davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1902-10-29
"Whv, ves." said the officer,

"Why, yes," said the officer,
cit is"
"And I am entitled to all the
ri ghts and privileges of a citizen
of the United States, am l not?"
"I suppose you are," was the
reluctant reply.
"Then, sir, under the Eman-
cipation Proclamation of Presl.
dent Lincoln, and by virtue OF
these free papers made before
that proclamation was issued. L
am a citizen of the United States,
with all the rights and privil-
eyes that any citizen has. You
are especially enjoined by that
proclamation to see that I and
all of my race are protected in
our legal rights, are you not:"
Yes" replied the officer, who
saw that he was cornered.
'sThen I request that you leave
my property untouched, for
otherwise I shall call upon the
president of the United States
to know whether Or not this
proclamation is more than an
empty form"
The agent and his escort went
back to Vicksburg. Montgome-
ry at once addressed a letter to
to the commanding officer at
Vicksburg. setting forth that he
was a free man OF color, the le-
gal owner of certain plantations,
which were specified by name;
that an officer Of the United
States had called upon him and
endeavored to deprive him of
his property without due process
of law, and he demanded Of the
commanding officer his protec,,
ton and that of the United
States. Still, the spoil was too
rich to be relinquished by the
treasury agents without a fight,
and in despair, Montgomery de-
cided upon a great stroke. He
called upon the Federal com
mander at Vicksburg and asked
that a lieutenant and guard be
put in charge at Brierfeld for
ten days time, and also for leave
to travel on government boat
bound for Cincinnati. He had
resolved to visit Washington,
see President Lincoln, and lay
the case before him personally.
He chanced to know Judge Holt,
then Judge advocate of the army.
When he arrived in Washington,
he at once went to see him, and
asked to be taken to the presl-
dent. -.
Pm a free man, now Judge" !"
he said. "You have known me
for many years. I want you to
take me to Mr.: Lincoln and tell
him what my character is, for l
have important business with
him."
Judge Holt went with Mont
gomery to Mr.. Lincoln.
s:Mr. President" "he said, "thls
is Ben Montgomery, who for 81
wears, has been the private Sec
retary of Jefferson Davis.
! "Private secretary" qulred
Mr.. Lincoln.
eyes," said Judge Holt, "that
| is what I said. He is an honest
man, and what he says is true.
The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1902-10-29
opinion of Justice MCGOWAN.

On account of the long time
during which the interest had
been accruing on the bonds, it
looked as if the decision of the
United States supreme court
amounted to the practical confs-
cation of the property in the
townships involved, and in some
manner the general assembly has
been induced to submit the ques-:
ton of amending the constitu-
ton of the state so as to enable
these towns to escape the heavy
burden they have incurred.
It seems that the United States
supreme court has repeatedly
held that all taxes must be col
lected through the regular
agents of the corporation against
which they may be levied. I'm
der the constitution of the State
as it now stands, each township
is a corporate body, and this
proposed amendment is intended
to dissolve the corporate powers
of the townships mentioned, so
as to leave no legal way for the
collection of the taxes they seek.
to avoid. The proposed amend
ment, it is understood, is to ap-
ply only to these ten townships.
In their representations to the
vot of the state, the people of
the ,wnships especially inter
ested, claim that although the
proposed amendment may look.
like an attempt to repudiate an
honest debt, as a matter of fact
it is nothing of the kind: but
only an effort on the part of the
State to uphold it's own supreme
court against the supreme court
of the United States. In other
words, to prevent the supreme
court of the United States from
forcing upon the people of these
townships the payment of an al
legged debt which the supreme
court of South Carolina has de-
clared to be null and void.
It must be confessed that the
whole proceeding is rather a
curious one. The people OF the
townships most directly inter
ested, have our deepest sympa-
thy; but we are frank to say
that we cannot give their pur-
pose in this matter our approval.
We do not think it right. Their
representation to the contrary
Notwithstanding, it looks to US
like reputation, and rather than
put itself in the position of being
a repudiator, we think the State
could better afford to assume the
entire debt and pay the bond
holders to the last cent. This
would hardly be just to the
State; but it would be more hon
est than the plan that is pend
ing.-Enquirer.
The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1902-10-29
The Proposed Amendment.

