The Abbeville messenger. (Abbeville, S.C.) 1884-1887, 1885-05-13
Communicated.

Messrs. Editors: A copy of your last
issue made it's way to my abode and was
and read with pleasure, l as
sure YOU, its presence is no insult to my
household. I feel grateful, and, my
partner in ife," who is a lover of news
papers, also, express thanl . to the donors
for the gratuiious contribution. You
are perfectly welcome. to mail it to my
address as long you have been duly u
thorized. The time stipulated was for
the "year round" and l hope its visits
will be weekly, until the time expires.
l entertain the expectation. of DERIVING a
benefit from its columns, Of a more in
trinsic character than the importance of
having my nasal protuberance fastened
to the grindstone, in being taxed "eter-
naily'' to build the Cumberland Gap rail
road. l have M idea that your journal.
which, / presume, is the organ of this
rail road taxing scheme, will ever sue
coed in making a preselyte Of your hum
ble servant. He is Ephraim-l like 'joined
to his idols" However, his mind is
'onen to conviction" and will carefully
undergo the ordeal and risk the sequel,
Of course, Mt the expense Of the charita-
bic party making the experiment.
II is one acknowledged fact, Of which
You are* aware, that diversity Of opinion
prevails in human nature. Such has
beeh its character. from its inception in
this mundane rotundity and will %contin-
ue to exist until the wheels Of timo
CT ase t. mai Q a revolution. recog-
nize the right Of every rational man to
express his opinion, however, insiznif-
cant it may seem in the eyes OF a Jew"
on whatever subjects that may be pro-
mulgated for discussion, il he sees prop
er SO to do. fully accord to your lord
ship h absolute right Of expressing
your views on this contemplated Cum
berland Gap rail cad tax and admire
your hcroiSm in cssaying to maintain
them, until, you are conscientiously
convinced by. reason and experiment,
that they arc based upon false premises.
l 10 abominate an editor, correspond
ent or speaker. to advance idcas on dis
puted points in n manner arrogating
what they don't know is not worth
k~nowing.'" If you can achieve SUCCESS,
upon all honorable and equitable bnsis,
in iinpressing upon. the tax payers mind
that tits to thdr interest. TO. aid in build
ing this road, oil! right, II .your adioin.
ing contemporaries. (Hedipm and Press
and -Ranne,.) whose comments on
this subject are equally entitled to credit,
which endorse in toto, with due defer
encc to the contrary, can establish oppo-
site results. all right. Let no advocate
pro or con. become offended keep cool"
Let no stigmatizing epithet or rcproach
brand any ones sentiments. Due Wext
township has voted the tax. 1t is not
my purpose, in this communication, TO
narrate my belief how it was done. II
tho advocates Of this tax, and they are
men noted forerudition, integrity and
sobriety, "a face tho world and their
God and say with a clear conscience
that they resorted t O no unfai. means in
any shape or form to obtain this result.
all right. resisted it with all ~ men
tai vim and force Of suffrage; /, know
ingty, made no acquisitions upon any
foul means to-, take undue advantage Of
any ovation. ..1.cxpresscd views consis-
tent to my belief and 1.-THE people were at
liberty to cnd3fse, or ignore them. l,
Confeder"cy-like, was snot whipped but
overpowored.""Nex Thing, required,
presume, will be iron-rlad ."os,h of allie
glance" id ests., Railroad tax. / would
take the liberty, Of saying that a portion
of the intelligent class Of citizens in Due
West arc very :ungenerous in bemean-
ing 80 sarcaStioally the sentiments Of tln.
Medium and I,'ress md Banner on this
rail road enterprise. They arc the
mouthpieces Of tine public and have the
hbcrty-to advance their respective views
in whatever. xay thay' conceive to be
pro bono publ1co. They harbor no i'll
feeling for tho propriety of Due West
and would not, by any mean, advance an
idea. il they thought, would have the
least weight 0 diminish her measure OF
success in any, praisoworthy undortak.
ing. Their past record, in eulogizing ~
repeatedly the. merits OF the place, is q
sufficient guaranty to testify TO this fact.
| do not think they arc proper subjects
upon whom vin4s Of wrath to be uncork-
cd in this Christian town discharged un-
s~pairingly, dsrogatorI to their reputation
%. jonlasiists. sinApty. because a little
HGertnca OF ,aPfhion ii" Brought to hear
on the Rsilroatf.? Courtesy and respect
should characterize'aiI drl,atable topics,
especially when public interest is at
stake. II. s.. G.. one. Of the speakers Sc
lcctsd for tho recent Railroad Campaign
in Due West township, in favor OF i'm
posing tax and by the way, he made
commendable efforts in his faith to
make converts was an exception Of be-
ing too presumptuous in knowing every.
thing. His speeches did not ignore the
right of diversity Of opinion and were
tempered with lcss sarcastic slang. NV
nature is to give the ''dsvil his due"
q 7. Fl