Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1879-01-09
A Representative Of Tennessee

NASHVILLE, December Gl.-Last
Wednesday, at Ashvillc, N. c., Congress
man elect, Robert Taylor, was united ia
marriage with Miss Sallc Baird, niece
of Governor Vance, Of North Carolioa. The
marriage is the concusior of somewhat
romautic story. when Taylor was pomi-
mated by tho Democrats as their candidate
for Congress, Miss Baird promised him tha,
If elected, she would marry him; if defeated
it would be an indefinite time before their
union. The district contains somc of the
strongest Republican counties in the State,
md has always given a Republican majority
of 2 200 or 2,3O0. The prospect for 1'uy-
lcr attaining his desires were, therefore,
not at al promising Besides. he had an
opponent in pcttibouc, Que of the Rcyubi.
cnu chicftains OF the State. an cmigrant
from Michigan, possessed o! unusual shrewd
ness. In the Presidential contest, as one
of the Republican electors, he had bornc
the banner Of his party us gallautlj as was
possible, worrying the Democrats considcrl
bly, For Taylor he entertained sccming.y
nothing bnt contempt Taylor's roniun-
ton was simply a lucky stroke of fortune.
lu the Republicans convention, Tayior's
brother, II very pronounced Republican,
was the principal candidate for the ncnna
tion against P,ttbonc; but the latter, after
II bitter fight, secured tie honor. Rcpul!i.
can Tnylor's friends we're all angry, and the
Democrats conceived that it would be u
good thing TO nominate Ills Democratic
brother, who wonld probably draw votes
FROM the Republican ranks. Tie plan was
carried out Taylor was only twenty eight
years old, and in that region had made con.
siderable reputation as fiddler. At the
frcqucut gatherings for dahcirg ho was a
most welcome guest. His nomination
seemed to fire the young men with cnthns
asm. Numbers of Republicans and two or
three Republican journals left The party
ranks and went over to Tayior's side. Pet
tibonc was accused Of being in with the
revenue and custom house rings, which had
controlled politics in that section 1t was
au understood fact that Federal money was
to DC showcred on that district Taylcr
So 10 commence the canvass with, but oucc
out, ,Goucy ard ASSISTANCE OF every kind
poured in OIL him, SO that, nf.cr the cam
pri.n WAS over very little Of the So was
spent. pettibonc looked down OH him with
contempt, ani in the opening speech merely
alluded to him rs the "bcardIcss boy who
idll,s." When it came to Taylor's rcioin
der, hc approached the table with n fiddle
IN noc hani and carpet bag in the other
lie commenced with the statement ;hat the
seriuns charge had been made against him
that be was fiddler. Then laying the
fdi'c aud carpet bag side by side cn the
table, he asked the crowd to choose between
them. The point was taken up and carried
from one end of the district to the other,
producing any amount of merrment at
Pctiibonc's expense. Pc'tihone, aiierward
never alluded to Taylor's fiddle more than
once or twice. Taylor also tauntcd Petit,
houc with the fact that his regiment, at the
close of the war disbanded with more men
than it Tad started with. Tie young De-
mocrut was ready. eloquent speaker aud
never failed to awaken enthusiasm. Ere
qucntIy, when the speaking was over he
would entertain the crowd with music from
his violin. The district has its share Of
II ool sinners, and they, With all their friends
were for Taylor, as n.ttibone vas in with
and supported by the revenue men, the
cncniics Of the moon~hiners. Taylor's ma
jority was nearly 1900, making a Demo
cratic gliu of one Congressman from Ten
nossoc. Ills father represented the State
in Congress just after tho war. When
nominated, Taylor was advised to take a
very conservative course, but answered
firmly that lie proposed to make the iight on
straightout Democratic principles. lie did
SO and won.