The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1876-08-09
Personal Honor!
"REMINISCENCES OF ABBEVILLE
BY AN EX.ABBEVILLIAN OF
OVER FORTY YEARS.

I propose only O small dot on THIS
voluminous subject. Abbeville had
both in and before my day her full
share of ideas, incidents and occurren-
ces. "Pistols and coffee for tw0' and
the back lot or ring or its equivalent,
and affirmative to the question, Twill
YOU clear me of the law?" was "a ne
cessity'' rs we'll recognized in and by
public opinion as war between nations
and the Christian religion. 1 have
heard the duello defended by the best
of men and denounced by the mean
est in South Carolina, and ~ce versa,
and among those who recognized the
custom as 1.-THE least of unavoidable
evils" was as apt to include the clergy
as others. The custom in the hrst
half of this century was more popular
there than elsewhere outside OF
France, owing to two causes, the cher
ished and cultivated sentiment of
chivalry, and the more general protec-
ton of the practice from perversion
and abuse as more liable in other com
munities. Scarcely an "aftair of hon
orr occurred that informed gentlemen
did not interpose to settle it, and III
that was not effected, to see that it
was conducted according to the civi1i-
cation of that branch, not o. H0utrdncc
as the same would most likely have re-
suited in Louisiana, Texas &c. This
this was peculiarly SO after the days
and publication of the "Code of Hon
or" by Gov. Wilson. Abbeville had
more than her share Of "powder burn
ings'' before aud in my %day-none ia
tai in the latter, but was free from the
martinetism of some other localities
NO attempt to purchase cheap reputa-
ton of that sort. No u need be
alarmed as I do not intend to give a
name or detail in such connection.
Some of the participants are: living,
and none 1 am sure regretted more
the necessity" and are prouder that
fatal results did not ensue. The Gus
tom belongs to a past age, and acombi-
nation of causes In tending to render
it obsolete, as in England and Ireland
from which it derived, not its origin
but its force on this side Of the Allan
tic. I say this much of that subject be-
cause I found it living in years patio.
It was stated il an article imputed to
Macauley in his early days that "while
sensible men may engage In the du-
ell, the defence and denunciation of the
custom belongs to FOOLS" Mirabeau
exhausted some of his most splendid
eloauence in denunciation, and before,
between and after fought seventeen
duels. He had not enough of the
spirit of a martyr (moral courage is
not the proper term under all circum-
stances) to give force to precept by ex-
ample.
/ The most common and popular ''af-
fairs" were Of the elementary and
original order, better suited to the
greater number. l can well remem,
Der when "manhood" (not connected
with suffrage) was q mark of honor,
and fighting courage was esteemed
like charity to a multitude OF
sins and DEFICIENCIES. Such a thing as
fighting out of a bad scrape" was so
we'll recognized as to require no eXpla-
nation 4; and the man who. In those
days" walked into q promiscuous
crowd and declared himself 1.-THE best
man on the Hip gave offence to all
and was as certain to have to prove it
bv blows given and received rs that o
whole or half imam" was on the
ground. Among the most noted set
Elements in my day of that important
question occurred in 1885 between Joe
and Mckinney in the north east cor.
ner of your public square, and lasted
fifteen minutes without either saying
.'enough." Although MACK" suffer-
ed heavily in the beginning and mid
die, his last blow rendered Joe power
less to stand or speak and the judge
ment was in favor of "Mack" and
added much to his popularity. An.
other noted "settlement" occurred
about 1888 between Sam and Luke,
substantial farmers and of respectable
and most substantial families. Each
was near or quite sixty years OF age,
anSit had been a moot question to the
preceding generation, (which was the
best mans" for although each had
met his "men" and always with sue
cess, they had never, from the absence
of Ramsey Snittie, "met each other
during manhood days, lending at 40,
after which he was off duty and allow
ed to "stand on" and relate without
offence or cgotism what he had done.
For the last twenty years Sam had
lived in a distant locality and at tae
time mentioned was on q visit to rela-
tons and old friends. He and Luke
met at the Court House on Saleday,
were joyous to see each other, and to
confirm it went into the corner gro
Gerry, kept then I think by Billy An
derson mo akin to Silas,) and n or
the other purchased a quart and inyi-
ted all hands to drink, as was then the
custom. lNote-a quart is about 1915
drinks and cost then fifteen cents.
This explanation is necessary to young
drinkists in defence Of my veracity,
as the practice now is to 60 alone, and
take and pay-"No credit here',from
Is to Is cents for a "smidgin"
After the general "smile," Sam took
his seat on the counter and Luke
standing in front of him. Soon they
were discussing "old times" the
crowd taking a lively interest in them