Beaufort Republican. [volume] (Beaufort, S.C.) 1871-1873, January 04, 1872, Image 2
\t?nui?ori ?l*p?Mtran.
J. G. THOMPSON, EditorTHURSDAY,
JANUARY 4, '372
agents in new york,
geo. p. rowell a co.
Official Paper of the State.
Official Paper of Beaufort and Colleton
Counties.
The Republican, next week will be
enlarged to the old size as our advertising
columns are crowding us. Our patrons
must pardon us for omitting some of their
advertisements this week, but our report
of the meeting on Monday occupies so
much space, we could not avoid it. Our
report of the proceedings of the county
commissioners and the meeting Tuesday
evening, will be published next week.
Now is the time to subscribe, subscriptions
are coming in every day, and we are
<W.Arir?inpd tn have one thousand more
subscribers before election day.
Terms 1 copy 1 year $2.< 0, 1 copy six
months $1.00, 5 copies 1 jear $8.00, ten
copies 1 year $15.
Tbe schooner "Altoona," Capt. Fitzgerald,
sailed last week from this port for I
Boston, with 153,000 feet of heavy resawed
timber from the Port Royal saw mill,
Pigeon Point. This is the second cargo
the "Altoona" has taken from this port,
she is now permanently on the line in connection
with the above saw mill, and will
call at New York returning, to take
freight for our merchants here, and will
offer an excellent opportunity to parties
desiring goods direct from Boston or New
Y"ork. The schooner "Farragut,'' which
left here about three weeks ago will soon )
return again with a cargo of ice for Mr.
J. Conant, she will then load a cargo of
lumber for Fall River. See advertisement
in another column.
Personal.?We had the pleasure of
calls Tuesday last from Major J. N.
Haynes, Hon. J. B. Bascomb, J. J. Kline,
of Colleton County, and Capt. Scott of
Lawtonville; who showed their appceciaif
t7r?t>TT?r rr a v he Riihsrrihincr for
Iill/U VI CUV XVJUX w YJ 0
it, and several copies' for their friends.
Hon. Samuel Green and Hon. X. B. Myers,
also visited our office yesterday.
On dit, that the Port Royal Railroad
Co. have sold out to the Gi or^ia road.
J. W. Collins has resigned his position
as county commissioner, to take effeet
from the first Monday in February next.
We notice the arrival of quite a number
of the legal fraternity in town during the
week, among whom Judge J. J. Wright,
Supreme court, C. B. Farmer, Circuit
court, and Chas. Bell, Esq.
The County Roads.
The roads in a portion of the upper part
of the county are said to be in a very bad
condition. In Peoples, Goethe and Lawton
townships many of them are almost
i?paseable. There are several reasons
given for this state of affairs, all of which
tend to prove that our law needs about as
much mending as the roads. At present
there are many places where surveyors
have not been appointed; in other places
those appointed refuse to act; in others
again the officers are unacquanted with
the boundaries of their territory and constant
disputes arise. In addition to these
drawbacks, laborers are very hard to get,
wneil notineu 10 go to wora ou me rtmus,
but few respond, and these are dissatisfied
when they see their neighbors escape
while they are obliged to toil. No receipts
for labor are given and the people feel that
they are liable to pay a road tax twice,
once in labor and again in money.
PORT OF BEAUFORT.
Arrived December 29, to Marine and
River Phosphate Company, ship Damio,
Allan master, from Bermuda.
Col. James Montgomery, formerly CoC
onel ot the second, S. C. Volunteers, afterward
the 34th U S. C. T. Diad at his
home in Linn Co. Kansas, Dec. Oth.
SAXTOX II0USE ARRIYA LS.
Dr. Paul Pritchard, S. C., "V. R. Pritchard,
S. C.; Jno. II. Thomas, Savannah,
Ga.; A. W. Muekeufuss. llardeeville. T
W. Neill, llardeeville; D. Currie, St. Ilel*
ena:Geo. E. Iludgins, Charleston, II. CHudgins,
Charleston; Mrs. Hattie N.
