The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1909-06-25

III widespread attention among all class
n es Of people, giving me great promi-
hence and popularity.
I was invited to make speeches in a
ereat many counties of the State to
Ehieh I had never been, and as op-
bortunity offered I accepted these
Ind made addresses, thus extending
ny acquaintance and knowledge OF
conditions throughout the State, and
IL increasing the number Of supporters
u of the Farmers college idea. Among
those who had been reading the pa
D. pers and thus became familiar with
the subject was Mr.. Thomas T..
Clemson, who was then living the life
of a recluse at Fort Hill, Calhoun s
old home. As I afterwards learned,
upon visiting Mr.. Clemson at his re-
Quest, he had long had in mind the
k necessity for the State to do some
y thing in the interest Of industrial and
scientific education, and on the occa-
sion Of that visit I went to Pendleton
in the fall of 1886, was met by Mr..
Clemson in his carriage, and carried
to his historic home, "Fort Hill"
where T spent the night.
T wish I had the faculty Of describ-
ing the appearance of things at the
old home of John c.. Calhoun as 1t
then appeared and contrasting it with
what appears at Clemson college to-
\ day.
4 Col. D. K. Norris, who had been one
Of nv strongest supporters in the ad-
vocacv of a separate agricultural col
y leee. and Col. R. ". Simpson, met me
at Mr.. Clemson's (being invited by
him to dinner) and the four OF us
sront nearly the whole day IN talking
over ilc cec- project, which Mr.. Clem-
son had in mind, and which he un-
folded to US. At that time Mr.. Glenn
son had made will which he showed
me. in which the scheme was outlined
| to make Fort Hill sort OF Mount
/ Vernon, place Of pilgrimage Tor
those who admired and loved John T.
Calhoun and his political ideas. CoI.
James Rion of Winnsboro, as l re-
\ member. was the trustee, with
U board Of ladies as regents, to be
chosen by Mrs. Rion to direct and
4 control the property, and take care
of it in perpetuity.
Mr.. Clemson talked over TINS
scheme with me and mentioned MS
desire to establish technical ana
IL industrial school such as } had been
u advocating. and gave that as an cH-
nlanation as to why he had invited
4 me TO visit him. His ideas were not
Il clear or we'll defined as to which
4 course he would pursue, but the
I thought Of a great agricultural ana
4eahnical institution grew on MN.
III Such was my conviction OF the
"a strength Of the agricultural college
4 idea, that T felt-~illing to guarantee
y the State of South Carolina would
d ACCEPT the property and begin the
work Of building a college IN his lie
time should he make the donation at
once, and I recall begging him to have
his last years frightened and made
/ happy watching the consummatlon Oh
his cherished plan; but he was the
d most suspicious man in regard to law
vers and the dangers Of getting III
volved in law suits I have ever mel'
D and nothing we could say made any
impression on him to take lmmedla1e
I action. But he did accept our sug-
4 restion in regard to what disposition
he should make Of his property at his
death. and we talked the whole mat
ter over. Col. Simpson making mem
oranda. as he was requested to write
the will and bring it to Mr.. Clemson
at his earliest convenience. ,
Messrs. Simpson and Norris Jolned
with me in urging him to change MS
will so as to carry out this ne" PoA-
nose the same I had been advocatlng'
a. thew were so nearly similar that
e+here we're only slight differences as
to details. ~
Having in view the possible danger
@of the negroes, who are 50 largely IN
&tbe majority in our State. at some
kt;me getting control Of the State
D8Rrovernroent. we suggested the scheme
bf seven trustees. who would be SELL
,ernetuating. and thus make it I'M
POSSIBLE for an adverse leslslato1G 10
9;nw+eck the college, or make it a
cbool to which negroes would be ad~