AS will be noted from the Of
fetal advertisement, published
by the election commissioners,
at the approaching general cleo
ton voters will be called upon to
decide whether or not there shall
be a certain amendment to Sec
ton II. Article VII, of the con-
stitution, relating to counties
and county government.
The object of the proposed
amendment is to relieve certain
townships in Greenville, Green
wood, Laurens and Saluda coun-
ties--ten innumber- from certain
bonded Indebtedness on account
of which these townships claim
that they have never gotten any
value.
Briefly stated, the facts in the
case are about like this: Some
years ago, the ten townships IN.
dicated voted bonds in behalf Of
a certain railroad enterprise that
was projected through them;
The bonds were duly issued and
sold to :'innocent holders," but
the railroad was never built, and
when the coupons were present,
ed for collection, the townships
refused to pay. The bondhold
ers sued, and the State supreme
court, by a vote of two to one,
decided in favor Of the town
ships. The bondholders appeal
ed to the United States supreme
court. and that tribunal decided
in their favor-that the bonds
were a just and valid obligation
and should be paid.
The decision of the United
States supreme court was along
the line Of it's previous holdings
! in similar cases. It critlclses
! rather severely the opinion
given out by the majority of the
State supreme court-Justices
McIver and Simpson-anda afirms
almost in detail the dissenting
The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1902-10-29

He wishes to see you on impor-
tant business, and I will leave
you and him to transact it. "-and
Judge Holt left them alone.
"Well, what can I do for you:
my friend?" asked Mr.. Lincoln,
after the Judge had gone.
Montgomery related what had
occurred. ':Mr. Davis has been
very kind to me-" he went on,
land I did this as much to help
him as to help myself. This
war is nearly over. I believe
that your people will succeed.
What you will do with Master
jeff, 1 do not know; but I am 60
ing to do my best to keep his
wife and children from starv-
ing"
MIR. Lincoln was deeply NOV
ed. "Do you mean to tell me, "
he asked, "that you have been
Mr.. Davis's secretary all these
years."
II donot know what you would
call it, Mr.. President" the Ne:
gro replied, "but for 30 years |
have written his business letters
looked after the affairs of the
plantation, carried large sums
of money to New Orleans and
Cincinnati for him, and have had
his fullest confidence in every
way. In all his life he has neV,
er spoken to me an unklnd
word"
"Do you know of any other
such case as yours, Montgome-
ry?" asked tbs president, as he
rose and paced the floor.
"No, sir, l do not" was the
reply; "but, doubtless, there are
such cases. Now, Mr.. Presi-
dent, what I want you to do is
this: I want you to give me a
writing directing all military
and civil officers to protect me
in the possession of my proper
ty."
The president sat at his desk,
and then and there wrote an or
der which enjoined upon all mil
itary, naval, and civil officers
the protection Of BENJAMIN
Montgomery, the owner of three
plantations that were named,
and directed that he be given
any assistance he might require
| in furtherance of these orders.
It was signed, ':Abraham Lin,
-coln." This was about August
/, 1864.
Montgomery went home and
at once showed his letter to the
commander at Vicksburg, who
| issued orders that he should be
protected in the possession of his
property. The president direct
ed the secretary of the treasury
to instruct agents to let Mont,
gomery alone, and he was not
disturbed. After the war, ne
went quietly ahead with his bu;
siness. He saved money, and
kept the hands pretty we'll to-
gether, though they were few.
During the years of reconstruc'
ton. Montgomery went on
with his cotton growing, and at
tended closely to business: His
credit in Vicksburg and New
Orleans was equal to that OF any
The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1902-10-29

than four. hundred and fifty
bales, for the south then needed
corn and foodsupplies more than
it did cotton, and so the land
was devoted largely to food
crops. Then, early in 1868,
came the Emancipation Procla-
nation of President Lincoln,
and with it to the south, the
equally dangerous Act of con-
fscation. This latter was put
into execution, wherever posi-
BILE, with great energy. Treas
ury agents, armed with all the
forms of law, or without them
sometimes, seized all property
belonging to the list Of suspects
as soon as it came under the
protection of the Union armies.
Then, for the first time in his
life, Ben Montgomery asked
permission to visit Richmond.
"Dear Marse Jeff," he wrote,
II want to go to Richmond to
see you, and I want to so right
away. There is something that
l want to tell you that I dare
not write, so do please let me go
to Richmond at once"
Mr.. Davis could not imagine
what the Negro had on his mind,
but wrote him to come, and sent
him the necessary permit for a
slave to travel.
"Marse jeff" said Ben, when
he arrived at Richmond and had
an opportunity to talk with his
master, "you know Mr.. Lincoln
has issued what he calls on en-
ancipation proclamation, and
with it another proclamation
confscating the property OF GER
tain arch-rebels,as he calls them.
Now, they are going to confs-
cate your property just as soon
as they get a chance. Suppose
YOU and Master Joe sell me your
estates, and do it before the
! Yankees capture our country" "
"Why, Ben," MI. Davis said,
you are a slave and can't hold
property in Mississippi"
s:That is true;" said Ben, ''but
YOU can set me free. Make out
two sets of free papers. Give
me one set and keep one your
self. Then make out a third pa
per, which shall say that under
certain conditions the free pa
pers are to be cancelled"
The conditions were that the
Federals should capture the
city of Vicksburg, and the Davis
estate which lay IS miles below.
| ::Why, Ben, that's an excel
; lent idea. Let me think it over
for day or two, Mr.. Davis said.
He talked it over with his
brother Joseph. 1t was impor,
tant to them that they should
have the income of this estate.
If the Federal soldiers should
capture Vicksburg, about the
first property they would con-
fscate and plunder would be the
Davis estate. But, if this pro
perty belonged to a Negro, freed
before the capture of Vicksburg
then, under the Emancipation
! Proclamation, it would be his,
and could not be seized by the
Federal agents. The plan prom
The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1902-10-29

