The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1888-07-04
Experts Reply to squire Blake.

itorial
This time he has two column article in
his little sheet by wav of rejoinder to my re-
ply to his labored editorial on the present
ment of the Grand Jury, which 1t took him
ten days to write. My article has done more
good than had anticipated fol, in addition
torial, 1t has served as tonic to the Squire's
tagging energies by reason of which he has
been able TO write this last editorial In Just
half the time 1t took him to write the other.
The Squire's last effuson Is so rambling. so
scattering and dlsiointed that we hardly
know where to take hold OF it. The first
thing that he seriously objects to in our arti-
Gle is the expression - idiot.
The Squire is evidently lnboring under q
nnfsapprehension as TO what we meant by that
dash, as he says the same is ''profane and vul.
g1r and can only 2roeesd from polluted IpS
intend that dash to take the place of q "cuss
word" but simply intended by idiot 90
blank idiot, when written out in fulD, one
who is such complete IDIOT that he hnsnt
tion will suffice to convince the Squire that
we didn't intend any profanity.
In this connection we would say that as the
Squire speaks of Inconsistencies In our article,
we would suggest that 1t is a little inconsist-
ent In him To characterize the term - i'd
lot when used by us, as almost too vulgar for
him to allude to, and then In few sentences
further on to speak of us rs "worse than
- idiot" But we excuse the Squire, and
trust the public will overlook this little incon-
sistency, rs by that time he had doubtless be-
gan to get n little "warm in the COLLAR as he
was discussing statement contained In our
article in which there was decidedly "more
truth than poetry" and It is 'the truth that
hurts" such fellows as the Squire, you know.
The most amusing thing in the whole Of
that he "speaks agtdt he thinks" In reference to
this matter, as If everybody doesn't know
who prompts him in this matter. No. Squire,
1t is bad enough 10 be made tool OF, but 1t is
worse after having suffered 1t to undertake to
deny so patent a fact.
The Squire, as we expected of course he
would do, answers In the negative certain in
terrogatories which we put to him. and de.
and some things with which we didn't charge
him. He then asks US if we can do as much.
Well, we claim to be somewhat OF an "ES-
pert" in factan expert at good many things,
We will not. therefore, as the Squire does,
deny everything, but will confess that we did
write the article to which he alludes, and we
are not ashamed Of It.
matter. as it gives us an opportunity to meet
and refute certain base and malicious charges
that have been slyly and in an underhanded
manner, put forth by the three cornered ring,
the trium yirate, whose Headquarters arc. In
not always been loyal to the Democratic par
ty. We have heard Of such Insinuations be-
ing made, from time to time, by these parties
diverting the attention of the public from the
true issue involved in this matter, but could
not notice the same until made In o formal
manne-. AS the Squire by alluding to the
same III. bis reply. gives us, the opportunity
which we have desired, we shall avail ourself
Of 1t. ...-.
At the time of which he speaks there was
no such party as the Democratic party in eX-
istence in this State or in theSouthern States.
The Democratic party as such was supposed
to be dead beyond resurrection and when our
friend and relation, Edward F. Stokes. went
through this county, rs be did Mt that time,
with his flag unfurled, beating: his big drum
and making speeches In favor Of resusctatng
the apparently lifeless Democratic party, he
was laughed at and pronounced by almost ev
cry one, a crazy fool. At that time our State,
county and municipal governments were en-
tirely in the hands Of carpet baggers, SCALA
wags and the most vicious and corrupt Of the
negro element.
We felt that something should be done to
remedy matters and knew that that some,
thing must be more than simply cursing and
abusing the Radicals twas under these cir
cumstances that 1t occurred to us that 1t
should be the policy of our people to try to
the ignorant negroes, by kind treatment, and
thus be in condition to counteract the false
teachings Of said carpet baggers and SCALA
wags. The negroes were taught to believe
that If the native whites got into Office they
(the negroes) would be put back into slavery.
Believing that it was out of the question for
the white people to get control OF all Of the
offices at once. we considered the next best
thing for them to do was to do this by degrees
and SO advocated. The fact is, we believed
then and still believe. that the white people
would have been justifable In doing almost
any thing in order to get control of the gov
ernment either In part or as whole. We
know there were O good many others OF the
same opinion only they were not prepared to
say so.
n Snr1f mn a,s1n He1,..
proche" thought so. as 1t is a fact that he held
at least three or four different offices under
Radical rule, and we presume that even the
Squire doesn't regard him any the less loyal
to the Democratic party by reason Of that
fact. r.
Furthermore, we are proud to be able to say
that the idea then entertained and advocated
by us was finally adopted by the great body
action when an effort was made to divide the
offices when General Butler, than whom
South Carolina can boast OF no truer son, and
whose whose democracy ti eve even Inc squire cannot
ernor with z. b. Carpenter, an out and out
Republican, as the candidate for Governor.
No we have no regrets for what we did in
those days, rs We think IL much better to
have endeavored to improve matters, even
though our efforts proved abortive, than to
have servlely submitted to the outrages that
were being perpetrated, by those who had
usurped the government of our State. as the
to show, was willing to do.
The Squire has been led, by following the
dictation no doubt OF the official trio for
whom alone he speaks. and who hope by
the damaging facts brought to light by the re-
port of the late investigating committee, into
exposing his Ignorance of the history Of the
Democratic party in Abbeville county. In
stead of our being unfaithful to the Demo
cratic party, we claim to be one of the pion-
GERS of Democracy in Abbeville connty-in
fact to have acted as an "expert" at its birth
and stood as godfather at Its baptism.
first meeting held in Abbeville county look
ing to the organization of the Democratic par
ty was on the End day Of March, 1876; and
was pFeshdedI shs I over 6y HsmPhil stn EsS1 tSI
meeting Z. B. Gary. S. G. Cason and R. E. Hill
were appointed committee to draw up con-
stitution and plan OF organization.
On the 1th day Of the same month mass
was held in this place at which Judge Meow
an was chairman and r. E. Hill, secretary.
On the 9th day OF the same month meet
ing of the Democrats of Abbeville precinct
was held in Knox's Hall, in this place, for the
purpose of cffccting permanent organiza-
ton, at which meeting K. Z. ELL acted as sec
retary.
In our published report of the proceedings
of that meeting appears the following para
graph: .-.
to come forward and enroll their names.
when forty-two came promptly forward and
subscribed their names to the constitution.
The first to sign his name was Mr.. Robert II.
Wartllaw, one OF our oldest and most respect
ed citizens, thereby setting ail erdmple ,ohirh IL
is to be hoped every aOiite man in The county aUho
has q spark of patriotism or q drop Of pure blood
coursinD his Ueirs. a0iU make haste TO f0lloT."
We produce this extract to show that we
were deeply in earnest In this matter, and al
so to show that even az that late day great
0f rdan n