The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1897-08-18
In Reply.
Abbeyllle, S. g., Aug. II. !

Abbeyllle, s. e., Aug. II. 1877.
To Col. John =. Thomas:
Dear Sir: Your letter to me In the COL
umns of the daily newspapers has been read.
Always having had the highest respect for
your education, and especially for your re-
fined banners and the courtly conduct which
has characterized your intercourse with gen.
tlemen, l was unprepared TO see your name
attached TO such a screed.
Knowing your familiarity with the classics
1t is surprising TO me that you should SO far
forget yourself and your learning as to aban.
don their methods for the manners Of those
newspapers which substitute temper for rea-
son.
l feel that II you had been clothed in your
right mind that you could have seen no disre.
spect in my editorial TO either Mr.. Calhoun's
public or private life. His public life was
blameless. His private life was lovable.
1t was to the cheap utterances OF politicians
who know even less of Calhoun than you
would appear to know OF the Greeks and Ro-
mans to which l objected.
But asserted that the politics of Calhoun
are now dead issues-an assertion which you
In no way attempted 10 refule, but which In
the condition of your mind, you, In
some way, seem to construe as an assault on
his public or private life, and then simply be.
cause l did not swallow the dead issues
for which the great Carolinian contended,
you make a pitiiul appeal for the lynching Of
the editor Of the Press and Banner.
Familiarity with the customs and habits OF
this newspaper has no doub. Informed you
that 1 do not notice the oh ,rping CT every
tomtit who chooses TO exhibit his Ill man.
nerS.
But because OF your high standing among
the respectable people OF this State. cannot
without entering a protect-allow you to as
sumo the role of the bully Ia your effort TO
have the editor of the Prens and Banner
lynched.
II you had had my article explained to you
by any ordinary English speaking person,
you would have understood that I believed
tina slavery, and all the collateral principles
for which Calhoun commended are now dead,
and that l made no reflection whatever on
the purity of bis public acts and that no ref.
erence was had to his private character.
But I can conceive bow a gentleman of ele-
CANT leisure who has so long delved into the
literature Oh Tue uedu lduB udBcsY duu viz
spends SO much OF his time airing his facili-
ty for using high sounding words and phrases
may become so far carried away as
not to be able to distinguish the difference be-
tween the dead issues of the past and the liv-
Ing principles of the present.
Because of the high respect in which / have
heretofore held you, / have carefully avoided
disagreeable personalities. l have tried to be
respectful to you under irritating circum'
stances. 1 have endeavored to avoid any ex-
hibition Of the lack OF the amenities which
are due from one gentleman to another.
Your letter Is so unlike anything that I
have heretofore conceived ofyou that l let
It's temper and disrespect pass.
Trusting that your letters in future may be
pitched from a plane which is worthy OF you
and that our correspondence may hereafter
be OF a more pleasant nature,
am respectfully,
Editor Abbeville Press and Banner.