The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1897-08-25
THE RETORT COURTEOUS.
Reply OF Col. John T.. Thomas TO the
Editor of the Press and Banner,

Reply of Col. John Il. Thomas to tn
Editor of the Press and Banner.
To the Editor of the 'Abbeville Press an,
Banner. Abbeville, s C.-Dear Sir; Your re
ply, as II appears in The News and Courier.
have read and duly weighed. l shall try 4
exceed you in courtesy, while l allow you
Ing and my undertaking to stand unchalleng
ed by me. ! Sha try to avoid the use OF th
high-sounding wordsrand phrases which 20,
that simplicity OF English which makes IT
strength to me.
addressed my self to you with real regret
for greatly value all my friendships, your
among them. But my ethics of citizenship d.
not.permit me to allow friendship to iuterfer
with my conception OF duty in matters. pub
lie or official. While cultivating friendly re
lations It does not become US to regard sucl
hostility as comes to US In LIES duties. Some
lone has we'll said:
"He makes no friend who ever made {
foe."
j hope to be esteemed by the foes make 81
well as by the friends attach.
COL. THoMAss POINTS.
But to the point you make:
| l. Allow me to assure you in all honesty
that had no thought Of inviting Judge
Lynch to take your case, proposed only te
Of your county people, not that you might be
assailed In person or in property, but on ly
that you might be subject to the moral pres
2 Nor did assume what you call "the role
Of the bully" That was far from my pur.
pose. Nor let me say do think my language
| justified your deduction-which Is clearly a
non sequitur. l hope that my lifes career has
shown that am too lave bidinglto prom ote the
lynch custom, and too selfrespecting to as.
sumo the function OF the bully.
8. l come now to the essential point ofyour
parlia m en- tary ejoinder, for take offence al
You say that l made no attempt to refute
your assertion that "the politics OF Calhoun
are dead issues" Pray excuse me- aisar
e- than that. In addition to what l argued
gave you the magnificent argument OF
Hammond TO establish that very point.
Recur 10 the extract used.
TESTIMONY OF HAMILTON AND LAMAR.
In addition thereto I commend to you
what the gifted Lamar says on the same sub
ject In his grand oration on the life, character
and public services of the Hon. John G. Cal.
Monument Association and the public, at
Charleston, s. c., In 1887 l might submit
many extracts all OF the same trend. / con.
tent myself with one. The Hon L. @. G.
Lamar says:
Apart from his career as statesman in the
House Of Representatives. where he was con-
spicuous for his nationality In maintaining
the independence for his country among the
years Of service In a.Cabinet office, where his
powerful mind impressed itself on the organ
ization and practical operations Of the execu-
tive department OF the Govern ment; apart
from his long years OF service as Vice Presi-
dent of the United States apart from that un.
paralleled parliamentary career In the United
States Senate, where, opposed by those giants
Of debate, the mighty Webster. of the North,
Senators gifted with talents OF the HIGHEST or
der, he, singlehanded maintained his posi-
ton in those grand orations, one OF which
the best ofjudges has pronoun ced 'unsurpass-
ed by any recorded In modern or, ancient
times, not even excepting that of the great
Athenian on the Crown; ; putting, say, out
of view all his achievements and measures as
a public man constituting as they do some OF
country, be has left, in his writings, consider
ed as the productions Of an author. legacy
which will perpetuate the sway OF bis im NOR.
tai thought over the minds Of men. In all
these writings he has given TO the world pro-
found studies and original views upon the
principles OF governm and free institu.
tion the deepest analysis and the most sys.
tematic classification OF those universal laws
operate silently on human society and infiu.
ence the fate OF nations In all ages OF the
world.
"His published speeches. although made
upon the political measures and the national
policies of the particular time, are philosopbi.
cal expositions OF the genius and structure
and principles of the American Constitution,
replete with heideepest wisdom and the most
ent chapter Of continuous discourse. har.
rnonious part OF connected system OF politi-
cal science. which will place their author
among those great spirits who bless and In.
struct mankind long after the celebrity OF
politicians and statesmen has faded from re.
mem brance."
HAVING EYES BUT SEE NOT.
But If these extracts from Hammond and
from Lamar-intellectual giants-are conclu-
sive with you 10 show that the dead Issues
with which you seek TO bury Calhoun out OF
sight and out Of the mind and hearts OF our
youth are small part OF the legacy he has
left to this Republic and 10 the world, allow
me to give you an illustration to make my
meaning as clear as noonday-to all except
those blind because they do not wish to
see
In the shipwreck OF some rich argosy, al
though the vessel itself be lost, yet the costly
cargo survives 10 be subsequently, brought up
from the bottom Of the sea and utilized after
the storm has blown over, and the waves
again grow quiet.
So in the shipwreck of State. while things
visible on the deck disappear and are lost.
there may be things that never die, which sink
10 the bottom to come up again In new forms
as immortal as truth.
So it is with Calhoun. African slavery, and
Modification and Secession are now dead is-
sues Of Government and Constitution and
well TeSuldleu llUtTly, dUu BouGTal pOllllCh
raised and debated aud fixed by Calhoun
that will never die.
LOGICAL CONCLUSIONS.
But you allege that what you ave writ
| ten was not designed to show any disrespect
| TO either Calhoun's public or private life.
| have not charged you with any attack up
on Calhouns private life.
| But as to his public life, his name and fame
as q statesman, must maintain the justice
Of my every allegation in my protest, and
m ust further claim that what have charged
is logically to be deduced from your severa
editorials. =.
This, however. freely concede, that you die
not SO intend II your comments upon Cal
houn. / do net purpose either TO doubt youl
| disclaimer or TO take any other view of YOU
motive tbIn that you ayow.
| If the concession means peace, I shall bt
PLEASED. In any event desire TO say that ir
protesting against your persistent belittlinf
Sf great memory dear to South Carolina,
/ do not deny you many virtues that 1 hav,
always thought were attached to one wht
has been the busy, upright, independnt arch
itect of his own good fortunes.
am respectfully yours,
]. P. Tomas.
Columbia, S. C., August, 1897.