The Lancaster news. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1905-current, 1922-03-10


at tho evidence . minute. Mr.. Par
ton. in his history. admits that Jack
son said he was born In South Caro-
lima and that he lived in South Caro-
lima till 1884: but he said Jackson
did not know whether he was born
there or not. That is tho basis OF
this new statement made. which vas
vamped up In 1s5s-"that Jackson
said he was born in South Carolina.
but he did not know"
set out below nine documents.
each signed by Jackson. in each of
which he asserts that he was a ma
tive OF Lancaster county. 8. c.; IL
statements in all. signed by him. In
20 years. But Parton says he did
not know. To be sure he only knew
what he had been told. but he had
canvassed the question. because he
says. In answer to the direct ques-
tion. in his letter OF August IL,
1924. to Witherspoon:
II was born In South Carolina. as
1 have been told. on the plantation
whereon James Crawford lived"
And 30 forth.
In other words. the question had
been up and Jackson had canvassed
the question: he had asked the wit
nesses, and necessarily, he had ac-
cess to the best witnesses in the
world-his mother, his brothers.
and his uncles-and their testimony
to him is the testimony which he
transmitted to us. No question can
be raised as to his belief In 1t. aud
he was not the man to believe fairy
tales.
To complete the statements Of
Jackson. l will set out as Exhibit A
the report OF the Historical Com
mission OF South Carolina to the
general assembly in 1908. which
gives the whole controversy. 1t
contained photostatic copy OF the
map made by Eugene Reilly, OF
Lancaster county. in 1920. on which
is the same statement as is found in
Mills's and Boykin's maps herein re-
ferred to and set out. Gen. Jack
sons birthplace" on the Crawford
land in Lancaster county. S. c. This
map is On fle with the historical
commission in Columbia. s. c. Mr.
Parton also stated that one OF his
witnesses. James Faulkner. q man
dead SO years. said that Jackson and
he were once sleeping together at
the McKemey house in North Caro-
lima and Jackson told him that he
was born in that house. Parton
says Jackson did not know. and
thereby destroys the truthfulness OF
his main witness or the truthfulness
of the man who claimed to have
heard Faulkner say SO and related II
to him.
But let US see what Jackson said
about it. and while he did not know
himself where he was born, still
there is not n man here that knows
where he was born: but there is no
man living who lived with his moth
er Is years whose mother has not
told him where he was born. and
that is evidence that is taken in all
OF. law. because II is consider
ed primary evidence. Now. l want
to put before you a letter written by
Jackson in 1924 to James H. With
erspoon.
In 1924 James H. Witherspoon.
OF Lancaster. S. c.. asked him the
exact question. He replied promptly
and frankly as follows:
Nashville, August IL. 1924.
Dear Sir: Your letter of the oath
ultimo' is just received. and al
though an entire stranger to you,
feel a lively interest in your pros
perity and that OF your family, your
lady being the descendant of dis
tant relation by marriage and one
for whom l had a sincere regard,
being raised together mean your
lady's mother. / have had a great
wish to revisit my native state and
once more mingle with those friends
OF my Juvenile days who may still
be living. but l have been hitherto
prevented by circumstances over
which 1 had no control. and l am
now prevented from accepting the
opportunity that the friendly invi-
tation OF my fellow citizens through
you would now AFFORD for many rea-
sons unnecessary now to enumer-
ate: next spring may afford me an
opportunity with my family OF Wis
ting the country that gave me