Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1901-06-29
| SOUTH CAROLINA STATESMAN.

A SOUTH CAROLINA STATESMAN.
Something of the Life and Times OF
william Lowndes.
New York Tribune.
William Lowndes was one of the most
distinguished southerners IN public life
at the beginning Of the last century,
and his character and his services have
undoubtedly deserved commemoration.
Not much material for a biography is
now available, the manuscript Of a
carefully prepared memoir having mys-
teriously vanished 40 years ago, and
the papers from which it was compiled
having been destroyed in the Charles
ton fire Of 1861. Such remnants Of
family documents as could be found,
together with a few personal reminis-
cences, and the records, official and
other, Of his congressional career have
been woven by his granddaughter into
a more or less consecutive narrative.
Her own modest opinion of her capa-
bility disarms criticism; but the reader
may be pardoned If he does not ap-
proach Mrs. Ravenels subject with
the awestruck reverence apparent in
her somewhat stiff phrases.
Rawlins Lowndes was an American
scion of a family seated on a fine es
tate in England since the days Of
Henry II; he was in 1778 governor of
South Carolina; he was one of the rev.
olutionary leaders, and the judge who
pronounced the first decision in Ameri-
ca against the stamp act. When in
1890 his aiing wife was sent to Europe
for change of climate, her little son
William accompanied her and was
placed in an English school; and there
he fell on evil chance. Tired by game
with older school-fellows one day, the
child sat down on a bank to rest and
fell asleep. The other boys, forgetting
him, went home, and when, after some
time, he was missed he was found still
asleep and half buried in snow. The
school authorities must have been un-
duly stupid in matters of health, even
for that day, for no care was taken OF
him. and before morning rheumatic
fever attacked him. He nearly died,
and never fully recovered. His after
life as a student in Charleston was
marked by grievous disabilities. He
was sometimes taken to school In a
chair, and had to recite lying on a
bench. In spite Of all drawbacks, how
ever, his intellectual achievements were
remarkable. That he had so notable
career as student and statesman when
under strain Of never ceasing weakness
and pain Is testimony to an unusually
resolute character.
Like most well educated young
southerners of his time, William
Lowndes turned to the study OF the
law. A year Of practice convinced him
that he wanted no more Of 1t. He Is
credited with the dry remark that In
that time he had had but one case In
which his conscience and his duty con-
Cured. For the rest Of his life he oc-
cupied himself partly in the manage
ment Of his plantations; but principal
ly with his duties as a member OF the
state legislature, and later as member
of congress. He never held any other
office, though he was in his last years
nominated as president by majority
of the South Carolina legislatures; and
several times he refused cabinet posi-
tions and foreign MISSIONS. including
the mission to France.
The prodigiously tall, thin, pale,
black haired South Carolinian took his
seat in the XIIth. or WAR" congress
when he was 29 years old. 1t was
partly a patriotic desire to see his
country's growth in greatness, and
partly, no doubt, the sight Of South
Cardinals sufferings from the embargo
that led him to speak and vote with
emphasis in favor Of strengthening the
navy and resisting foreign aggressions.
So ardent was his wish for war that
| when at last 1t was proclaimed, ne
sought a commission in the army; but
finding that it could be procured only
on political grounds and would not
insure active service, he gave up the
project in disgust. In the course OF
the war he sometimes voted against his
party when he thought it right. The
case Of the proposed confiscation or
American importations shipped In the
interval between the repeal by Great
| britain of the orders in council and her
| reception of the news that the United
States had declared war Is one in point.
Voting with the Federalists, Lowndes
and his colleagues, Calhoun ana
Cheyes. gave them the majority which
prevented the seizure Of the $5.OOO,OOO
which, however sorely needed by half
empty treasury. did in truth belong In
private pockets. Party lines were then
being more and more closely drawn,
and the amazement in the complaint Of
Felix Grundy: "Gentlemen have as
sumed a strange, high minded posi-
ton in this argument, the force OF
which is, I confess. beyond my COM
prehension."
| In the ten years Of Mr.. Lowndes's
congressional service he worked with
constant energy in spite of his frdil
health. He is remembered for his OPP
| position to privateering; for his
speeches-as impartial as any south
erner at that time could make them
on the admission Of Missouri, and es-
pecially for the early advocacy OF pro-
lection as due to infant industries. hs
chairman of the committee of ways
and means in the session of 1S15-'16, he
presented the resolution asking for the
so-calIed double tax" and thereby