Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1877-04-26
Aumurnns department,

He Won HIS CAsE.-Alexande Stephens,
of Georgia, tells the following story: A DR..
Royston, doubtless most excellent man, had
sued Peter Bennet, farmer, for his bill.
"Little Aleck," as Alexander is called by his
friends, told his client, Peter B. that the case
of service and its value were proved against
him in legal form, and there was no real de-
fence But the old farmer insisted that his
lawyer should speak to the case. Mr.. Stephens
told him that he ought to speak himself if he
thought speech could be made, and was sur.
prised by the retort, 81 will, if Bobby Toombs
won't be too hard on me. Mr.. Toombs prom
ised, and Peter Bennet began:
"Gentlemen of the jury. amt no lawyer
and no doctor, and you amt nuther. And if
we farmers don't stick together, these here
lawyers and doctors will get the advantage Of
US. amt no objections to lawyers and doc
tors in their place, and some is clever men,
but they amt farmers, gentlemen of the jury.
Now this DR.. Royston was good doctor, and
sent for him to come and doctor my wife's
leg. And he did, and put some salve truck
on it and some rags, but never done it bit of
good, gentlemen of the jury. don't believe
he's no doctor no way. There's doctors I
doctor at all.'
This was evidently telling, and DR.. Royston
put in with "Look at my diploma, and see if
am not doctor"
"His diploma !" said the new-fedged ora
tor, with great contempt "That amt moth
ing" for no piece of paper ever made doctor
yet" "Ask my patients!" shouted the now
furious physician.
This was the conventional straw that seemed
to break the back of the orators patience.
"Ask your patientsp' he said, in slow and
mournful deliberation. "Ask your patients! !"
Why they're all dead" Then in rapid decla-
ration, he named case after case, well known,
but mostly among the negro servants of his
neighbors, where his opponent had treated
them, and continued, "Ask your patients !!
Why, would have to seek them in the lone
some churchyard, and rap on the silent tomb
to get answers from the dead. You know
they can't say nothin' to this case, for you've
killed them ALL"
The applause closed the speech, and the
defendant had his case.
ANEcDoTE OF THAD. SrEvENs.-Pierce NJ.
B. Young, recent Representative in Con.
gress from Georgia, was Confederate Gen.
eral and graduate of West Point He came
to Washington soon after the war, seeking to
have his disabilities removed. He is fine,
manly fellow and seems to have accepted the
results of the war in good faith. He went to
Thad. Stevens and Thad. began to play with
him as he sometimes did with those whom he
intended to make his victims. He said:
"You are graduate of West Point, be-
lieveY
eyes, sir"
Educated at the expense of the United
States, I believe, which you swore faithfully to
forever defendf'
Eyes, SIR"
"You went into the service of the Internal
rebellion?"
"Yes, sir"
"You we're brigade commander in the
raid into Pennsylvania which destroyed the
property of so many of my constituents ?"
"Yes, sir"
"It was a squad of men under your direct
charge and your personal command, that
burned my rolling-mill.
eyes, sir"
Young thought he was gone, but seeing that
the old veteran had come into the possession
of the last fact, which Young did not dream
he knew, it was impossible to deny the truth
of his question. Thad. roared out, "well, I
like your id impudence. I will see that
your disabilities are removed. Good morn
ing" And the next day the bill passed the
House.