The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1876-07-19
The Abbeville Press.
OF ABBEVILLF
BY AN EX-ABBEVILLIA OF
OVER FORTY YEARS.

OVER FORTY YEARS.
There was no newspaper published
at Abbcville between 1888 and lS44.
The .I6dcriUe wing or Southern
| Whittier had run q fiery course un-
der s. y. Townes as editor during the
contest Of Nullitication, but expired
with that issue and arose Phoenix IKE
again elsewhere, or was transformed
| into another shape. The sign on the
outer wall of wing office" "with emp
! tiness and darkness within for many
a day were all that supplied the place
of former "light.n Newspapers in
"thosc days" were not in popular and
nublic favor, and the common and
backwoods apprehension a of them was
of ipccac. ialap and rhubarb and 9TH
er medicines in disease, to be dispens--
ed with as soon as the patient could
ret along without them. The ChdrIeS-
Ton Coulter had perhaps in early days
n subscriber or two in Abbeville lie, AND
the Mercury during Nullitication had
many, but most of these dropped with
the issue in dispute. Columbia, too,
always had one "agony" and during
Modification perhaps another. l knew
of the Iciescope edited by \. J. john
son, Nullitier, for it was the first news
paper ever saw, as my father was q
subscriber its motto was BE just ana
fear not; let all the ends thou almestt
at be thy country's, thy Gods ana
TRUTHS" l first spelt, and then read
it and didn't then understand it. But
all said it was q great victory"
During the Modification issue of 1875
'32 several lights sprung up at differ
ent points. The AbbcrWc wing was
Il l2xl6 and printed so plainly as to
require one-half to be guessed ut.
Henry Allen had 80 years ago in your
Office a bound volume, and many files
were and perhaps are now in the
Sheril's office.] The Etigcfeltt i'd
vcrtiscr, always we'll dressed, was pro-
bably of the same conception and de-
livery. Camden probably hung out q
beacon light, and Georgetown may
have erected an additional lighthouse.
At this time, too, the GrcenriUc Noun
tuineer reared its front and came down
from its Businesses in beautiful type,
and (all said) uneXceptionable Eli
glish, but bearing messages not pleas
ant to eyes and ears nullificatic. The
Nountotineer with its heavy metal rep
resented, except in its own vicinity,
but tigma of the popular will yet
had it and the Ab6evillc Wig been
shown at Temple Bar or Lincoln's Inn,
the verdict without explanation
would have been: "Your notification
is small potatoes and few in q hill as
per sample from your patch"
believe I am correct in the suppo-
sition that the Greenuilte Mountainecr
and Edgefeld advertiser were the
only country papers that survived the
storm, and those were expensive lux
uries to proprietors and abcttors, to let
off the bottled gas accumulated TOR a
long sitting, but shut off in the pipes
by Clay's compromise. These con-
tinued, however, somehow or some
how else until met by the new order OF
things, which hogan to estimate the
press of more good than i'll, and that
the ill was not beyond suppression or
remedy; yet country papers We're ln-
augurated with trepidation of thepub-
lie, and never upon popular demands,
for while it might be true that under
the rule of men entirely great the pen
is mightier than the sworl," it was
not expected at that day that q coun-
try paper could have or enlist such
pens, but more likely to be allowed as
a medium of gossip, II conduit OF Of
fensive vanity at the expense of others
and petty malice, and unfortunately
the result was too often true to public
expectation. I remember in 18Th
wien Charles Henry Allen conceived
and ventured upon the project Of es-
tablishing "your" Banner, it was re-
ccived with great fears and uneasiness,
and while my name was among the
first on his list heard intelligent, good
men and friends of progress tell him
Henry wish you.well in life, but l
cannot encourage your undertaking,
because we have no need for a paper
and it will be productive of ill-will
and social discord." And with all his
good sense, good heart and good
breeding, more the fault of the times
than his, he admitted into his columns
many personal unwarranted articles
productive of feuds and mischief,
which he would not were he again
in YOUR place, which you would not,
and which no man Of ordinary sense
would expect to get into your columns,
For while the Press has essayed to
teach the people, it or they have also
been taught the full realization OF
their trifold duties to themselves, to
individuals and to the public. For IL
lustration, it will be seen from what l
have written for your columns that
nv "reminiscences must include what
if published to the full extent would
uncover some unpleasant ones and
wound feelings and might injure right
or wrong, if dictated by malice or
heartlessness when put in such shape
as an ordinary use of language would
enable; and yet the public unaware of
the writer and whether capable Of
such, have the assurance that your
columns as also Of your contemporary,
are a sealed book, bulwark against
such were they offered. And many
who with full purses looked coldly
and frowningly upon the first breath
incs of the "Bannc,." and the Press"
would now "shell" heavily from weak
ones rather than they-should cease
tn he no terror but-a palladium OF
their rights. "Truth crushed to
Cart, 7UM rise again." and nothing so
well calculated to hasten the advent
and usher in her early morn as well
conducted press. -.