The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1909-11-17
SAW ELEVEN PRESIDENTS.
Remarkable Record Held b. Mr.. ". F. Clay.
tor Of the Florence Bar.

We are on The eyer q! cccc.vln" III
our city t::e president OF the ni:cG
States. i, is IN honor 20 Florence that
NJ will grace onr c:Cy with MS pres. nee,
AM; Il il snoult: De-. my :o-;anc "a sec him
can SAY VIVA: tcw living men can SAY
that have seen eleven presidents and
one king.
In 1872. Hny father moved ::om At:;-
c;l>. Ga. 20 W&sh!ncr"n city. 20 acccp:
The position c: SECOND auditor q! the
treasury. under The administration of
President rayior. was t!Icu SIX years
OLD: have Il very indist;ac: recoilec-
ton o: President Taylor. although my
father carried ne 20 one OF bis levers.
but o. his funeral have = vivid rccoi-
lection. MS old war horse. Whitley. was
o! the olG Gencra! struog &c! oeS the sad
die. and The feet Il: thc s,irs'up>- next
saw ?rrSidcD. Fillmore In those days
the presidents walked The streets as an
individual. No one thought Of hartnlnG
him: ali wou!d have projected him with
their lives. There WAS no anarchists ia
the country then The mex, tha; SAN
was Pre>idcn. Pierce. then PreSldcn;
Buchanan. who made II u part o: his
CAY life 10 walk around Lafayette
square several times before his dinner.
l.; WAS during his administration that
the Prince oi Wales visited this country
aud MAS entertained :! the White House.
aad al: Smal! party given in homer b.
President Buchanan. that Hiss Harriet
Lane. IN my estimation the grande>i
woman this couatry has ever produced.
included NE. :: boy OF about IL years. IN
the invitation OF my father and mother,
aud had the pleasure OF shaking hands
with The now railing sovereign C: Eng
land. Vt that time NY father w:s AS
SiS.ant secretary OF the treasury. having
served eight years as second auditor.
BE afterwards served TWO years is as-
Sis;ant secretary OF the Confederate
States treasury unGe- the secretary. Nr.
OF Charleston.
While in Peru after his death. where
lie served aS Cai;ed States conSu! ~
Caia!o. under The administration o.
President Grant. an appointment made
by Secretary Hamilton Fish. an old
Wig who had formed Z friendship for
my father duricg the Taylor admins
tca;ion. AS vice coDSu! 1t Gallo rn-n-
toned the fac. 70 az Eag!iShnac that
had shaken hands with the Prince OF
Wales He replied that there were
many EngiiShnep who would give $50
O00 20 say that. ! replied aS my bant;
account IS somewhat low | Will sell out
a; hait price next shook hands with
President Lincoln. ~ his first !eree. We
30; leaving Washington Until -April. be
being !nauyGratcG on March !. saw
Andrew johnson. 60; :S president, but
as one OF the senators from Tennessee:
he wi, at,erwardS president. | had eX-
President Tyler pointed on: 10 me 10
Richmond Va. While = member OF :he
house Confederate congress. next | saw
PresiGent Cleveland. Presidents Hayes
and Harrison. and II see President
Taft it viii be my eleventh president,
am DOW &c years old. or President
HAYES | w!l. say tina: he was the most
courteous: and soci:.! ,nan | have ever
me: ~ 40 exalted Official. .Iy father
bad died in PERI, shortly after he came
iato Office and Alexander Stevens aud
Gen. John s. Gordan. with others, had
my brother. l.obert
TooIneS Clayton, WHO was il Peru with
my father. :" his position. Armed with
letters from them. went 10 Washing
ton and when presented mvseli in the
White House an.e-room, wkS:e ~ least
200 applicants were seated, sen, IL my
card. bat nv heart went down iu my
boots Eel: could never see him. but
70 my surpri>e and The surprise OF the
crowd n waiting. rs soon IS the party
inside came out. the usher announced
the presiGen, will see Mr. Clayton OF
South Carolina Ard il be had known
ae for ycaSs he could not have been
!.ore cordial lie did not give me time
% explain NY business. our stated that
le had received letters from Alex.
stevens and Gen. Gordon and had de-
.erm:ced 10 make the appointment. II
vas President Hayes that remored the
.-oaps from South Carolina in our dark
lays. ". +. CLAYTON.