Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1902-03-20


a scene which our people will never see
again. The view of an old time debaupg
society in a Georgia village. The DOCK
holds the minutes of the Greensboro
Polemic Moral society and gives its constr
tuition. Its first session was the 10th OF
April. 1871 Nicolas Lewis was appointed
chairman and DR.. Lovick Pierce stated
the object of the meeting. A constitution
was provided and the following members
united with the society.
Sterling Grimes, Green Bush, Arch II.
Scott, Robert Martin, Benjamin Jepson'
James Armour, Vincent Sanford Ihonas
r Foster Nicolas Lewis. Ebenezer Tor
renee, Jonathan Pickens, John Bethune
and William B. Holtzclaw. Greensboro
was then about 80 years old. 1t was the
center of one of the richest counties In
the state and was famous as the ABODE Oh
wealth and refinement, The list or mem
hers will be to the Journal readers one
of real interest, for hundreds of them
scattered all through the south and south
west will find their ancestors in this little
group Sterling Grimes, who heads the
list was one of the famous Grymes family
of the northern neck of Virginia and al
forwards of Ebert county.
Green Bush belonged to the famous
Bush family, in whose neighborhood
Methodist annual conference the second
ever held in central Georgia was held in
1905 Arch H. Scott was a classical teach
err the father of Rev. DR.. w. j. Scott,
who died in Atlanta and was so often
contributor to The Journal. Robert Mar
tin belonged, 1 think, to the family OF
North Carolinians into which Steven A
Douglass married. John Armour was a
descendant of Scotch Irishman who
came from Ireland to Virginia and then
to North Carolina and then to Georgia
relatives doubtless of the Armours who
form the colossal provision house or chi
cago.
Vincent Sanford, long the clerk Of the
Greene county court, and noted for his
purity of life, and public spirit, Baptist
Of the best type. Thomas F.. Foster was
the son of George Wells Foster, and the
uncle of Bishop Pierce prominent law
yer. and afterward a member of congress-.
Nicolas Lewis was the brother, 1 think
of Mrs. Hugh A. HARRISON and William
b. HARRISON was a young Virginian
whose son Hugh was afterWard TOT
so long a time a congressman and the
father of Mrs. Gordon, and Mrs. Judge
Bleckley Lovick Pierce was the "old
doctor" then he was a local preacher ana
a practicing physician, and his old home
in Greensboro is still standing. Ebenezer
Terrence was at that time the clerk OF
the court He was the half brother OF
Mrs. Judge Longstreet, and her guardian
and while not a member of the churcn
ten years after this time led Judge Long
street to give up his skepticism and be-
come an earnest Christian and afterward
a methodist preacher.
John Bethune was the famous old gen
eral who in Columbus defied the awful
city council and the mighty mayor and re-
fused to pay tax on the vegetables ne
was selling from his own patch. and
whipped the fight. He was not only fam
To- hut discover
ed Blind Toms genius and made for
tune out of the discovery.
OF Jonathan Bickers ] know nothing, but
I see ever and anon poem of real merit
from d. G.. Bickers, and the name is so
unusual that 1t is likely he is of the same
stock At the next meeting Mr.. John
West and Colonel Nicolas Howard were
admitted to membership. Colonel Howard
was a bright young Virginia merchant,
who was the ancestor OF Judge Howard
Van Epps and of George Muse. John
West ancestor of those Vests who remov-
ed to Polk county.
On each Thursday evening the society
for a while met to discuss profound ques-
lions. The first was as to whether JUS
tice was innate or acquired" There was a
long and animated debate and that justice
was innate Messrs. Bethune, Jepson,
Lewis, r. Martin, J. Martin and DR.. Ray
voted aye.
That it was acquired, was the opinion of
Messers. Bickers, Bush, Foster, HARRISON.
Pierce, Sanford, Scott, Terrence and West.
So 1t was decided it was natural to be
just, fact which think few now dis
pute.
The little society tackled hard questions
and debated them vigorously, and one of
it's questions was as to the future state
of the heather. They debated the question
till IL o'clock on hot June night, and
Messrs. Foster, Lewis, Martin, Pierce,
Ray and Terrence voted for the poor
heather, but Messrs. Bickers. HARRISON,
Sanford, Scott and West refused the poor
fellows a shadow of hope.
Every now and then DR.. Pierce was
wanted to deliver a moral lecture or
preach a sermon. They tackled that ques-
ton, ever living one, us dancing sin
ful?" but it was too weighty a subject for
one evening, and so there was an adjourn
ed term and then the vote was taken.
Messrs. Bethune, Bickers, Foster, How
ard, Martin, Pierce and Terrence said
yes, but Mr.. Nicolas Lewis said nay. Then
they took up the question as to whether
duelling was justifiable and all said nay
except Mr.. Thomas j. Moore, who said
yea. They made a rule that no member
should speak at one time more than two
hours. Then came the question of taking
usury, and there was a close vote, five
against taking and four who said no sin
in 1T, among those in the negative being
my kinsman, Colonel Nicolas Howard.
In November, 1871, Mr.. Terrence pre-
scented the name of a sprightly young
lawyer, A. B. Longstreet. who had now
settled in Greensboro to practice law
Then Julius Afford, the ancestor of AL
bert Cox and Thomas Dawson, joined the
debaters. They discussed the question
as to whether the cultivation of literature
advanced the happiness of the nation
They decided 1t did, but DIR. Roy, Judge
Longstreet and Judge Bethune said no.
They contributed u 1-2c each to buy
candles and candlesticks.
Then the question in which the good
women were interested was warmly de-
bated. rs it morally wrong to follow
fashion in dress?" The debaters took
their places.
Judge Betham. Mr.. Bickers, Mr.. San
ford, Mr.. Woodham, Mr.. Henry Lewis
and strangely enough Mr.. Longstreet said
IT was but Messrs Alfred Haralson Mic
Lewis. West, Redd. Foster, Forrest and
Dawson said it was not. The young law
yer spoke on one side, but voted on the
other and the only ones who voted that
II was sinful to follow the fashions were
DIR. Pierce, Vincent Sanford, Mr.. Bickers
and Henry Lewis. Then came the ques-
ton of mans free agency. 1t was too
weighty a question for one evening, and
so 1t was given a second evening. At