Stone, Fla.; Chas. G. Bull, Grahamville
A.T.Simmons, Charleston; E.N. ChisJ
holm, Chisholm's Isld.; G. G. Martin, S
C., B. W. Martin, S. C.; F. L. Perry,
New York; J. D. Robertson, Bluffton; F.
J. Benjaman, Alhol, Mass.: 11. G. Whitaker,
Linden. S. A. 1. Gill, Hickory
Hill, S. ('., J. J. Kline and son, Walterboro,
S. C., Judge C. B. Farmer, Walterboro,
S. (\, K. B. Martin, P. R. R. R ; R.
I). C'unninghau, P. R. R R; John Ma>son,
Beaufort, Clifford Waters St. Helena,
W II Alden, St. Helena. J A Aldon. St
Helena, A ( M Mi'liu* A '.- v. ... ..
EMANCIPATION DAY. j
11 RAM CELEBRATIOS IS BEAUFORT.
I
<
SPEECHES BY GEX. SMALLS. 1
J
Gt'ii. Wkipper, Col. >VIara:iii and Hon. j
Samuel Green. i
1
Letter t^om Gen. Saxton.
Monday last being the ninth anniversa- j
ry of the proclamation of emancipation, <
arrangements were made to suitably cele- <
brate the event. A muster of the 3d regi- a
ment was ordered, and early in the morn- ]
ing the militia might be seen coming in <
squads and companies from every direc- 1
j tion. Company G, from Lawtonville, j
came on the train the evening previous.
At the arsenal every body was busy
either drilling or being drilled, while the
gate was blocked by crowds of friends of
the soldiers, looking with pride on the
movements of the various companies undergoing
the final drill preparatory to the
parade.
About 1 o'clock the regiment was
marched up to the parade ground and reviewed
by Gen. Smalls and Col. Wiggin,
afterwards marching down to Bay street,
and up to the Stevens House where the
speeches were delivered.
The following officers appeared mounted:
Brig. Gen. R. Smalls.
Col. P. L. Wiggin.
Major E. F. English, 3d Rfgt.
Major J. N. Haynes, 2d Regt.
Brigade Surgeon F. E. Wilder.
Act. Adjt. Joe Richardson.
Chaplain York Polite, 3d Regt.
The following companies were out:
Co. A. Capt. W. C. Morison 50 men. (
1st. Lieut. Joe Richardson.
2nd. Lieut. Capers Harper';
Co. B. Capt. E. M. Smith, 00 men.
1st. Lieut. Glover. i
Co, C. Capt. Geddes, 70 men. 1
1st. Lieut. Joe Simmons. 1
Co. D. Capt. James II. Brown, GO men. '
Co. E. Capt. Mitchell, 52 men.
1st. Lient. Wm. Seabrook. i
2nd. Lieut. A. P. Jenkins.
Co. G. Capt. Y. S. Scott, 75 men. ,
l?t. Lieut. Albright.
2nd. Lieut. T. II. Garner: from Law- i
tonville. * (
s
Geu. Smalls then opened the meeting i
with a short speech announcing the object *
of the gathering, and eulogistic 01 tne "
great benefits of the proclamation. He (
then introduced Col. Wiggiu who spoke as <
follows: |
Col. Wiggin's speech.
My friends and fellow citizens:?I am 1
glad to see so mauyofyoo here to-day, j
you have come from your homes in the f
various parts of the county to commemo- i
rate this the ninth anniversary of your
emancipation, and the extent of your
numbers, together with your bright and {
happy faces, assure me that you entertain ?
a proper appreciation of these great priv- 1
ileges to which you were admitted on that ,
day; and it is further a sense of most pro- j
found gratification to me, as it is doubtless
to you, to see so many distinguished vis- *
itors from abroad. Among others I notice |
the presence of Gen. W. J. Whipper, and |
Major J. X. Hayne of Aiken, both of i
whom are well known to you, and who ]
i will doubtless address you previous to th$ :
close of the exercises. .
