Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1894-02-28
CORRESPONDENCE
For the ADVERTISER.
Old Saluda Speaks Her Mind.

Mr.. EDITOR: I have never ap-
peared in public print, and have
no desire to be known outside of
my community, but seeing the
Edgefeld Chronicle attacks upon
the State officers, especially Mr.,
Bladon, | thought I would say
something.
l do not know Mr.. Bladon per-
sonally, but when a 16-year-old
boy, with his father I followed the
gallant Hagood through the cam
paign Of 1854, and was befriended
by him. Carrying my knapsack
on hard marches, and ever ready
to protect me, I can but come to
the rescue of the son. His father
was true soldier, and a kinder
heart was never in a human body.
The son inherits the fathers bra
very for which he is noted.
1t seems as if the Chronicle
takes delight in holding up Mr..
Bladon before the public in all his
worst characteristics. We all know
that Mr.. Bladon, like thousands of
poor weak mortals, has his beset-
ting sin, and whiskey has been his.
If there is anything else he is
guilty of we have never heard it.
He has never been in jail or the
penitentiary. He has never killed
any one. One of his near relations
told me=that the rife went off ac-
cidentally that killed his daughter,
she being in another room.
Mr.. Editor, I have imagined the
remorse of the poor father as he
behcld the lifeless form of his
child, and the agony he felt when
those lips that had lisped his name
so often were sealed forever. We
would draw the veil of charity
over the sad picture, and bury it
so deep that it would never be res
directed instead of hosting it to
the gaze of the public.
I ask the Chronicle to let his
eye range over the pages of history,
his nMn- -en1ntn, and Stnta-ns>a -t4 +All
me if he can't find great many
with plutocratic blood flowing in
their veins, who have committed
worse deeds, but because they had
money and social influence the
world took them up, and they were
still called gentlemen and held
their same positions?
The high circles say Col. Nor
row was not depraved, but weak,
and senators signed his petition
for pardon. A poor man without
money or social influence would
have been hanged, and the world
would have wagged it's head and
said, sit was just"
The Chronicle talks as if man
that gets drunk, or has been drunk,
is not a gentleman. If that be SO,
senators, congressman, and gov
ernors would have to fall out OF
position, and be counted with the
base of earth. 1t makes no differ
ence what a man does, if he has
money, or social position. He can
send the gray hairs Of parents to
the grave in sorrow, and make the
once pure daughte1 an outcast in
the world. He can rob the widow
and orphan, sit at the gambling
table and steal the hard-earned
money of toll, all this, and the
world holds him up and be passes
for a gentleman, but let him be poor
with no social influence, and be is
kicked down, and even if he tries
to reform, he is kicked down, and
met with cold indifference.
Mr.. Editor, it is not Mr.. Bladon
or Elliot the Chronic e is after, but
it is trying with its partisan zeal
to make it appear that Gov. Till
man glories in appointing such
men, as he represents them to be.
to public Office.
1t is too late, Mr.. Chronicle. The
Alliance you hate so much has
educated its people, so that your
little paper will have no effect
We know what you are after. You
had no sympathy for Mr.. Bladon
when he was shot in the discharge
of his duty. You do not care If
constables are mobbed or killed,
but when some negro or Italian
Malta is hurt you raise a howl.
You damn the dispensary law,
and say it is Tillman's law, when
l.