The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1898-11-09
CRADLE OF SECESSION.


areas of country in the Union III re-
spcct Of the large number OF distln-
guishcd men that has been produced,
everything considered, j., that com
priscd in circle Of about thirty miles
radius lying about the city Of Angus
"a. Ga The centre Of the district
would probably lie few miles above
Augusta, up the Savannah Valley"
1t is not a Congressional district, en-
bracing counties in both Georgia and
South Carolina 1t lies among a
splendid asscmblagc Of productive
hills, that rise with their granite
foundations, ironyrcd clay subsoils,
and we'll watcrcd, grassy sides, above
the monotonous sandy stretches going
out from Augusta to the sea. The
district IN point does not include the
city Of Augusta property, but is almost
wholly rural the largest town in it
to-day has only lO,O0O inhabitants,
and the next largest 1000. + 'rmcrly
the urban population was much less.
AS VIC consider it, it is composed
almost wholly Of plantations. There
arc thicAly populated districts, proba-
bly, studded with towns, Of as small
general area III the Union that have
mothcrcd as many tall sons, but it is
doubtful whether any other stretch Of
as rural territory can in such respect
be compared with this. Here have
arisen men who have had an earth
quake tread. 1t is not intended to
debate whether these men were right
or wrong, or whether many Of them
deserve the permanent title Of great
ness; but that upon this little real
stage Of life have been enacted scenes
of great national interest, by strong
men-sccnes whose areas Of insercst
have stretched beyond tho seas, and
whose aftcrclaps have shaken (though
thcy have sometimes shockcd) this
country, cannot be gainsaid.
In this district were born, reared.
and here laborcd the following men:
John G. Calhoun, who twice became
Vice President, twice Secretary Of
War once Secretary Of State, and for
long time Senator; widely regard
ed as the most robust character that
has ever risen up from the South; ;
William Harris Crawford, who came
nearly being President in 1916, was
once Secretary of State, once minister
to France, and for long time Scna-
tor; Alexander II. Stephens, Vice
President of the Confedcracy, long
time member Of Congress and man
OF singular ability; Robert Toombs,
the "Thundcrer," who was the leader
of the Southern party with Jefferson
Davis during the period just preccd-
ing the war, and who, following the
elevation of Stephens to the second
station III the Confederaoy, became
the Confederate Secretary Of State;
Howell Cobb, who was Speaker Of
Congress in 1849, at the age of 81,
Secretary of the Treasury and Presi-
don't Of the Confederate Constitutional c
Congress; George Washington Craw-
ford, Secretary Of State under Presi-
dent Tyler; Armistead Burt, who
served as Speaker in 1848, after the
retirement Of Winthrop Preston
Brooks, who won an unsavory national
reputation from his Gaming Of Charles
Summer; Hcrschel V. johnson, who
was the Vice Presidential candidate
Of the Douglas ticket in 1860, and
Henry Grady, the oratorical saint Of
the South. 1t is the district to-day Of
Tom Watson and Ben Tillman, who,
whatever else be said Of them, were,
Notwithstanding, the two most dra-
matte and striking figures in the
Southern political field during the
national campaign Of 1896. Watson
and Tillman of the present day are
ncighbors, one living twenty eight
miles in westerly and the other
twentyt three miles in northcrly di-
rection from Augusta. The home Of
Watson is within twenty miles of the
old home Of Alexander Stephens.
The home Of Toombs is only twenty
miles from the homes Of Stephens and
Watson. w. II. Crawford and Wat
son were born in the same County,
though later Crawford lived higher up
the valley and opposite and almost in
sight Of Calhoun. Calhoun and Craw-
ford (who could almost see each other 8
backyard across the rivcr,) were rivals
for the Presidency, and either one,
but for the other, might have attained
the goal. The birthplace Of Calhoun
is only forty miles from the home Of
1oomhs fiftv from those of Stenhenc