The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1896-01-30
THE GIiIGATIGsT AMERICAN.
Eill Arp Tells tho Difference OF Opin-
ion Among his Ncighbors OH this
Question.

ion Among his Ncighbors on this
| Question.
IL was go0dly company and boun-
tcous least. While enjoying both We
discussed the affairs Of the nation in a
| phllUsophic mood, and in Il temperate,
consldtrato manner expressed our
opinions OF mon and measures noting
the differences that honestly possessed
each different guest. vcnturcd to ask
question tiiat each mighG answer.
Vino Is the greatest American, living
or dead, OF the last half century? Is
would bo surprising to hear tho un.
swers to this question in any little CO.
tcrio OF intelligent, wcll-cducatcd gen
tlcmcn. Almost cvcry man has his
| idol whom he wor;hips ana admircs,
! not without reason, but with more re-
gard than is justly due. We arc driftod
into channels Of thought by circum-
stances, by surroundings, by hcrcdity.
We become tho creatures OF prejudice,
both in politics or religion. This is
human nature and there is nothing
wrong about 1t when it is kept within
bounds OF tolcratiOn for the opinions OF
others. Only tho intolcrnnt get up dis
cord.
WHO is the greatest man ?" asked.
| "Grovcr Clcvcland," said Mr.. ritc.
"Bob Toombs and Goncral Grant," said
! Mr.. Jarrall. "Dr. Atticus Haygood," T."
said Judge Akin, promptly. Jefferson
Davis" snid MIR. Carey. "Ah, there
now," thoy all responded. "Of course
of course. Jefferson Davis was tho
greatest man--the worry greatest man.
When | was called to respond said :
"Nonc or you arc old enough to have
seen tho greatest man, but | saw him
when [ was a lad and ho put his hand
upon my head and said kind and tender
words to me. He was passing through
our town and my father took me to tho
hotel that | might see the greatest and
| best man in the nation. us he called
him. 1t may DC that his bcncdiction
upon NC has bad something to do with
my hero Worship, my idciatry, but my
occaa ional pcrusaI OF his biography and
his speeches have confirmed me in my
| opinions. Iio has been dead forLy-livn
| years. hot sin hcl!rv" that John G..
Calhoun was the greatest mao. llc
was the mohnl upon wh'cn jefferson
| Davis bnilt his own great character"
| Now, see how our little party diner
Cd and their differences can bC traced
to s0mc collateral Influences. Emory
college and John Wesley Mcth0tlism
had something to do with Judge John
Wesley Atkins idOlatry. suspect that
his second choice would bo Judge
u.
| He visited Judge Blrckluy at Clarks-
ville not long ago and listened eagerly
ns he discouraged OF his early lie. "My
MOTHER" said he, "wa6 not an educated
| woman. She WAS not Il beautiful wO-
man. In fact, she was hOmGiy. | never
| SAW her look beautiful but once, Only
Onco, and that was when she was uraG
and was shruudcd for the coffin. Sh,
! locked like an angel sleeping thor,
anu | wcDt Great t"",'a OF sorrow. My
heart Wa = most hr"nkinv. iur she Ia,
been such II hcar, r"Ud M '...n 90 m,..
The judg" ptusCd long rruurcE to wipe
the tears that cainc from his ctvcrnou.
eyes and TO recover his wontcd speech
"But. my i,.!cud, her life and her "a.
ligion was all concentrated IN one
beautiful word, tho most beautiful in
Onr language and that is duty"-duty
IhcrO is no greatness that is really
great without it. My dear mothers
daily life, thought and deed was one Of
duty-duty to God and her family and
nCignbors. Sho never spvNc OF it nor
boastcd OF il, but she acLCG it and " ,
saw it and loved hcr-yc8, we loved
| every feature Of her sweet and hOmcly
facc. ! do not owe all TO her, but do
owe the better part-ycs, all that is
| tender and loving and true"
Mr.. Jarrall spoke OF Gcnorai Grants
greatness as . military commander and
his magnanimity toward us after we
we wore conquered. In that was the
heroism Of his character. Thon nc
spoke OF Toombs' wonderful gifts as un
orator and statesman and patriot. buL
lamented that for so long a time he
failed to set u high moral example to
the young men Of the State. After he
had joined the church he occasionally
| "a Ii /,
setting desire for stinulant and in all
seriousness he spoke Of it to Bishop
Pierce, his lifelong friend, and wanted
u theological explanation.
Now, George" said he, "if 7 am
really converted, why is it that | crave
whiskcy and why is it that | can't re-
sist the desire. II seems TO mo that
a true Christian should have no un-
holy desires. Maybe ! ain not con
! vcrtcd."
Mr.. Fito is an Office holder and an
Office seeker, both OF which arc honor
able to all honorable men and he has
been following Old Grover SO long that
he will not forsaitc him now. MIR. Ca
roy is not trosblcd much with prcscnt
politics. His ideal is dead and he
loves to worship at hie shrine There
arc many OF his mind but they max c
but little noise in the noisy world.
|, too, love to worship there and at
MIR. Calhoun's, too. | love to read what
the great men, his rivals, said about
Mr.. Calhoun when it WAS announced
| in tho Senate that he was dead. Mr..
| Webster said "Iic was o man OF great
genius and commanding talent All
the world admits that. When he last
addressed ua we coulG imagin that wc
saw before us Il Senator from home
whom Rome survived. Ills high char
actcr was one Of unimpcachcd honor
and unspottCd integrity. | DO not be-
licvc ho ovc" had IL selfish motive or
selfish fccliug.' Horny Clay said :
"His genius was OF the very highest
order and the charm Of his presence
and his powers were felt by all who
convcrscd with him." Edward Everett
said Calhoun, Clay and Webster !.
namo them in their proper order
The great thinker, tho great ieadc.,
tho great orator" Duty, patriotic
duty, was his life work. l'vc been
wondering what he had to do with tho
| Monroe doctrine. He was Munroe's g
| ,,f TO-.