ised we'll, and the Davis brothers
after consultation, decided to
adopt it. Jefferson Davis loaned
to Ben, for the purpose of max
ING the sale. $4,000. The con-
sideration for the estate was $50,
900, on 10 years time, with in
terest at six per cent. Knowing
there would be some trouble
about the matter, the legal pa,
pers we're drawn with excep-
| tional care. John A. Campbell,
who resigned his place on the
United. States supreme bench
when the war began, was the at
torney; at the same time he drew
Ben's free papers, with a clause
in each that, under certain con.
ditions, the free papers should
become null and void.
Returning to Brierfeld, Mont
gomery had all the papers
promptly recorded in the proper
offices in Warren county, Miss.
Events speedily showed that he
acted wisely, for in less than a
week after Vicksburg fell, in
July, 1868, an agent of the
United States treasury depart
ment appeared at Brierfeld tc
take possession of the goods,
chattles, and movables on the
plantation, preparatory to for
! NAL confscation of the property
by the United States. The
agent travelled in state, escorted
by a troop of cavalry, only to be
met by Montgomery, who mild,
! ly asked his business.
II have come" said the agent,
"to take possession of all nova
BILE goods and stores on Jetfer'
son Davis's plantation"
ssNfr. Davis owns no planta'
ton in this section of the coun'
try" Montgomery rejoined.
"Then to whom does this place
belong?" quired the astonished
officer.
"These three plantations: D
answered Montgomery, calmly,
"concisting Of the Hurricane,
Palmyra and Brierfeld estates,
are my property
"You don't suppose that I'll
believe such a story as that, dc
you?" asked the agent.
THE story that | have told
YOU is true in every respect, .
said Montgomery. IF you will
come into the house, [ will show
you all the papers, and you can
decide upon their legality"
The agent was a lawyer, and,
when he looked over the deeds,
he saw that a correctIlegal trans:
fer had beer made. But he saio
in triumph:--
"At the time this sale was
made, you we're slave, You
could not hold real estate II
Mississippi"
Thereupon Montgomery, with
a smile, handed the agent his
free papers, made out legally
verified four days before the
title to the real estate was pass
ed.
"Now," said Montgomery:
this country is under the pro
lection of the United States, is il
| potSn
The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1902-10-29
BOXING THE COMPASS.
The Test Between Sailor and =
Lzndlubbcr.

Landlubber.
Boys who live in seaport towns are
sometimes asked to ''box the compass"
If they can do it quickly and accurate
IL, they are fine sailors and may grow
up to be the captain Of a four master.
If they miss point or can only do it
slowly, they are landlubbers and will
never see blue water. To box the CON-
pass means to name all the points in
order just as fast as you can speak.
This is the way an old down east skip
per viii rattle it off: North, nor by
east, nor-nor'east, nor'east by north,
northeast, nor'east by east, east-noT
east. east By north, east, east by south,
east-sou'east, sou'east by east, sou'east,
sou'east by south, sou'-sou'east, SOU BY
east, south, SOU by west, sou'-sou' west
sou'west by south, sou'West, sou'West
by west. west-sou'west, west by south,
west, west by north, west-nor west,
nor'west by west, nor'west, norwest
by north, nor'-nocwest, nor By west,
north.
SIu you 10 IL.
If q needle is drawn q few times over
the ends Of a horseshoe magnet, it be-
comes magnetized. Push such mag
netized needle through small cork.
Place the cork in bowl Of water, TAX
ing pains 10 see that the cork when it
floats on the water will carry the nee
die in horizontal position or 'on an
even keel" Another way is to cut
about three inches from hollow straw
(such as is used to suck lemonade) and
to push the needle inside the straw.
The straw will float and carry the nee
die. Now observe what happens. The
floating needle will slowly swing round
till it points north and south. The
straw will behave in the same way.
Push it in any other direction, and the
moment it is free it swings back again.
We do not know who first observed
the fact that floating magnetized nee
die will point to the north. Nor do we
know precisely when or where some
unknown inventor used this idea to
make compass. All we know is that
the Chinese made and used compasses
more than 1000 years ago.
When men began, perhaps 10000
years ago, to sail upon the water, they
used marks upon the shore to guide
them on their way. Long years after
they observed that certain star kept
at all times the same place in the sky,
and they used this pole star as a guide
In steering their ships. Today steam
ship starting down the Hudson river
for Europe is guided by the pilot, and
he uses the buoys, beacons and other
guide marks to steer the ship down the
bay. Of Sandy Hook he gives up the
ship to the captain, who instructs the
helmsman to steer northeast by east
east by north or whatever course be
selects, and the helmsma1, watching
the compass, keeps the ship headed in
that direction.-Dallas News.
The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1902-10-29
STORY OLA FAITHFUL SLAVE.
How Ben Montgomery Saved the Jeff Davis
:. Plantation.

