The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1879-11-19
One who trcads alone
Some banquet hall deserted;
Whose lights have fed,
Whose garlandSSh shed,
A nd nll hut lnn lam ~

Ana Ill Out me ueiuTtcu.
But saddest Of all are the nnsw ers to Enquire.
OF my former COin~radcS-dead, Killed, dead
killed. and SO On. 1t appears to INC that not
SO much as one In five OF n few years my Sc
niorS and juniors now survive. But few
names have disappeared. South Carolina
bama; but there is evidence here that II
came from lips that either knew not or cared
not what they uttered. On one short street
are the widows OF four colonies who fell In the
late conflict, and the long list OF subalterns
and privatcs, and armless and lcgless survi'
vors, tell its own tale of sorrow md loss.
Standing, or rather sitting, on this same spot
forty years ago, I was then in the land OF Cal
houn. / am now in the land Of Hampton,
Probably no man ever sat deeper In the affec-
lions OF q people than Hampton does In these.
He Is their beau ideal Of manhood, and their
political savior. His breath would sweep
most to his elevation are next TO him in pub
lie estimation. Hampton could moi decline,
but desired not to run for Governor In 1873
but Gems. Butler and Gary, both OF EdgefieId
and, as members Of the nominating conven-
ton, proposed his name carried 1t over q
heavy opposition, not to Hampton, but
against the policy Of a straightout Democrat:
Butler has since been made Us. Senator. and
u big place IS somewhere ahead for Gary. 1t
Is due, however, to say that both rank III the
first class OF ability in the State; both rose
from Captains to Major-Generals In the late
WAT, OH Cnelr Nerlls-Eary, HJuc sIWte 1Lo
answering to our Clanlon. Butler lost a leg,
and Gary Is whole. as far as visible, but rom
accounts 1t IS u miracle that any part Of him
came buck. l find the utmost good feeling ex.
listing between the races, and after the defeat
OF the carpet-bagger and after birth OF the
Freedman's Bureau In 1876, things have work.
ed lovely-there is no strife between the races
Thousands OF negroes voted for Hampton,
There is nobody to rally" Thorn, md the ne
gro, over his fright and disgusted with hum
buggery, can't be rallied here. A single car
pct-bnggcr only remains, and he Is now a
cratic nominee than this, and though Blaine,
Conkling, ct i'd, whose harp OF u thousand
strings Is intimidation y viii shout 1t, there
won't be a word of truth In 1t.
l have never seen u happier people than
these. They ave the ultima thule OF earthly
blcssings-Honc Rule; and with God on their
side, as they are sure He Is, they intend to
keep 1t. TO be told from their " lips what
they suffered in the first, middle, and last
stages OF carpct-bag rule, is enough to make
the blood Of every gentleman and white man
run cold.
There is everywhere more or less Of State
pride, but nowhere, evenin Virginia, so much
MS here besides there is county pride, and
this county eXcels all Others. x most supo-
rior population were Its original settlers, COM
posed OF the French Huguenots. and Irish
Presbyterians, II the best classes from
tion moved with them. They have always
had the best and most numerous institutions
of learning. Nearly n century ago old VII.
lington Academy was established, where 70
years ago Calhoun, McDutle, Petigru, Long
street. Gov. Collier, Of our State, and many
others were taught by DR.. Waddell; then so
ago Cokesbury Academy was presided
over by the Rev., aftcrward Bishop, stephen
Olin; the Court House Academy was 60 years
ago and later in charge of Alpheus Baker. ST..
Qhe father OF the eagle orator Of Alabama,l
who had no superior; Then the old and still
vigorous ErSklne College; besides first class
academies Mt Greenwood, Clear Spring and
LOwndesvtlle-al In one county John e.
Calhoun was born nine miles from here
and began practice ut this place. Abbevllle
has always had first class ability to contrib.
ute to the councils Of State, and ut one time
both u. S. Senators, counting Calhoun as a
temporary non-residentO the Governor, the
President OF the Senate INT the Speaker OF
the House. were all from Abbevllle county,
OF the Senate, was elected Governor during q
session. The Abbeville people have all the
State pride Of others and more than the aver
age county pride. They agreed long ago
among themselves hat their county is the
Attica OF South Carolina, but which point Is
the Athens is n matter Of dispute which has
never been settled. Itlsno common thing to
find men who are not, and who have no rea-
son to be proud Of themselves, proud Of the
State and county.
The crops in four counties I have been In are
eight" as they call 1t, but will fall. OF corn
and cotton, below ar average; but they need
less money than we, because they produce
more for home consumption. They have
more money than we and either use 1t for
themselves or lOan to others. They have
more confidence In each other than among us,
and their exemptions are much less. They
have an abundance TO cut and wear and OF
the best: have Home Rule and ore happy.
Yours truly. a.. F, 7.