My colored friends, (for it is to you 1 ;
propose to address my remarks) it seems
to me eminently lit and proper that you of 1
all others should commemorate this day,
this the first day of January, the commencement
of a new year, for it is the an;
niversary of that great and most perfect
day that gave to your'race freedom; that
day whose meridian sun witnessed the
consummation of that heaven-born proclamation
that declared human slavery
shall no longer exist on American soil, j
man shall no longer enslave bis fellowmau,
on that day the first of January ,
1803, amid the thunder of hostile guns,
and the rush and struggle of contending
armies, the fiat went forth. Slavery was
abolished, your dark hour had passed and
you walked forth into heaven's free sunlight,
freemen.
That gentlemen you are and were competent
to exercise those rights has been in
the last nine years abundantly shown, the '
dead heroes of your race who fell at Iloney
Hill, at Wagner and Olustee, attest its ;
bravery and show conclusively your power j
and disposition to resist wrong and oppression,
when you have the right to do
so, and the privilege to act. The thousands
of broad acres now owned and successfully
cultivated by colored men?your
disire for knowledge indicated by the,
numerous school houses scattered along
l :e < oast of South < arolina, where you
ire able to control educational mattersall
go to show your abundant capacity for
self government; that you possess all those
elements that go to make up the good citizen,
and that Abraham Lincoln when he
penned that immortal proclamation was
not mistaken in his estimate of your capacity
or character. *
My friends I do not propose to make
any extended remarks to day, and I am
confident that in the presence of our distinguished
visitors you do not desire it?
a'l I have to say then is this, and I say it
in good faith my friends, keep on pursuing
pour present course, continue to cultivate
pour little farms, be industrious?for remember
that industry possesses remark*
ible qualities for extending the area of
small farms. Take advantage of every
opportunity offered you to educate your
children, and for obtaining knowledge
pourse!ves, for remember my friends, that
knowledge is power and without it, you
lan accomplish but little, and finally my
'riends, never surrender your Republicansm,
never abandon your allegiance to the
yreat Republican party of the nation; you
>we that allegiance^it has sustained you
n the exercise of those great privileges to
which I have alluded, it has thrown
iround you every possible safeguard and
ivery possible protection, and it will con,inue
to do so. v
Doubtless errors have been committed
n the organization, but everything persuing
to human affairs is liable to error,
lo not abandon the party to correct those
errors, but correct them at home, within
)arty. It is true that dishonest men may
lave been placed in positions of honor and
rust, but my friends you must not abanlon
the party on that account, Republican
principles remain the same, they are
mchangeable. Drive those corrupt men
rom their positions never vote for them
igain but vote for men who you know are
lonest. Col. Wiggin was now requested
o read the following letters:
letter from (jen. saxton.
Washington, Dec. 25,1871.
7en. Robert Smalls.
My Dear General: I have heard with
nuch pleasure of the proposed celebration
)f the ninth anniversary of Lincoln's
jroclamation of Emancipation, and I am
fery much disappointed that I cannot be
present to join with you in the commemorative
services of that day in Beaufort.
Although absent in person, I shall be
present with you in spirit. I trust that
irour meeting will be one worthy of the '
$reat occasion; one worthy of the day
which, by the solemn decree of the great,
wise, pure and honest ^President, brought
Lhe boon of freedom to your race forever.
It should be a day of blessed memories
md of good resolutions for the future; a
lay on which the books "should be balinced,
the profits and losses footed up and
:he progress (if any has been made) noted;
md if not, a stem resolve, a solemn vow
ecordcd. to do better in the future.
What hallowed reminiscences cluster
iround our first meeting under the live
jaks on Smith's plantation when the 1st
South Carolina regiment was present, and
Jol. Higginson presented to the color
2;uaid the flag, upon whose silken folds
ivas inscribed, the beautiful prophecy almost
fullfilled, -'The year of jubilee has
;ome," and that song which burst forth
spontaneously from the lips and hearts of
the assembled thousands:
"My country 'tis of thee
Sweet land of liberty,
Of thee I sing."
ind the promise the corporal made for the
^uard, that that flag should never be drsaonored
in their keeping, but that they
would defend it in the hour of trial, even
with their lives. And faithfully was that
promise fulfilled.
