Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1873-09-03

Remincnces OF q Rcmarkab Fam.
sly.
from Tho Savannah News.l

JT., uuu JuXue COOIey If SAT-, IL re-
wives other .mem0ries-sOme more
painful still, and yet some very pleas
ant-whicll concern the famous Rhett
family. First, one cannot help refer
ring to the la,nentable fate Of the ac-
conplishcd Tabor, who fell IN duel
with NcGrath. lie was editor of
the Charleston Mercury. An edito-
rial appeared in the paper rejecting
on Judge Mcarath, an elder brother
o. the cOmbattamt. 1t was written
bp Edmund Rhett, a brother of Barn.
well, Jr. lie knOwledgcd himself
the author, and significd his willing
ness to respond to any hostile mes
sage, but McGrath demanded satis-
faction of Tabor only. lie accepted
the challenge and was killed upon
the field. Tabor was a second cousin
of RlIctt. lie ranked among the
first, If not the very first, of tic in
tellcctual voting inen of South Caro-
lima. lie gave promise of glorious
future in the world of letters and
politics, and was universally admired
rs we'll as loved. His early and vio-
lent death caused general lamcnta-
ton and to this day it is to all who
admire genius linked with virtue, q
most painful memory.
There is still another tragedy asso-
c!ated with the name of Rhett. Dur
ing the war. and for causes not re-
mcmbered, Ransom Calhoun fell in n
duel with at the hands of Alfred
Rhett, another one of the Rhctt both
| crs. These "reminiscences of the
lthctt brothers bring to mind their
dinguished father, Robert Barnwcll
Rhctt. Sr., who at one time had II ma
tiOnal fame. lie was n Democratic
leader in the House of Representatives,
during the furious davs of the aboli-
tlOn excitement. Combined with a
lofty intellect, he had form which
one would say was the impersOnatiom
OF Scntlcmanly refinement. 1t was
surprising to friend and foe. that be-
meath such placid exterior there
should be such iirmncss of purpose,
steadiness of nerve and fiery clo-
qucnce. His stl lie was ALWAYS tcrse,
incisive and fluent, and sometimes
huly eloquent. Sincerity in all he
said was stamped upon his brow, and
this supported by an earnestness of
of manner, carried conviction 10
hearers, and dismay TO adversaries.
This fainous gentleman hns sn long
been in retirement, that when the
late duel suggested his name, VIC
could not say positively if lie was
yet among the living. On imYuiring
we are told that lie is yet residing in
In his beloved but oppressed Carroll
na, a confirmed invalid. In that re-
tiremcnt we feel sure lie retains the
confidence and sympatilics of his ad-
miring countrymen. What, though
he aud his cause lave both failed!
The memory Of a truth, though pros
tratc, is swccter than the present ell
Ijoymemt of reward, follows or which
accompanies falsenood.
| There is tradition connected with
the birth and career of this dist!m-
guishcd gentleman. At the time
when lie was in the United States
House of Representatives, and the
champion OF the Southern cause,
John Quincy Adams was his ublest
and most conspicuous antagonist.
We had often heard that these gifted
men were descended from n common
ancestry, and that there consequent.
ly cOursed through their veins u kin
dred blood. We deemed the report
mere idle rumor, but subsequent in.
quiry has satisfied us of its truth. Ii
is curious piece of American f:imily
history, worthy Of publication, and
is briefly this:
Thomas and James Smith, brothers.
were Englishmcn who followed the
fortunes of Cromwell. They were
prominent as political writers OF
South Carolina III 1871, being attract.
ed thithcr by the restoration OF
Charles the Second. Thomas re.
manned i'll the province and became
y ruling man. In 1851 he received
from the British Crown Il patent of
forty-eight thousand acres of land,
situate in South aid North Carolina.
From his immense estate in lands he
acquired the title of Landgrave
Smith, and by that name he became
most generally known. In 1892 was
appointed Governor of the province
of South Carolina. BarnwclI Rhett
is descendant in the direct line from
this man. lie belongs, We believe,
to the sixth generation of his de-
scendants.
James Smith, the brother, was a
dissenting clergyman. lie soon
moved to the province of Massachu-
setts. His granddaughter (or it may
be, his sgreat-granldaughtcr) married
''Old John Adams" in October, 1854
John Quincy Adams is therefore a
lincal DIES. endant of James, the
brother Of ''Lamdgiavc" Smith. Abi-
gial Smith, the mother of John
Quincy Adams, was one of the most
remarkable women this or any other
country has produced. a mind free
! from pref can scarcely read her
history without coming to the COLI
clusion that she was the most intel
lectual among the many intellectual
the White House.
The descendants of Thomas Smith
are very numerous in South CARROLL
ma, and there are many also in & cor
gia. Gen. Screven, who was killed
near Midway, Liberty county, dur
ing the revolution, and after whom
Screvcn county, in this State. is
named, was Oh the maternal side a
descendant of Landgravc Smith.
The intellect of these ancestors
has, through many generations, been
transmitted. Many of the ablcst
men of South Carolina, of the pres
ent and past generation, trace their
origin TO Landgrave Smith. a COLI
siderable per cent. of the oldest aud
most famous families of that State
are of his blood. The Adams fumi-
ly, for intellect of the higcst order,
associated, too, with the best moral
worth, is perhaps an exception to
the whole world, in the Transmission
of intellect from father to sOn. anu
from generation to generation.
As we began this article by rcfer-
encc to dueling, and to duc'ng ID the
Rhctt fsnily. Eve could not better
conclude, than by remarkins that'
whatever Of praise OF ccnsurc there
may be i'll the practice, the sons OF
Barnwell Rbctt pever acquired that,
either from his precept or example
When invited IN Washington CITY to
mortal combat by Jerc Clemens, the
Senator from Alabama, lie declined,
and in explanation said he was
member of the church aud princi-
Piled against dueline: Observation
teaches us that certain fatalities fol-
low certain families, and 1t may be
that dueling is the misfortune of the
younger Rhetts.
Farmers, Convent ON In Tennessee.
Gen. W. II. jackson, President Of
the National Agricultural Congress,
| e IL s-f,s