Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1892-04-14

L
"Resolved, That the Sheep Il
More Beneficial Than the Hoe
to the People of the United
States"
It has been a long time since
newspaper has told about debate
in the country. Here is the story
of one just as it occurred. 1t il
worth reading:
If people thought that the Young
Colored Mems Progressive Lyceum
of the New Light Baptist Church
at Westbury, L. l., was dead at the
age Of nine years they were much
mistaken. 1t but slept, and Mon.
day night it woke up with a jerk
and a snort and showed to the
world that its eye was not dimmed
or it's natural vigor abated.
They had one of the liveliest de.
bates ever heard tell of Monday
evening on one of the most fasci-
mating topics betweenrthe lids Of
any book. The question was
aResolved, Thatsthe Sheep is more
beneficial to the people of these
United States than the Hog" And
they had it hip aud thigh.
Mr.. F. s. Cunningham, a white
man, acted as chairman. That is
to say, he kept his eye on his big
silver watch and the second a
mans time was up, whack! went
the gavel. The judges were: Mr.,
Henry Hawkins, an Englishman
who keeps one of the hotels; Mr..
Charles Levi, whose hair and beard
were white like wool, and Mr..
Charles B. Alsop.
The leaders per programme were
Mr.. William Cobb for the sheep
and Mr.. Olive. Coulter for the hog;
but before the evening was through
it was plain to see that the real
leaders were: Mr.. James A. Payne
for the sheep and Mr.. Ebenezer
Williams for the hog. Other
speakers we're: Frank L. Payne
and L. D. Payne for the sheep and
Robert Stephens. and Horace G..
Payne for the hog.
The debate wes held in the base
ment Of the church. You.go down
brick steps and push open a door
with q paddock on it, and there
you are. The folks sat around the
sides of the room, which was kept
good and warm by a big coal stove
in the middle. There was right
smart sprinNing of white folks
there and a lot of good looking
colored ladies, whose sympathies
were decidedly in favor of the:hog.
At the back end of the room was
a big table, and on it ucket of
water with dipper in it. Some
hobble-de-hoy colored youths sat
there and cackled their applause
and laughter at the proper times.
back of the chairman hung a big
painted banner with Jerusalem
Lodge, No. $685." on it, and chart
to illustrate the great preponder-
ance of. the demon rum over edu.
cational and church institutions.
Mr.. Cobb opened for the sheep.
Mr.. Coob has a bald spot on his
head and two front teeth gone.
He had no collar and his calico
shirt-front was unstarched. He
spoke without notes. Said he:
"Gentlemen'-
Whack came the gavel. "Talk
to the judges" said the chairman
sternly.
Mr.. Levi, who was leaning on
the top of his. staff, letting his
mind run on, lifted his stiff white
eyebrows and let. them drop.
aMr. Judges" proceeded Mr..
Cobb, 81 shall not expatiate on-the
consideration of pork as compared
with sheep meat. / shall contend
that the sheep are the most bene-
ficiary to the people OF these
United siates."
"True, too," interjected Mr..
James A. Payne, his colleague, who
purposely strengthened his dialect,
demagogue that he was, to catch
the public.
SIN persmbulating through New
England you'll sec the smoke Of
many chimleys where they are
manufacturing thousands of mil
lions of yards of woolen cloth out
of cot.on-(derisive laughter from
the extreme hog partisans)-l
mean out of'wool, with cotton