiples
would have been content with thelr ireeuom.
| They are not a reyengeful race; but the GOV
ernor's open abuse Of the pardcning power
encouraged the crimes that idleness ana lsno-
rance induced them to commit"
''His Great. fault was the organization ol lle
negro militia, was it not ,"
SHe armed the negroes thoroughly, anu lelt
tee white race at their mercy TO Jake care VI
| q e mselves, AMI the sensibilitieS OF our COM
mon nature, which is to defend ourselves.
came to their relief. That is our case. stated
as clearly as can state it. sir. )"
During your long life, Mr. Huger: you nave
doubtless met many OF the most
DISTINGUISHED MEN OF THE oLDEN TINE =
True, sir In both social apd public re.
lation have enjoyed the acquaintance OF sucn
statesmen and publiclsi as John Y. Cainoui,
LangdUn CheVes, William Lowndes, George
McDufie, Hugh Legare, General Hayne, Mr..
Petigrl,, Wade Hampton, the father OF Ine
present General Wade Hampton; Cnarlas
Cotesworth Pinckney. Andrew Jackson anu
/ Others"
"You were appointed by President Jackson
to be the postmaster Of Charleston many years
ago, We're yon not = undef circumstances
peculiarly interesting"
"The circumstances were these: was a
member OF the State Senate in 1882, when
General Jackson issued his proclamation. 1t
was proposed to denounce the President for
his course with reference 10 nul!itcalion, ana
I opposed The denunciation, in consequence OF
which General Jackson rendered to me the
commission OF postmaster. | declined the
same, and gave as my reason that the then IN,
cumbent, Mr.. 3acot, although Nullifer. held
his office by virtue OF commission signed oy
George Washington, and that would not be
instrumental IN making any change. may
say, Internationally, that l was member OF
the convention which passed the ordinance OF
nuliication in 1882, and voted against that
measure. Subsequently, in the summer or
1884, Mr.. Bacot died, and General Jackson
again % rendered to me the com mission OF post
master. did not desire 1t because had
fortune OF my own, plantation and large
number of slaves, and was making my bread
upon my OWL soil, and living with comfort
and happiness. My friends. however, urged
me to accept the appointment, and did so.
Charleston unGil the surrender OIL General Lee,
through nine Presidential terms"
"Speaking OF General Jackson, do you think
he knew perfectly we'll what was going o. IN
South Carolina during the year 1882"
..Most undoubtedly. sir. There was no man
better advised than himself with reference to
the situation and the persons engaged ID lne
notification movement. He had perfect
knowledge OF everything that transplred IN
South Carolina. iknew him well and had FREE
quent conveI satons with him, even as lar
back as 1915, when I heard him describe the
battle OF New Orleans. also met him In the
drawipg-rooms of Mr. Madison. Perhaps you
are not aware that John G. Calhoun took an
active part in electlng General Jackson. he
nominated him in the convention, though
they QuareheG afterwards"
'.Had- General Jackson been the President
in 1860, do You think ne would have prevented
secession %
Il believe lie would-not forcibl5. bit BY
pursuing coaclliatory policy. In fact. don't
believe it would have occurred had Mt. CAL
houn been alive" .
sYou referred to your home inst roW; now
many slaves had you 2"
II had
ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY SLAVES.
NV plantation was on the Cooper River. My
home was charming country residence, anu;
I had everything around me to make farm
Ing man happy and independent. / have al
ways been devoted to farming, and every slave
Iowned was born my property, except, per
haps, four or i've. never sold one save lor
misconduct. Ii a negro made himself ofien-
siye to me or to his tellow-servants ! parted
with him promptly, but never did that but
once
"When the emancipation proclamation was
issued by Mr.. Lincoln did you assemble your
slaves and announce that they were tree g
..No, sir. was in Columbia at The time;
but as soon as got back to the plantation
told them they We're free, and that those who
chose to go could do so.- A great many went.
Some remained.
s'Were they demoralized 2
sysry naturally, sir. The Union troops
came among them, went through the proper
", carried off a hundred head Of choice cattle,
destroyed q fine library, and took every avail
BILE arlicle of value on the place.
Ioc n hpsa ClorDS
1.-The last time ! counted them
FORTY WERE DEAD.
A number have returned and are at the plan
tation now One came back only SIX weeks
ago, and asked me 10 let him go home. He
was the son Of old Jacob. whose picture l
showed you."
you must have been fond Of old Jacob that
you preserve his portrait"
.Oh, yes, sir. You should have known him.
Jacob was born my slave in 1901. and he died
my friend in 1871. As far as he comprehended
prObity believe him to be as honest man as
ever lived. He was kind aud affectonate.
He taught my children and grandchildren how
to ride; in short, as ! said before, ne was
known throughout the neighb Jrh0od as my
friend He died during my absence from
home, and among his last words to his wife
were, always remember to do what ole massa
tell you.' 1 am now taking care OF his family,
and shall do so as long as they live"
"Changiug the subject, now, Mr.. Huger, do
you know Of brbe ever having been offered
In the Legislature Of South Carolina before the
present regime commenced =
IA BRlBE, SIR A BRIDE!' e
and the old gentleman raised his hands as if
to express holy horror at the question. why,
sir, l must plead the poverty of language.
LA 20 no expression to convey to you an idea
M Tie contempt that would have been bestowed
on any man il the General Assembly Of South
Carolina even suspected Of such crime ss re-
ceiving bribe. Had O man dared to move
that the speaker should receive donation Of
a thousand dollars, as is done now. he would
have been instantly expelled for personally in
suiing the CHAIR"
''WHat would have happened to member
had he received 9 bribc ~
''Good God lie would not have been per-
mitted to occupy his seat one minute. He
would have teen ignominlously expelled. so,
caly, he would have been ostraclsed, ann
neither his family nor himself could have hVed
comfortably In the State
s'What would have occurred to man Offer
ing bribe :?
SHis blood would have paid for tue insult.
He would have been challenged-il fact,
think he would not have received the warning
of challenge. I remember al incident as
plainly as if IL had occurred only yesterday.
which illustrates the tenderness OF honor on
this point. You know that 1t Is habit Of
our people tc, eat peanuts, or, as we call them,
p,ndars-grounduuts. Well, we used TO do it
in the Legislature. IL Is a sort of popular ap-
pelile-just as the French take snuh. One
day worthy man, whom We had elected lax
collector several times, walked Into The !egis-