Never iu all his round did the glad sun
shine down upon a scene of more dramatic
power, pathos and beauty, than when on
that bright day his beams stole through
those live oak branches, and rested on the
strange gathering below. What a day of
promise that was! The breaking of the
hackles which had bound down to slavery,
four millions of your race. Truly it teas
the year of jubilee that had come, briuging
with it freedom; freedom to be honest,
industrious, temperate, true and pure;
and in each year as it goes by, the recording
angel, shall note how faithfully its duties
have been performed.
/ ? a. - _L - L T L . J
Uircumsiances over wnicn i nauno control
took me to a distant field of duty at
the close of the war, but I have watched
with unabated interest every step of your
experience; rejoiced when the right of
suffrage came,and sorrowed when it was
told that some bad sold this precious birthright
for a miserable mess of pottage. Enemies
told me that the government of
South Carolina was miserably corrupt,
that its legislature could for a few or many
dollars be nought up to do almost any act
of infamy.
Of course, I did not believe all that was
told me, that the precious right of suffrage
had only brought misery to the people and
to the State, but fearing that where there
is so much smoke there must be some fire,
I venture to send you with my congratulations,
a few notes of warning.
It is a sad truth that by the election and
continuance of bad aud dishonest men in j
/.4Y1 K a f Via Ctn f rt 10 nl m Af.f
uuu-c, iuc tiruii sji tuc jtaiu io awuuai iuined,
and the republican party brought j
into disrepute. The republicans of South
Carolina must see to it tha^tlie State is
redeemed by the election of ouly true and
houest nieu to ofliceiu the f uture.
If any man whom these lines should
reach, has bartered or sold his vote either
at the poll8 or in the legislature or on the i
jury, let him resolve by all that is manly j
and true, that he will do so no more, but
will hold up to public scorn and indignation
any scoundrel who dares to attempt
to bribe him to a violation of his honest
sense of duty.
Unless you do this, your present position
is one of great peril, your race is on trial
and the Nation's are watching with breathless
interest this great experiment of universal
suflrage. Your enemies who think
you only (it for slavery, hope for, and predict
its failure; your friends expect you to
prove it a -?rand success. It is in your
power to make it so. Only be honest and
you will.
By the memory of Abraham Lincoln
the honest, whom no man living ever
dared to approach with a bribe, and who
could do right though the heavens should
fall, the blessed martyr, whose life was
the sacrifice on the altar of your freedom,
I warn you on this first day of January,
1872, to make a solemn vow that shall be
registered on High, that there shall be no
man in South Carolina rich enough to buy
a freeman's vote. Do this, and freedom
is a success, and the State is safe.'
When you brought the Planter out from
Charleston and delivered her up to Admiral
Dupont and gained your freedom,
you knew where lay the torpedo on the
right, and the shoals and rocks on the
left, you knew where the channel was deep
and sailed in it; you did not tarry long before
the guns of Fort Moultrie or Sumter,
but straight to your purpose, to the beacon
of liberty ahead. You held your
helm, and soon the Plauier was safe, and
you were free. The Ship ot State of South
Carolina is now in stormy waters, your
rights are in danger. The rocks and
shoals, torpedoes and hostile guns, are
ignorance, intemperance immorality, dishonesty
and corruption in high places.
The beacon lights ahead are honesty,
purity, virtue, intelligence, the schoolhouse
and the church. Keep her helm
steady towards these, and soon the ship
shall glide gently by the breakers into the
peaceful waters of freedom, the stormy
threatening sky shall clear and melt into
the golden mellow light of dawning day.
Then when the Ship of State is safely
anchored in the honest hearts of intelli
gent freemen, the year of freedom's jubilee
shall have come indeed.
Sincerely your friend,
Ilui*us Saxton.
gen. smalls reply.
Beaufort, S. C., JaD. 1,1S72.
Gen. liufus Saxtvn,
My Dear General:
You may be assured that my disappointment
in not having your presence
with us this day, must have equalled
yours in not being able to participate in the
ninth anniversary of Lincoln's proclamation
of Emancipation at a place near the
spot round which centres one at least of
the most pleafeing reminiscences of your
past life.
