Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1904-02-24
GRANDMA'S STORY
BIZ Mnrton G. Nroodzcard.

Il was just going TO tell you, Salu
grandmother, "but you interrupted
me, and now for punishment, l will
not relate the story unless yea pro
mise not to speak one word until l
have finished"
To this L readily agreed, and long
before she had concluded the narra-
tive I regretted having ever teased
the dear old lady.
The following is the story in her
own language, 80 to speak:
"Most people of South Carolina
thought that when Lee surrendered at
Appomattox on April 9th 1855, the
long bitter struggle was over, but not
so."
"South Carolina was destined, for
many years yet, to be governed by
men of low morals, who were not only
open in their rascallty but seemed to
take special delight in Haunting, in
the faces of the taxpayers, their i'll
gotten gains.
"These white plunderers who were
all Office holders, were elected by the
negroes, whose votes were obtained
far a mere considerations"
"The negro, who had only enjoyed
freedom for brief season now enjoy
ed the privileges of q member OF the
State Legislature and verify, that
August body frequently adjourned in
order that it's members might attend
some circus, which happened to be in
the capital city"
''To show you how corrupt the legis-
Lot No MOS a, 10 rho n oCtnrjnnS Frank .
lin j. Moses was speaker of the House
of Representatives., he lost bet t
one thousand dollars on the result of
a horse race. The next day the Legis-
lature not only made good his loss,
but voted him an additional thousand
as token of their esteem"
''This was the condition Of the state
lust after the close of the war and
the better class of people were power
lei 8 co act, for the government not un-
derstanding the situation, was not
disposed to interfere. Our slaves, hav
ing all been freed by Mr.. Lincoin's
proclamation and our home burnt by
incensed negroes, we had to begin life
over again, certainly as far as the ac-
cumplation of wealth was concerned"
"We so d half Of the plantation and
from the proceeds erected a small
house which was pitiful indeed in
comparison with our old home"
"a month or two after we were es-
tablished in our new home, your
grandfather was suddenly called to
the capital city, on Important busi-
ness relative to the re-inStating Of the
Democratic party"
"rhere being no one could get to
stay with ME at night, my only alter
native was to remain alone, or trust
myself in the hands of Uncle AlecH,
an old slave who would not leave us
when freed"
"My hesitation, was not due tc any
lack of confidence in Uncle Aleck, but
I knew that he was an old man and [
did not sBowlwhether or not, he fould
be physically able to defend me. if
called pom to dn so. Butl finally de-
cided to risk it. l did not anticipate
any danger, but as those days were
iull of surprises did not know what
might happen"
''The first two days passed very
quietly, and I began 10 think that my
fears were without foundation. How
ever on the third day after my hus-
bands departure, I began to feel un-
easy, fhr an unusual number Of ne
q oes passed the house. all Che morn
ing and my uneasiness as!ainore aseds
by receiving a:letterfrom your grand
father, in which he said that the ne:
groes had held a mass meeting and de-
termixed among themselves to support
the notorious franklin j. Moses in
his race for governor. Now Moses
was notorious plunderer, and was
known as the "prince of thieves"
"This act, on the part of the negroes
brought matters to a crisis. Several
of the ring leaders were severely
whipped at the capital city by the out
ragged whites, who were rising in just
rebellion at the manner in which the
state was being governed. This at
once aroused the negroes, and they
vowed to exterminate the whole Of the
race within the borders
Of the state"
81 could tell by the manner in which
year grandfather wrote, that he was
greatly troubled and in closing he as
sured me that he would come home at
the earliest possible moment, and I'M
der 10 circumstances was to remain
alone, even during tine day."
"All lday long Uncle Aleck and hi,
wife never left the yard, and as night
began to draw on was very uneasy.
indeed. had learned that the negroes
in our vicinity were not inclined to be
hostile to the whites, but strange ne
aroes had made their appearance and
seemed to be WELDING q great influ-
ence over them"
"About sun down, two strange ne
groes stopped at our gate and called
Uncle Aleck out. When he returned
he informed me that they merely asked
where your grandfather was. Of
course, this did not cause Uncle Aleck
auy uneasiness, but to my mind, it
conveyed good many things"
"You surely did not tell them where
Mr.. Garrett was, I asked Uncle Aleck.
he replied that he did not tell them
where Mr.. Garrett was, but merely
asked them to state their business, and
they refused to do 30, intlmating that
it was of a private nature"
"Had it not been so late would
have abandoned the house to its fate
and sought refuge at neighbor's, but
the home of our nearest neighbor was
two miles. and not being a fast walker
I knew could not reach it before
nig hit, then perhaps would fli.d no one
at home"
"However, I tried to console myself
with the fact, that / had always been
kind and considerate to the negroes,
and they rad no cause in the world to
harm me. Pehaps, after all, the ne
groes which called Uncle Aleck out to
the gate did not have any evil motive
in view, But then on the other side,