Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1895-07-10
\ PLAIN UNNARNISHED
TALE.
Sheriff QUITS Replies to Oar.
gan's Interview.
July s: '95.

Having read the account given
by Col. Dargan in the daily papers
of the treatment he received IN
Edgefeld and the comments of
that paper thereupon, ] feel it my
duty to make the following state
meut of facts, in justice to myself
and the committee appointed by
the citizens of he town and coun-
tv to act with me in interviewing
Col. Dargan, notice having been
given by the Edgefeld Chronicle
that he would deliver an address
in Edgefeld.
The people had heard and read
of Col. Dargan's utterances else
where, such as: II for one have
gone to the negro "That l am
neither ashamed, nor afraid, nor
III any degree reluctant, but rath-
er glory in going to the negro. =
Il favor placing negro representa-
tivcs, according to competency, on
each county ticket. This will give
minority representation to that
race and thus enable us to make a
constitution by all the people for
all the peaple.sswF,sssIIn4l Essl az
I I = affu Tnffs, now and al
ways" The committee submitted
the above quoted remarks to Col.
Dargan and desired to know of
him through the committee if
these utterances embodied his
views, and if it was on that line he
proposed to speak in Edgefield.
The committee, in the discharge
of the duty imposed, Immediately
repaired to the Chronicle office
where we met Col. Dargan alone,
except the employees of the Chron-
icle office.
| introduced myself and the
committee to Col. Dargan, who
said he was glad to see us. I lold
him we had been appointed to call
on him and asked him if he had
come to make speech. He said
he had. inquired upon whose in
vitation he had come. He declin-
ed to say.
l then called his attention to
the above alleged utterances, &Gl
asked him if they were his, and if
he intended to speak on that line.
He answered, "Yes." We, then, as
committee, requested him not to
attempt to sreak, as we did not
think he would be. heard, mas
much as the people of Edgefeld
were not yet prepared to hear him
or any one else talk on that line,
and that we thought it best for
him and for the town that be de-
cline to speak. He said he was
sorry; that he once thought as our
people did, but if he were all loved
to speak he thought he could con-
vince them of the error of their
way.
He was told that nothing that
he could say would, in our judg-
ment, convince Edgefeld people
of error on that line; that he had
no following here, and that while
we did not believe he would be
treated roughly or. receive bodily
harm if he should attempt to
speak, we thought it best to advise
him to save himself the morti6ca-
ton of being hissed down, and
perhaps arousing the Indignation
of the people not to make the at
tempt.
He replied that he would con-
suit with i * + and would soon
give us reply.
The interview was not at all an
unpleasant affair, and | am sure [
am expressing the truth when
say there was not in the mind and
heart of any member Of the COM
mittce any ill-feeling towards Col.
Dargan, and what we did was in
his interest and prompted by the
kindest feelings.
Our committee retired and
to our body what
had transpired. |, in making
the report, assured them that
our interview with Col. Dargan
thoroughly convinced me and the
other committeeman that 10
speech would be attempted, and
that it would not be necessary to
take further steps to thwart the
Colonel, as we were pretty sure he
would leave OH the first out bound
train. The committee then dis
persed, | going to my office and !