Plantation.
When, in 1885, Jefferson Davis
later president of the Confedera'
cy, left the regular army, his
elder brother, Joseph, gave him
Brierfeld, a splendid plantation
of two thousand acres on the
Mississippi river, a few miles
below Vicksburg, and a number
Of slaves. These latter included
a growing negro boy called Ben
Montgomery, whom Mr.: Davis
made his body servant. The lad
was unusually intelligent, and Mr..
Davis saw that in him we're capa,
bilities not common to the AT,
rican race. He taught him to
read, and then to write and
soon he became and admirable
assistant. He was not only
Jefferson Davis's body servant,
but also his private secretary,
book-keeper, and general fac
totum. His penmanship was
beautiful, and his plantation
bookkeeping, in it's simplicity
and accuracy, was the envy and
admiration of the countryside.
He knew more of the business OF
the Davis brothers, except them
selves. than anyone else.
After Jefferson Davis entered
politics, Ben Montgomery be-
came still more useful. When
the master was on his long cam
paign tours, or in Washington,
Montgomery had authority tc
open letters not marked as pri'
vate, and to answer them; he
had power, in writing answers,
to transact any business neces,
sary for the plantation. By
this time Montgomery had come
to have absolute charge of the
Brierfeld estate. He did not
Interfere with the management
of the Negroes, or with any
thing else under the overseer'S
purview: but the general busi
ness OF the place he transacted
without consulting anybody ex
cept his master.
When Jefferson Davis left
Washington, in 1861, after re
signing his seat in the senate
he went to Brierfeld. His estate
was his sole maintenance. Il
was certain that, during the i'm
pending struggle, he must be
absent much Of the time, ane
whom should he leave in charge
of the estate? Finally JOSEPH
Davis asked, "Why not Bel
Montgomery" and the sugges
ton was adopted. The usua
white overseers were left II
charge ofthe farming operations
but to the slave. Ben Montgome
rv. was instructed the fnancia
part of the business, under thf
direction of his master. Jht
cotton crops Of 1861 and 1o5:
were good, and, although ther'
was some trouble about market
ing the crop of the latter year
it was finally sent to New Or
leans, and later, warehoused Il
Liverpool, to be sold when tn
money it might bring would b.
needed. There were not mor'
The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1902-10-29
Look Out For Fever.

Biliousness and liver disorders at
this season may be prevented by
cleansing the system with DeWltt's
Little Early Risers. These famous
little pills do not grippe. They move
the bowels gently, but copiously, and
bv reason of the tonic properties,
give tone and strength to the glands.
The r. B. Loryea Drug Store.
The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1902-10-29
Have You Thought Of Your Winter Millinery ?

Our great line of Millinery is relete in detail and
YOU only could visit other cities and what you would nave TO
for the same class OF hats as we are seng 20" "0oo
There millinery department in the State that carries ner
goods and there that sells hne gooos as
cheap Cheap shoddy millinery has place in our store
The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1902-10-29
Fame.

&When I grow up,' remarked Bobby
Toushmuscles, 81 am going to be the
peoples choice"
'sPugilist or president?' asked Tom
my Sharpboy.-Cincinnad Commercial
Tribune.
The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1902-10-29

Every one should occasionally say
'fWhoaw to himself. Because MS
friends do not say it does not indicate
that be doesn't need it-Atchlson
Globe.
The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1902-10-29
Have You Ever Thought

That The Jenknson Dry Goods Store carries line of
Fine Goods Silks and Dress Trimmings of the
county There but few houses in large cities that
larger stock of Fine Dress Goods than carried by
wishes Silk Dress of kind she get
here it made right here and trimmed the latest
styles and all this done for third less than have
large cities When you want the latest styles in fine Dress
Goods here is the place to
The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1902-10-29

An orange tree In full bearing has
been known to produce $1,000 oranges;
g. lemon tree. 5000 lemons.
The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1902-10-29
Have You Thought Of
Floor Coverings ?

There's house in the county that carries such line OF
Floor Coverings you will displayed here soreat
ngs Carpets Rugs Cloths Art Squares and Lnoleums
large and complete line of Spring Roller Shades Curtain
Poles every description Window Draperes Scs and Cur
tainettes in large variety.