The Abbeville messenger. (Abbeville, S.C.) 1884-1887, 1885-02-18

Wv Sh"'SS III thC AICsyuCuS H1WuuST
and appearance. "You kme here" he
continued ITO triumph ovtr a poor con-
quered town, with only women and
children in it; whose soldiers have left
it, and would rather starve than see your
hateful presence here. These soldiers
and only handful, at that-who have
for four years detied your paid mercen-
aries OH these glorious hills, and have
taught you to respect tho rights Of the
South. You have given your best blood
to conquer them, and how you will
march back TO your dcmoealized capital
and lay out your wits to win them over
so that you can hold this government in
perpetuity. Shame on ~
Mr.. Lincoln could stand it no longer.
his nostrils dilated like those Of an ex-
cited race horse. He stretched out his
long right arm and extehded his lean
forefingcr until it almost touched Duff.
Green's face. He made one step for
ward, to place himself as near as posi-
bic TO this vituperntor, aud in clear
cutting voice addressed him. He was
really graceful while he was speaking
the grace Of one who is expressing his
honest convictions. stop you political
tramp" he exclaimed; "you, the alder
and abcttor OF those who have brought
all this ruin on your country, without the
courage to risk to your person in defense
Of the principles you profess to cspouse.
A fellow who stood by to gather up the
loavcs and fishes. ifany shonld fall to you.
a man who had no principles in the
North, and who took none South with
him. y political hyena who robbed the
graves of the dead, and adopted their
language rs his own You talk Of the
North cutting the throats Of the South
crn people. You have all cut your
own throats, and. unfortunately, have
cut many Of those Of the North. MiScr-
able impostcr, vile intruder, 30 before
forget myself, and the high position l
hold. Go, tell you, and don't desccrate
this national vessel another minute !"
And he made step toward him.
This was something which Duff Green
had not calculated upon he had never
seen Abraham Lincoln in anger. His
courage failed him and he turned and
fed out Of the cabin, and up to the cabin
stairs as if the avcnsins angel was after
him. lie never stopped until 4,e reached
the gangway, and there he stood looking
at the shore. seemingly measuring the
distance, to sec If he could swim to the
landing.
| was close behind him, and when |
got on deck said to the officer in charge :
"Put that man on shore, and if he appears
in sight Of this vessel while we arc here
have him sent away with scant cerc-
R,ony."
He was as humble At that moment as
whipped dog, and hurried. into the
boat. The last l saw OF him he was
stridins rapidly over the clds, as if to
reach the shelter Of the woods. The
man must have been dcrangcd. When l
returned to the cabin, about fifteen min
utcs later, the President was perfectly
calm-as If nothing had h.ppencd-antl
did not return to the subject for some
hours.
When the foregoing article camc to
the attention Of Mr.. Pat Calhoun, Of this
city, who is grandson Of General Duff
Green, he wrote the following. letter,
which throws an entirely different light
upon the matter:
Editors Conxtitvtion-Admir Por.
ter is libcllcr Of the dead. His account
Of Mr.. Duff Green's visit to Mr.. Lincoln
is full Of false statements for which there
can be no excuse, as he processes to hav.
been an eyewitness Of what he relates
Both Of these principals to the interview
having died years ago, he may have fell
no fear Of detection and, therefore, al
liberty to give loose rcins to his imagi.
nation, but respect for his own distin.
guished position, even il he were dead
to the higher dictates Of truth and honor
should have prevented him from pub.
fishing such falschoods.
| Fortunately he has confined himself
to the narration Of conversation o
which he might claim to be the only
living witness, but as background t.
his little picture no has with no inartistit
hand thrown in details, the untruth O.
which are easily established. TO illus
tratc, he says: "a man appeared at tn.
landing dressed in gray homespun Will
n somewhat decayed appearance, ant
with staff about six feet long in his hand
it was, in fact, nothing more than sticl
taken from wood-pile. 1t was two ant
q half inches in diameter, and was no
even smoothed at the knots. 1t wa
just such weapon as man would picl
up to kill a mad dog with"
As a matter of fact General Green VA