The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1876-10-04
Wednesday, Oct. 4, 1876.
THE BEST MEETING YET.
.oWndespille Enthusiastic-The Col
ored Men in Line.
speeches by Gen. McGowan, CO.!
Cothran, Mcssrs. Mcneil, Has
keIl, Benet, Rev. Hayward
Groves, Richard Ro-
mans. Beni. Graves.


Groves, Richard Ro-
mans, Benz. Graves.
The Democratic meeting Mt
L~owndesvli}e OH Saturday last, all
agree in saying, was one of the best
f not the very best-meetingS which
las taken place during the campaign.
Leaving Abbeyille on Friday after
noon in company with Gen. Mellow
an and w. {. Benet, Esq, we ar
rived at Lowndesville that evening
hbout eight o'clock and drove to the
hospitable mansion of Mr.. J. NJ. Lati-
mer, senior, where all of US met a cor
1ial reception from u most excellent
most and his good lady. Later in
! he evening all were glad to greet Col.
Cothran, who had just arrived from
Williamson, where he had that day
addressed q large meeting of the AS
bembled Democracy. Mr.. Latimer
8 q born prince and entcrtains like q
hobleman, while Mrs. L.atimer pre-
eides with the grace that would adorn
h court. The visit to Lowndesville was
Especially agreeable, because each Of
us had many good friends and pleas
hnt acquaintances in the community,
hnd Mr.. and Mrs. Latimer by their
sood cheer and cordial treat ment gave
3us "a good send off," and which i'm
parted a charm to the visit pleasant to
contemplate. Although we have been
lin the Lowndesville vicinity but little,
we feel that We have rs many good
Friends in that community as in any
3n~eighborhood in the county. We
first became acquainted with these
good men at a time which proved the
itruc aud the brave. They were mcin-
{bers OF eompany"G," in the 10Th s.
K. Regiment, and We can speak for the
fvalor and gallantry Of the Latimers,
5the Youngs, the Carlisles, the Clink-
scales, the Cosbys, the Princes, and
troops of others who fought for the
cause which we deemed just. Their
heroic behavior and their devotion to
the lost cause" gave tone to the Reg
|iment, and their personal worth now
lgives high character to II of the
most substantial communities Of wor-
THY citizens III the State. We love
the names of all who with us shared
the hardships or camp-life in the
West, and We must be excused if we
are partial to our old comrades and
friends, especially as they have stood
TO- us so firmly and steadfastly since
the war.
OFFICERS OF THE DAY.
Chief Marshal-Dr. II. S. Beckham.
Assistant Marshals - John +.
Rrownlee, J.. p. Pritchard, II. l..
Cosby, w. q. johnson, Wesley Nc
Keller, June Hunter.
Mr.. S. S. Baker had charge of the
pits. Daniel Lee and Jack Reid did
the cooking, and did it most SPLEEN,
didly.
THE MEETING.
Early on Saturday morning q great
number of persons came in from all
directions and assembled at the
Double Bridges" at ten o'clock
the procession 8nder command of Dr..
II. S. BecklIam, Chief Marshal, con-
sisting Of about one thousand mount
cd men, one-third of whom were col
orcd, moved up Main Street to the
church and c0untermarched to the
residence of Mr.. TleophiluS Baker,
where they filed to the right, down the
street to the speakers stand in the
grove above Young & divers Mill, in
the following order Of
PROCESSION.
The Abbeville Colored Band-four-in-
hand-Mr. Walker, driver.
Carriage containing Gen. MCGOWAN,
Col. Cothra5, Mr.. James NJ.
Latimer, sen'r, and Rev.
w. H. Lawton.
-Four Colored Companies-Ioung's,
Burdett's, Cade's, and
Henderson's.
Anderson Companies Clinkscales',
with red shirts and blue pants.
Jones', with blue shirts.
Brownlee's "McGowan Sabre Club"
with yellow jackets.
Lowndesville Club, with white jackets.
AT TIE STAND.
Arriving OIL the grounds, the horse
men dismounted and hitchcd their
horses and marched by companies to
the stand. The whites occupying one
half the seats and the colored people |
occupying the other half. DR.. Il. ;.
Beckham called the meeting to order
and requested the Rev. w. II. Lawton
to open the meeting with
PRAYER,
and in an earnest manner he supplica-
ted the God Of battles to bless this as
sembIage, aud to direct the speakers
to address us in a manner which! would
promote peace and harmony between
the races and at the same time he
most effectua. in removing corruption
from higher places, and in restoring
good government to this troubled and
oppressed people,"
At the conclusion of the prayer,
chief Marshal Bcckham intimatcd to
the large assembly that the speakers
would be introduced by Moses Young,
an influential colored Democrat Of
Lowndesville township. Moses
Young then came forward and in 4
few appropriate remarks Introduced
GENERAL MCGOWAN.
The General was received, as he al
ways is, with round after round of
applause. When the plaudits ceased,
he addressed the throng in his fclicit-
Gus manner, and commanded their
unbroken attention throughout
speech that lasted all hour and a half.
Gen. McGowan's reputation as n pub
lie speaker, whether at the Bar or on
the stump, is too well known to our
readers for us to try to add TO it in this
report. Suffice it TO say, he spoke
with oil bis uSual n~nintedupSs viuOr