The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1892-05-04
WIN. E. EARLE's OPEN LETTER.
He Asks q Cotton Plant Writer to Answer
Some Questions.

He Asks Cotton Plant Writer 10 AEs"fi
Some Questions.
WASHINGTON, D. c., April 10, 1892.
Dear Sir: A friend has sent me a
copy of the Register of the 10th instant,
wherein, under the head line of "Rem-
iniscences and Recollections." l observe
letter signed by you to the Cotton
Plant, and dated March 18th ult., in
which you assert that in Columbia at
public meeting of Republicans 'to con-
gratulate each other on the fact that
North Carolina had just cast her vote
for General Grant," you heard Govern
or James L. Orr make a speech IN
which "be said the Southern people
generally ought to congratulate them
selves that they were not hung to
man as traitors and rebels, and that
they ought to be exuberantly thankful
that they had fallen in the hands OF
such magnanimOus conquerors, that 1t
was now the manifest duty Of the
Southern people to put forever behind
them the history and traditions Of
which they had heretofore been SO
proud, and come forward into the new
light of the new gospel of carpet bag
evangelization, as North Carolina had
done and a great deal of the same Of
talk.
From the period Of Governor Orr's
candidacy for governor in 1866 until he
sailed for St. Petersburg as minister of
the United States in 1873 my relations
with him were very close and intimate.
In 1868 suggested his name and Sc
cured his election as judge of the Sth
circuit, and until be received n Iowa
my telegram of his election he was not
aware that his name had been consid-
cred in connection with the position.
MY recollection is that he received
every vote of both Democrats and Re-
publicans. He did not accept it, how
ever, until the almost unanimous and
most urgent request Of the bar of the
circuit led him to feel that it was his
duty to do so and declined a most de-
sirable professional offer in st. Louis
with the guarantee of an income more
than double the salary as judge after
deducting necessary travelling eX-
penses. Thereafter, through the united
personal efforts of the Abbeville bar,
then (and no doubt Silly one Of the
ablest and most honorable in the State,
their county was added to bis circuit.
On the personal request of the bars of
several other counties he was assigned
to hold extra terms of court for them.
Notwithstanding he had made most
strenuous and vigorous campaign
against F. J. Moses for governor in
1872, he was after four years Of judicial
service, reelected judge in that win
ter, and my recollection is that be
again received every vote in the legisla-
ture.
All of these well known facts seem
exceedingly singular if you are correct
in your statements Of his speech. But,
besides this, the language and views
which you impute to him are wholly
at variance with his well-known senti-
ments, his patriotism and his strong
feeling for his fellow-citizens and their
sufferings, however much he differed
from them in matters ofjudgment, and
however short they might fall OF bis
wonderful political sagacity, that I beg
to inquire of you who else you saw at
at that meeting. Governor Orr has
been dead nineteen years, and the only
other persons you mention having seen
him are dead.
Who presided over that meeting?
What was the date, or approximate
date, of the meeting? General Grant
was twice a candidate for the presiden-
cy, and North Carolina voted for him
each time. Which of these votes was
it that the Columbia meeting was inter-
changing congratulations upon?
Did you read any contemporaneous
newspaper account of this meeting? If
so, where and in what paper?
lam sure you must realize that nine
teen years ago after Governor Orr's
death it seems very extraordinary that
in connection with the candidacy of bis
son, who is Democrat, another Demo
crat should violate the grave to make a
statement so utterly as variance with
the well-known sentiments Of the ia
ther whilst living, and I trust you will
not deem it sigular if the friends OF
Governor Orr should want some cor
roberation Of this unnatural charge
based, as it is, upon so unreasonable a
statement before they accept it as true.
Respectfully,
WM. E. EARLE.
John NJ. Payne, ST. Matthews, S. c.
The Parisian Fashion Journals.