The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1874-09-16
Letter from Widemans-Tax Unions =
Picnic at Liaerty-Republican
neutrality-suspicious.
{ at Bordeaux.

mooI1uS oAoPS A"A0S
{ at Bordeaux.
W1pEMANs P. o., Sept. Z, IA.
Editor Press and Banner:
Tn my last letter, told you that
there would be a Tax Union at Llbcr-
ty church, 5th Saturday in August,
and that Gen. MCGOWAN was expect
ed to address the people. You mis-
understood me when I said 1 expect
ed to blow out a lung. 1 meant that
1 would make a speech on the subject
of Tax Unions. 1t rained hard all
that day and there was no meeting.
I do not know when the meeting Will
again be called. Mr.. W. Fl. Peake is
at tho head of such matters in that
section of country. We hopo if it is i
calculated to do any good that there
will be one organized in every neigh
borhood, I really think that the
tagging spirits of the people of our
country should be resuscitated. A
great many people in this section
havo retired and not gone to the
polls for three years; am sorry to
know that the people have retired
from public life or affairs. [ hope tho
people will turn out and do some
thing in the way Of nominating good
men for county officers. think in
my ncighborhood there is great mar
gin for improvement. l think if a
respectable ticket was nominated
that o good many of the colorcd peo-
ple would vote for us. They have
come to the conclusion that the office
should seek the man and not the man
the office. hope that things will take
a change for the better without any
discord on the part Of the whites. l
will leave such topics, as hope my
course in life will be characterized by
no brilliant, public Or political achieve
ments. Speaking OF the Tax Union
which was to have been on the 9th
Saturday, makes me think of a spen-
did picnic which was given at Liberty
by the citizens Of that vicinity, and
which I had the pleasure of attend
ing. I believe that all the honor is
due Miss Leila Slaughter and Mr..
Lewis Hammond, of this neighbor-
hood. Dancing was tho favorite
amusement. I could not participate
in this as I was not in the habit OF
dancing; besides it was prohibited by
the Church. I enjoyed myself by
talking to the lady friends until din
ner was announced. This was very
good; we could not help observing
how quietly everything passed off.
There is always a great number Of
young men at such places that have
mol yet learned to behave themselves
| believe the ladies call them the fry
ing size. If they ore present they
did not require police to keep them
down. 1t was complete success.
Tho next public gathering which
I have attended was Republican
meeting at St. Charlotte's. The NUM-
ber of whites were very few. J. J.
Hussey was the most prominent, un-
less you call Cat Corley the most
prominent, who expects to be our
next County Commissioner. did
not 60 for the purpose Of getting an
office as some seem to think. l
would here insert few words for my
friends for their special cdifcation.
1 am tho double distilled extract of
Democracy; and 1 expect to live and
die one, no matter how tho river runs.
I will leave such themes and 90 to
something more congenial 10 my feel
ings.
The crops in this section of coun-
try have not met the anticipations of
the farmer. I do not know Of any
sensible man who looks for more
than two-thirds of u crop of cotton
and it may be that one of these thirds
will never be realized. The corn
crops are good. Mr.. ]. S. Britt has
a very fine crop, SO fine that he took
Rev. Mr.. Miller to sec it some time.
ago. Mr.. Britt was trying tho speed
of ono Of his fine mules not long ago,
and it ran away with him, however,
he managed to com6ne his course to
the road and succeeded 10 stopping
him. [ do not know whether he in
tends driving at the Fair this year or
not. For further particulars I refer
you 10 Mr.. J. II. Morrah, the promi-
nent merchant at McKitrick's Mill.
While l am speaking of this locality
I must say that the Grange at this
place is still alive. Mr.. W. X. Brad
ley e. Co. will soon erect splendid
hall for the Grange. I Visited the
Grange at Bradlcy's Mills the last