Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1880-07-29
For the Yorkville Enquirer.
THE PICNIC AT CLAY HILL.

Mr.. EDITOR: 1t affords me much pleas
ure 20 narrate through your columns the result
of the picnic at Clay Hill, (Alison's church,
last Thursday.
arrived upon the ground, with young
lady, of course. about 10 o'clock, to find en-
immense crowd gathered around and about
the speakers stand, which had been erected
beneath the shade of the massive walnuts,
decorated with flowers of every hue, with
Nv elcome" embedded in its centre
Upon the stand were seated B. G. Presley,
Rev. L.. R. Mccormick, Rev. R. E. Cooper,
Rev. MI. Taylor, j. Lyles Glenn, John s.
Wilson and w. B. McCaw, Esqrs
Mir. Presley arose and asked the attention
of the people, and after prayer by Rev.
R. E. Cooper, made few brief remarks,
explaining the order of the day, and refer
ring with much emphasis and stress to the
past. He then introduced j. Lyles Glenn,
Esq, Of Chester, S. G. The young speaker
arose with much dignity and gracefulness,
and the enthusiasm and applause of the
crowd was great. He spoke from five hum
dred years ago. bringing up everything
of the past to that of the present. and even
Dipped little into the future. His speech
was Straightforward and sensible, and with
al it was we'll delivered. Mr.. GIenn's ap-
pearance in our midst brings back recollec.
lions of the past, and the people of Clay Hill
welcome him back into their midst, as he is
one of our brightest sons.
The next speaker introduced was John 8.
Wilson, Esq, of Yorkville. and his most
graceful manner and clear.toned voice sooa
gained the undivided attention of the whole
crowd. Though he claimed. from the begin
ming, to be scared, he went through the entire
discourse without even the slightest blunder,
and it was said that his speech was impromp.
tn. It was delivered with much earnestness,
vim and emphasis. He held the crowd spell
bound for at least half an hour, and was
loudly applauded on taking his seat. His,
too, was of the past, present and future, and
Mr.. Wilson left a very favorable impression
on the large and intelligent audience.
The chairman then introduced W. B. Nc.
Cav, Esq, of Yorkville, who touched on
the political situation of our country, be.
ginning with Winfield s. Hancock and
drifting to the affairs of our own old "Pal.
metto State. Els words aroused the hearts
of the most sang Line, as we'll as the despon.
dent. Hisspeech was short, but to the point,
and he was also applauded.
This closed the morning exercises, and
then the committee on dinner, was instructed
to make preparations for the feast. While
dinner was being prepared, we were favored
with sweet strains of music by the Rock Hill
Cornet Band, which furnished music for the
occasion with much credit to themselves.
Dinner being announced, we all wended
our way to the shady grove, and there found
feast indeed. The table was fully an hun.
dred yards long. and vas loaded from end to
end. The crowd was estimated at,eight hun
dred, and it seemed that around the table
the people were 100 thick to thrive. But it
is pleasing, indeed, to say that when all
were through there was plenty et7 How
seldom this can be said of picnic, and it
speaks well of the people Of Clay Hill.
After an interval of an hour, the exercises
of the evening were opened with a speech
by James L. Wilson, Esq, Of Yorkville, bis
subject being the present issue of the day.
Primary versus Convention, or the mode OF
our county candidates. He ex'
pressed himself as bitterly opposed to the Con.
vention and strongly in favor of the primary
system.
The exercises of the day we're then closed
BY short address by the Rev. Mr.. Taylor.
The entire day was spent in pleasure and
highly enjoyed by all present. W. L. M.