Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1879-10-02

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court. General McMeekin refused, as was
expected. I then served writ of mandamu'
on him to appear at Lancaster, on a certain
day, when and where court would be sitting
He then wrote to Maj. Eaves to defend him
The writ being returned on Wednesday, Sat
urday was set apart for the trial, Judge Rich
ardson presiding Maj. Eaves' speech occu.
pied about three hours. Thomas Williams
reply about two hours. Judge Richardson
was about two hours delivering his opinion
| wrote an account of the trial and sent it to
the Hive for publication. The case was taken
to the Court of Appeals, which met in Colum'
bia, the nextweek, and the military test oath
was decided to be violation Of the Constitu'
ton of South Carolina.
Still, the alteration of the constitutional
oath was to come up before the legislature in
December. The Districts represented in the
legislature wrote to the non. represented Dis
tricts, for delegates to meet them in Columbia.
The bill was discussed for several days in the
House, and also for several days in the Sen
ate-the Union party in caucus every night.
The Nullifers becoming alarmed, sought,
through the Chairman of the Federal Com
mittee Daniel j. McCord) to know on what
terms the Union men would accept the amend
ment to the Constitution. There was then a
committee appointed, consisting of James l..
Pettigru, John S. Richardson, Abram Bland
ing, Thomas Williams, Judge Lee, Judge
David Johnston, and John 3. O'Neal. They
accepted the amendment to the constitution,
provided it did not interfere with the allegi-
ance a citizen owed the United States, accord.
ing to the Constitution of the United States.
This was Incorporated in a report made by
the Committee on Federal Relations, and
passed by the legislature, all the Union men
voting for it except B. F. Perry. About
twenty of the Nullifers voted against it, de.
claring that the Nulliiers had given up all
the ground for which they had been contend.
ing. Some of them left the State in disgust.
This produced peace in the State, to ratify
which, they elected Judge Huger to the Uni
ted States Senate, and Richardson as Govern
or. Thus peace being restored to my dis
tracted State, I retired from politics, devoting
my time and attention to my private business.
In 1851, I took part in politics again.
The secessionists had held several meetings in
Chester District. The Union or Co operation
party, thought it expedient to hold a meeting
at Chester G. H., on the first Monday in Au-
gust. Barnwell Rhett came up on Saturday.
The secessionists had runners out on Sunday
at all the churches, summoning in their party,
so as to outnumber the Co.operationists and
pass resolutions over them. On Monday, it
was so arranged that should take the chair
and Mr.. Rhett be invited to open the discus
sion each side being limited to an hour and
half. A watch was on the stand to note the
time. When the time was out, I gave rap
and he closed. Mr.. McAliley replied, occu-
pying the same time Rhett then had half an
hour to reply, during which he was very sar-
castle; belittling McAliley as an up country
lawyer, with great lack of constitutional
knowledge. But this was great mistake in
Rhett. McAliley, in reply, far exceeded him
in sarcasm and severe cuts, and when the dis.
cussion of four hours was ended, Rhett went
off the stand, apparently chagrined and disap-
pointed, and his party completely defeated
In 1860, at a Fourth of July celebration
held at Union church, the candidates for the
legislature were generally present. Samuel
McAliley and T. W. Moore were candidates
for the Senate. I was placed in the chair.
McAliley being called upon, made speech
of considerable length, opposing secession.
DR.. Moore replied, rather denying secession,
but advocating the call of a convention, his OBJ
ject apparently being to avoid discussion at
that time. On my return home that evening,
I wrote an article for the local paper over the
signature of"Spectator," quoting Thomas JEFF:
ferson, who on similar occasion had opposed
rash measures. The contest between McAliley
and Moore was very excited. They canvassed
the District thoroughly, making speeches at
every precinct.
From this time, I wrote an article for the
local paper every two weeks, over the sigma
ture of Spectator" These were intended as
looking glass that they might see themselves
as others saw them. The Hon w. w. Boyce,
who had heretofore been strong Union man,
came out openly for secession. attacked him
over the signature of"A Spy" and exposed
him somewhat Pretty early in the contest, I
wrote an article over the signature of "1thaca," !"
addressed to the understanding of the public,
showing forth the evil consequences of seces.
sion. Our local paper was filed with COM
munications from both sides, until the close
of the election. McAliley was elected. This
District (Chester), by his election, had gone
against secession probably the only one in the
State in which an issue was made McAliley
was the only man in the legislature who voted
against secession. The representatives from
the District, elected on the same grounds,
caved in and went for secession.
When the election for convention came,
I refused to have anything to do with it, hav-
ing then spent thirty years of my life in all
those issues, battling for the integrity of my
country. My desire was simply to be spec.
tator. But a revolutionary spirit was abroad
in the land Vigilant committees were form
ed everywhere, which 1 looked upon as
mobs. The first case that came under my no.
tice was during snow-storm. A man, with
dogs, came to my nephew's, R. W. Crawfords,
and arrested his negro, Tom, for some words
spoken, and carried him off to meeting OF
the vigilant committee at Roddytown. Mr..
Crawford, being alarmed for fear that his
negro might be hung, came to me and got
me to go with him. When I arrived there,
the committee asked me to sit with them.
My reply was, "No, gentlemen, I am law
abiding man. South Carolina has organized
courts of magistrates and freeholders to try
the negroes. If Tom has committed an Of
fence, take him before such court. Every
one of you are trespassers and liable to in
dictment for misdemeanor."
The rabble in Fletcher's region hung Mr..
McAliley in efigy. then wrote commu'
nication, giving an account of Henry Lau.
rens being hung in efigy by the rabble in
Charleston, because he did not move fast
enough in the revolution; but when the crisis
did arrive, Henry Laurens was at the head of
the revolution, and this rabble was never