The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1896-01-28
THE oREATEsT AssERIoAN.

1 THE GREATEsT AMERICAN.
\ Bill Arp Tells the Difrerence OF opir
ion Among his Neighbors on th
\ Question.
1t was q goodly company and bouI
teous feast. While enjoying both w
discussed the affairs of the nation in
, philosophic mood, and In q temperate
considorate manner expressed on
opinions of men and measures--notin
tho differences that honestly possesse
each different guest. yentured to as
. question that each might answer
Who Is the greatest American, livin,
or dead, of the last half century I? /
would be surprising to hear the an
swers to this question in any little co
terte OF Intelligent, well-educated gen
tlemen. Almost every man has hi
idol whom he worships and admires
not without reason, but with more re
gard than is justly due. We are driftet
into channels of thought by circum
stances, by surroundings, by heredity
We become the creatures of prejudice
both In politics or religion. This /.
human nature and there is nothing
wrong about It when it is kept within
bounds of federation for the opinions ol
|
cord.
"Who is the greatest man ?" asked
| "Grover Cleveland" said Mr.. Fite.
"Bob Toombs and General Grant" said
Mr.. Jarrall. 'Dr. Atticus Haygood, :"
said Judge Akin, promptly. Jefferson
Davis" said Mr.. Carey. "Ah, there
now" they all responded. "Of course
of course. Jefferson Davis was the
greatest man-the very greatest man."
Whom l was called to respond said {:
"None or you are old enough to have
seen the greatest man, but | saw him
when was lad and he put his hand
upon my head and said kind and tender
words to me. He was passing through
hotel that l might see the greatest and
best man in the nation, as he called
him. 1t may be that his benediction
upon me has had something to do with
my hero worship, my idolatry, but my
occasional perusal of his biography and
his speeches have confirmed me In my
opinions. He has been dead forty-five
years, but still believe that John G.
Calhoun was the greatest man. He
was the model upon which Jefferson
Davis built his own great character"
Now, see how our little party differ.
ed and their differences can be traced
w bOuo COltdJcrdt AuuuouCeS. EMORY
college and John Wesley Methodism
had something to do with Judge John
Wesley Atkins idolatry. suspect that
his second choice would be Judge
Bleckley, whom he loves to speak Of.
He visited Judge Bleckley at Clarks-
vile not long ago and listened eagerly
as he discoursed of his early life. "My
mother" said he, twas not an educated
woman. She was not beautiful wo-
man. In fact, she was homely. 1 never
saw her look beautiful but once, only
once, and that was when she was dead
ant. was shrouded for the coffin. She
and wept great tears OF sorrow. My
heart was almost breaking, for she had
been such dear, good mother to me-"
The judge paused long enough to wipe
the tears that came from his cavernous
eyes and to recover his wCnted speech.
"But, my FREUD, her life and her re-
ligion was all concentrated in one
beautiful word, the most beautiful in
our language and that is duty-duty.
There is no greatness that is really
great without it. My dear mothers
duty--duty to God and her family and
neighbors. She never spoke of 1t nor
bOasted of 1t, but she acted 1t and VIZ
saw 1t and loved her-yes, we loved
every feature of her sweet and homely
face. 1 do not owe all to her, but do
owe the better part--yes, all that Is
tender and loving and true"
Mr.. Jarrall spoke of General Grants
greatness as military commander and
his magnanimity toward us after we
we were conquered. In that was tho
heroism of his character. Then he
spoke Of Toombs' wonderful gifts as an
orator and statesman and patriot, but
lamented that for SO long time he
the young men of the State. After he
had joined the church he occasionally
was overcome by temptatiOn-his be-
setting desire for stimulant, and in all
seriousness he spoke of 1t to Bishop
Pierce, his lifelong friend, and wanted
a theological explanation.
"Now, George" said he, ''if I am
really converted, why Is 1t that crave
whiskey and why Is 1t that can't re-
sist the desire. It seems to me that
true Christian should have no un-
holy desires. Maybe I am not con-
verted."
Mr.. Flte Is an Office holder and an
Office seeker, both of which are honor
able to all honorable men and he has
been following old Grover 80 long that
no Will uOU lOcSbho uln now. Nr. Sd-
rey Is not troubled much with present
politics. His ideal is dead and he
loves to worship at his shrine. There
are many of his mind but they make
but little noise in the noisy world.
1, too, love to worship there and at
Mr.. Calhoun's, too. love to read what
the great men, his rivals, said about
Mr.. Calhoun when it was announced
in the Senate that he was dead. Mr..
Webster said "He was man of great
genius and commanding talent. All
the world admits that. When he last
addressed us we could imagine that we
saw before us q Senator from Rome
when Rome survived. His high char
actor was one OF unimpeached honor
and unspotted integrity. [ do not be-
lieve he ever had a selfish motive or
selfish feeling" Henry Clay said /:
"His genius was of the very highest
order and the charm of his presence
and his powers were felt by all who
conversed with him." Edward Everett
said: "Calhoun, Clay and Webster |!
/ name them in their proper order.
The great thinker, the great leader,
the great orator." Duty, patriotic
duty, was his life work. I've been
wondering what he had to do with the
| Monroe doctrine. He was Monroe's
Secretary of State when 1t was enun-
ciated and reckon was its inspiration.
But after all, MIR. Calhouns most low
able qualities were seen in his private