The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1895-09-26
new county after its distinguished cons,

It was about one hundred and fifty
years since Col. VIM. Butler, with MS
wife riding on his horse behind him,
came from Virginia to live In Caro-
lima. He fought for his adopted state
in tho Revolutionary war ana ala nooie
service. Col. VIM. Butler and his
family have not only illustrated the
hit. he might add, of Carolina. They
reDresented much of the genius of the
State.
DR.. Butler was the father of Gen.
Calbraith Butler and who was himself
a. member of Congress-, and the daugh-
ter married Gen. Waddy Thompson,
who was himself distinguished Con-
gressman and minister to Mexico
There were Others many others, of the
Butler family and their relatives who
took prominent and leading places in
the history OF their State and country.
The Buffers have not only been the
equals of any of the families OF Caro-
lima, but they are unrivalled by any
in their devotion, in their work and
in their service they have done their
State.
He referred with much feeling to
the Butler burial ground, which is
located in the new county near tho
future Court House, and which has
been so carefully kept and sacrelly
regarded by the family, as the resting
place OF any family Of such worth would
be by those who venerated their dead.
This burial ground would be in two or
three miles of the county seat, and he
knew that many pilgrim would stop
to see the resting place of this illustri-
Gus family, and he predicted that the
epitaphs upon the stately monuments
Of these dead would be read with pride
by the Carolinians who went there.
Saluda, he said, was the mere Indian
name for adirty little Rivera name
thing, and then with magnificent
burst of eloquence he said, my God,
are illustrious names 80 plentiful that
they should be overlooked for some
petty Indian name? We can afford to
lose none of them"
If Gen. Butler has ever done any
thing to the discredit Of himself or to
his State he never knew of it. If any,
body objected to Calbraith Butler losing
his leg in the Confederacy he never
heard of it. If anybody objected to Cal
braith Butler risking his life at the
head Of the militia at Hamburg he
never heard of it, and if anyone object
ed to his risking his life in helping to
u
OF it, and yet on account of some petty
pre- Ljudice it is proposed to do him and
his family this grave injustice. He
referred to the terrors Of distributing
public offices and how difficult it was
to have sufficient to go around among
the otficeseekers, and created much
amusement by saying that they we're
like hundred hounds after fat
rabbit, and that was the cause of most
OF the yelping after Gen. Butler at this
time.
He spoke of his long career in Con-
gress and how he had always watched
the career and course of Senator Butler
and If there was ever anything culpa-
movements he never heard Of it or
saw it and he tlattered himself that he
was pretty clever observer of mon.
If he did not do for you all that he
could, If he was not conscientious
and honest Senator, then | was not @
faithful member Of Congress for my
people. and l pray that South Carolina
will always have men in the United
States Senate his equal, in honesty,
ability and eloquence, but he said that
he had great fears that it would be q
long time before his equal in ability
eloquence and influence would find a
place in the United States Senate from
South Carolina.
He appealed to the sentiment and
right of justice of the members that
this distinguished name should be per-
petuateu in the name of the county
where the family had lived The
family had for three generations given
the State and country generals, able
Judges. Senators and Congressman and
other distinguished citizens, and he
knew Of no family in any State that
had dOne moro to deserve the perpetua.
tion of the family name. With another
burst Of eloquence he said, If you will,
leaye Calbraith Butler ont of the mat
ter entirely. Do not count him at all.
There are others, and many of them,
who have done their full share for the
State that deserve to have the county
called Butler.
He then said that he would take the
liberty OF speaking of his dead friend,
Gen. Mart Gary, and he felt that he
could call him a friend, for he had
none who were dearer or closer to him.
He was nearer and moro intimate with
Cen Gary than he had ever been with
Gen. Butler, and he and Gen. Gary
had always been the most intimate of
friends, and yet when Gen. Gary died
there were suspicious and mutterings
about his Independentism, or leanings
in that Wf .et I can say that there
was nov -ruer or nobler man than
Mart Gal. or O man who did more for
his State than he did.
He said that long ago tho tempta
tion was offered him to have the pro.
posed county called Tillman County,
but that he said he would not have it
for it would be like robbing the But
lers OF their just rights. He would
as soon do such thing as to rob them
and he would sooner, he said with
much emoti, put q pistol to his head
and blow q bullet through his brains
than rob the family of its rights. Gen.
Gary was under q much greater cloud
at the time OF his death than Gen.
Butler, and when he died he and others
wanted to do the proper credit to tho
memory OF Gen, Gary, and held meet
ing at Edgefcld, at which he made a
speech advocating that IL handsome
monument be erected to the memory
of Con. Gary.
~ society was organized to raise
money with which to build the monu
ment, and books and pictures were to
be sold to raise the money or help, but
it was found that it had to be aban-
doned on account Of this shadow. Gary
had written g. letter to Col. Cash and