The Abbeville messenger. (Abbeville, S.C.) 1884-1887, 1886-08-17
A Manly Letter.
A5BEv1LnE, s. c.. Aug. 1c

Editor Press and Banner
My views are 80 we'll known upon the
question which is sought to be injected
into the politics Of Abbeville County
that would not have deemed it neces
sary to say a word if justice to myself
did not require that I should corrtc Ct
some errors into which one of your cor
respondents has fallen. The Abbeville
Bill was recommitted to the Judiciary
Committee by vote Of 81 to IS, and
whenjt came up for final action was in
definitely postponed by vote Of SO to
81. The petitions for the passage Of the
Bill were signed by little over 1900
persons, and careful examination OF
them made by myself showed that not
more than 600 or 700 Of the signcrs were
qchtte roters.
opposed the Bill to submit to the
qualified voters of Abbeville County
tho question Of sLicense" or sNo Lii
cense" in the incorporated towns of the
County, for the following reasons
l. The petitions for the bill were cir
culated in every section of the County,
and the signing of them by only 1900
out of over 40, 1000 residents Of the Coun-
ty and by only GOO or 700 white voters
out Of 5000 did not furnish evidence
sufficient to satisfy me that the passage
Of the bill was desired either by the
people at large or by majority Of the
white voters, whose representative /
was. felt free, therefore, to act in &C
cordanse with the dictates of my own
Judgment. do not claim to be the
master Of the people. am an uncom-
promising enemy to bossism Of every
kind. But / do claim that the people in
electing me their representative gave me
tho right to act according to own judg-
ment until majority of them signify
their wishes.
z. Pro hibtion does not prohibit. The
State Of Maine has had a: strict prohibi-
tory law for over thirty years. Statistics
show that it has over thousand liquor
saloons. In Iowa prohibitory law
went into effect July 4th, 1884. In
twelve months afterwards the saloons
had increased about twenty five per.
cent in twenty eight of its principal
cities and towns. State Senator Sutton
who WAS the father Of the bill and main
ly instrumental in securing it's passage,
made . careful examination Of its work
ings few months ugo. He says the
law has been dismal failure.
The County of Bsrnwcll has had pro-
hibition for three years. If the testi-
mony Of honorable and truthful men is
to be believed, more liquor is sold in
that county dow than there was before
the law was passed. Take the so-called
dry towns of the State. With few
honorable exceptions, where public SEN
timent keeps pace with the law, or !
should say, was ahead of the law. whis.-
key, brandy, wine, beer, anything TO
drink, with or without doctors ccrtif-
cate, almost as easily as in places where
license are granted. In short, no Law cans
be enforced which is in advance OF pub
lie sentiment.
8. thought and still think that this
question ought to be settled by the
white people and by them alone. | am
not an alarmist believe the white
people of the South are able to preserve
their institutions and their civilization,
but in order to do it they must settle
own differences amongst themselves,
and then present solid and unbroken
front to the enemy. Our experience
from 1853 to 1875 warns US that it will
not do to make any opening through
which the negro may enter and again
become factor in politics. If the whites
were divided upon any question he
would hold the balance Of power and
would be sure under his leaders to use
it where it would do most harm to the |
Democratic party.
4. Each town has under. it's charter
the right to regulate its own affairs.
] donot think that tho people living
in oshsr towns or not in any town desire
to interfere with that right. Take the
town Of Due West, for instance. 1t is
the seat Of two noble institutions Of
learning. which are doing work in the |
ciuseS Sqf Christian education not second,
to any insthe United States. I have no
doubt that every white man in Due