The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1892-06-08
GRAND FATHER "TIPPECASOE."
A Eernini.cenee OF tie Campaign of 1910
The Powerful Speech of Chancellor
Caldwell against Harrison, De-
livcre at SrartanburS.

News: Your readers will no doubt take
interest in the accompanying letter
from A[aj. VIM. Hoy, Of Spartanburg
County, which was published in the
Carolina Spartan, on 18th April last.
It describes scenes at Spartanburg, in
1910, when Gen. w. H. Harrison, the
grandfather of the present President Of
the United States, was candidate for
that office against Martin Van Buren,
and when Patrick G. Caldwell, of New
berry, and Col. J. H. Irby, of Laurens,
were candidates for Congress. The
General Caldwell whose speech is de-
scribed was JamesJ. Caldwell, of New
berry, who afterwards became Chan
cellor. J. 5. REID.
AS this 10 going to be a Presidential
year, propose to state few incidents
of pubic meeting that took place at
Spartan burg, C. H., saleday in August,
1910. 1t had been published in the
Greenville Mountaineer that the citi-
zens of the county would hold a
mass meeting on that day to endorse
the leading measures Of Van Buren's
administration. Col. H. II. Thomson
moved that John Crawford be called to
the chair and that Major Henry and
several leading citizens constitute a
committee to draw up suitable resolu-
tions expressive of the views Of those
who constituted the meeting. Col.
Thomson's motion was carried. Mr..
Henry and his committee retired and
after a short absence returned. Major
Henry submitted to the meeting
string of resolutions fully endorsing
Van Buren's administration and sup
ported his resolutions in a speech.
Major Barry moved that the resolutions
be passed by acclamation. Before Ma
jor Barry's motion got a second DR..
Bivings rose to a point of order and
inquired of the chairman if there was
anyone present who did not approve of
the resolutions. If there were any they
ought to discuss them before they were
put to a vote. DR.. Winsmith now said
that there should be discussion before
the vote was put. The chairman,
though an old member eff the Legisla-
ture and a Senator of the district at
the time, appeared to be taken by sur
prise, and after some hesitation and
doubt, admitted that it might be in Or
der to discuss the resolutions. VIM.
Walker, Of the Walker house, moved
that DR.. Bivings should address the
meeting. No objection being made,
DR.. Bivings addressed the meeting as
saulting the administration with a
vengeance. The doctor was good
speaker and bad stumped North Car
olina in 1928 in favor of Adams against
Jackson. In those times it was COM
mon remark that Jackson was nothing
without Van Buren, and Van Buren
nothing without Jackson. The Doctor
assaulted both administrations simulta-
neously. If either had made blunder
the doctor had made note Of it and
presented an array of charges. The
doctor had not forgotten one item Of
the speeches he had made in North
Carolina in 1928, greatly adding to his
information on that subject in the in
tervening y years. Major Henry was
taken by surprise. To have met all the
doctors charges, be would have had to
rurnage over at least a cart-load Of liter
ature, which was not at hand. No one
had ever seen him pestered and thrown
off his guard before.
For some time there was confusion.
Some one shouted that General Cald-
we'll was in the house. One hundred
voices rang out for him to come for
| ward and address the audience. He
responded promptly. The General was
just returning from a pleasure trip in
the mountains and had come into the
meeting after it was organized, but in
time to hear DR.. Bivings's speech. Gen
eral Caldwell had near relation that
was a candidate for Congress in the
districts composed of Laurens, Lexing-
| ton, Newberry and perhaps Fairfield.
Pat Caldwell, as he was then called, was
regarded as q slow sailor or at least
negative man who did not display his
| colors and charge Colonel Irby, who
was very able man and man ofgreat
energy and tact in elections, who was
his opponent. Col. Irby was running
as al independent or disaffected DEM
ocrat, but be was almost as severe in
his charges against Van Buren, as the
Wings were. General Caldwell had
| prepared himselft to meet Colonel 1rby
or any other man in the South that
| took the Harrison side. He had data
on small slip of paper to meet all the
charges made against Van Buren. He
attacked Harrison's political and mill
tary record. He commenced by show
ing that Harrison freed his negroes in
Virginia, his native State, moved to
Ohio, free State, was sent to the Uni
ted States Congress from Ohio, there
voted for the tariff of 1924. When ap-
pointed territorial governor of Indiana,
he signed statute of the Legislature
providing that any one who COM
menced an action in a State case and
failed to establish his case, should pay
all costs, or in default of that receive
! Is lashes on the bare back. \ class of
people who was always grumbling
about hard times and blaming Van
Buren for them, never failed afterwaId
| toanathmatize Harrison when his name
was called. He took up Harrison's