Year: 1874

ly three hundred millions of dollars, and the
day is not far distant when the production of
cotton p the Southern States will amount to
ten million bales, and our sons will live to see
more cotton manufactured into yarns and
cloth in the Southern States than is now con.
suned in North America. The mineral re-
sources of the South, especially in coal and
iron ore, startle the Imagination, while her
forests will equal those of all Europe.


! For our cotton, rice and sugar estates, there
; is no labor equal to that of the freedmen.
. Why should they not cooperate with us atthe
! ballot-box as we'll as in the cotton fields ?


They are as much interested in good gov
ernment and wholesome laws as you or l..
We owe them a debt of gratitude for their
! humane consideration Of the wives and chill
! dren of our soldiers during the late war.
Their subsequent conduct has been equally
creditabe, especially when you consider their
sudden elevation from slaves to enfranchised
citizens. In my opinion they are more to be
relied on in the rice and cotton fields of the
Carolinas than some specimens OF Immigrants
we have seen fresh from Castle Garden. Let
me not be misunderstood heart is in the
cause of immigration and no one will well
come more heartily than steady influx Of
the right kind of immigrants-either from
our own or foreign lands


A few words more and | have done. An
early acquaintance of mine felt it his Christian
duty to warn young men to beware of ,cidoars );
my last word Of caution to you is to be'oare OF
laaryers. Lawyers, you know, must live; that
fact discovered in my youthful verdancy.
Having been advanced from the position of
an humble clerk to that of partner in a re-
spectacle mercantile house, | felt that my ee-
vation would be complete if could only con.
suit an attorney, one learned in the law, and
brother Methodist too My idea was to get
about five, not exceeding ten dollars worth Of
legal advice from this chip of the block.
Well, l was indulged with an interview. |
began to submit my case to the learned gen.
tleman, which was short and simple, at least
as l understood the matter but not so with
my attorney and legal adviser. His counte-
nance changed; sadness and deep concern
overspread the face that a few moments before
was so bright and happy. He arose, walking
on tip toe to the door, closed it softly, looked
in every corner of the room, and then at the
ceiling to be sure that we were alone. With
plaintive, trembling voice, and his whole
face now covered with clammy, cold sweat,
he informed me in few brief words that my
case was desperate. Nothing but legal knowl-
edge and influence with the court could save
me from utter ruin. And now it was my time
to grow pale my heart went right down into
my shoes nothing saved me from fainting but
rushing into the fresh air. I wished l was
again clerk, with fifty dollar salary and
board in the old wagon yard hotel. The in
terview lasted about fifteen minutes 1 felt it
would be wicked to distress my friend and
legal adviser again with matters which inter-
ested me only ; so I did not seek second in.
terview but he did, and by this time he had
quite recovered. l asked him to allow me to
settle that little fee. He made sort of legal
reply, which / interpreted to mean that there
would be no change for the triling services
rendered. The next day received, through
the postoffice, polite communication, enclos.
ing bill to G. w. w. for professional SER
vices rendered, five hundred dollars! My as
tonishment was about as great as it was when
Gen. Gilmore unroofed this building, in which
we now stand, with shell thrown from the
Swamp Angel on Morris Island. In the deep
anguish of my soul l sought another legal ad-
wiser, and poured out my grievances to him.
Col. G. said "Mr. w. it is not professional
to be consulted on such matters but, con6den-
TALLY, 1 will say the charge is an outrage!
My advice to you, however, is to settle the
bill without litigation, and for this advice |
charge you only two hundred and fifty dol
lars?'


Here was half of my estate being swallowed
up, just for the luxury of having two inter
views with gentlemen of the bar. Two
years hard work engulfed in two short inter-
views with lawyers. So you cannot be sur
prised, young men, at my word Of caution :
beware of lawyers My ambition in that
line was gratifed. For several years after es.
tablishing mercantile house in your city, l
was my own legal adviser but when began
to buy houses, form new partnerships, make
wills, and the like, it became necessary to Sc
lect an attorney. I consulted an old and tried
friend upon that subject. He informed me
that there was nothing like the Charleston
bar in talent, integrity, and virtue, this side
of Boston. Said he, there is my attorney,
Petigru you can trust him, not only with your
soul, but with your money too. Indeed, you
cannot 20 amiss in selecting from the old mem
bers of the Charleston bar. But, Mr.. Will
liams, selecting an attorney is very serious
thing -pery. And remembering my Augusta
experience, I groaned a responsive amen
1t is, Mr.. Williams, almost as important as
choosing wife and you know, Mr.. Williams,
if you were in search of a wife, you would not
be likely to select from among the old ladies,
however clever they might be. Another
amen from me gave my friend to understand
1 appreciated fully his touching words of
counsel. Isummed him up thus: In choos-
ing wife, I must select from among the
Youthful and the same rule must govern in
the selection of a legal adviser. l followed
his advice to the letter, and from among the
large number of the then prominent young
men at the Charleston bar I chose one, in
whom l have ever since confded, and of him
will say today, that he has been faithful as
friend, as he has been able and successful as
an advocate. He is with us now. Gentle
men. permit me to introduce the Hon. Henry
Buist.


Mr.. Buist, rising amid the applause which
followed Mr.. Williams remarks, responded
in felicitous manner.


WHAT WASHINGTON THOUGHT OF MAS
sAcHUsErrs.-The Southern Magazine prints
what purports to be private letters written by
George Washington to Lund Washington, a
kinsman of his, who was entrusted with the
duty of running the plantation during his abb
sence. One of the letters purports to have
been composed in camp at Cambridge, and
bears date of August 20, 1775, that is, two
months or so after the Bunkers Hill affair.
In this letter the General informs his overseer