There are at present in the 3d regiment,
from four to five hundred of those who enrolled
in the 1st regiment, and who were
present under those giant oaks, and rejoiced
that the- year of jubilee had come,
who, when they heard that you were coming
atnougBt them again, cxpieencd thru
pleasure in seeing their respected General
once more.
The sergeant who received the flag from
Col. Iligginson on that ever memorable
day, is uow Colonel of a regiment in
Edgefield. aDd is ever ready as he then
was, to defend the honor of the old flag
even with his life, if need be, but may that
time be far distant, when such a sacrifice
may be demanded.
I agree with you, that where there is so
much smoke there must bo some fire, at
the same time, I differ with you that the
republican party should be responsible lor
the action of a few men who have prostituted
their high oflicial position to the robbery
of the state treasury.
They were elected to office for four
years, and could not be got rid of sooner,
but it is my lirm convictiftn, that in the
coming campaign and election of '7J, the
voice of the people will be heard in unmistakable
tones, and the colored people of
South Carolina will '.url back the base as
sertions of tbeir enemies, that on them
rests the responsibility and infamy of a
corrupt legislature, and will prove to the
world that the principles of universal suffrage
was placed in safe keeping.
The reputation that I gained in bringing
out the Planter. I do not intend to
sully by my actions as a member of the
South Carolina legislature. As well as I
knew the beacon lights in the time of the
Planter, I know the beacon lights now,
and the channel that leads to honesty,
virtue, purity and intelligence, and I trust
that I may ever be found working with
those who are anxious to guide the ship
of State of South Carolina from the
dark and troubled waters in which
she is now sailing, safe past the
rocks, torpedoes and hostile guus of ignorance
intemperence, immorality, aud
dishonesty in high places to the calm and
placid waters of that harbor where religgious,
social, moral and political purity
reign supreme.
I have refrained from saying anything
on the matter of impeachment because
from the position I hold as senator, J shall
be a juror when these men come to triil,
and therefore it becomes my duty to keep a
silent tongue and quietly await the action
of the House, but when the time comes
tvnr vn!fo will hr> Konrrf ns&istim* in the
conviction of those men whom I believe
to be dishonest, and my verdict will be in
accordance with the evidence adduced?
again expressing my regret at your absence.
I remain sincerely yours.
ltobeitt Smalls.
Gen. Smalls proposed three cheers for
Gen. Saxton, whicli were given with a
will, and three more for Gen. Hunter, the
man that lirst organized a colored regi-'
meut.
ge>t. whi peek's speech.
Fellow citizens?This is the ninth anniversary
of the day upon which that proclamation
went forth to the world that
spoke freedom to you and to me. I had
the honor upon the lirst anniversary of
this occasion, the first day of January,
ISO'j. away ofi'in the far West of commcu
oratincr the proclamation issued by Abraham
Lincoln, that legally severed the
chains from you and me. You may imagine
the pleasure that it gave me to-day
to be with you on the ninth anniversary
of that imporiant event, and I feel all the
more proud when I remember I am addressing
those who were particularly benefitted
by that instrument. I feel still
more proud, when I remember that in history
they present a record, that will compare
favorable, yea I will say unequalled
in sublimity by any other race.
Having made this assertion, I will state
why it is so. Ou the 1st day of January,
1863, and for two hundred and fifty years
anterior to that date, our race had been
enslaved by those in whose power it was
to oppress us. We are not however the only
race, that have been enslaved, every
race of men save, the aborigines of this 4
country, have been at one time or another,
in one way or another, debased and abject
slaves, slaves to a hoard of petty tyrants,
feudal despots, lords rich in some dozen
villages, strong in some hundred spearsmen,
and only great in that strange spell,
a name.
Slavery has passed from the face of the
earth in four different ways, first, by the
aHvanrp nf niviliz ilinn whir?V? oh/OioKa/l
w <1 "1VU Wt/V/liOllVU
saxon slavery in Briton, by purchase, by
voluntary emancipation, and by war.
The pen%of the historian records but one
race that aroused in their might and with
their own right arms, struck the shackles
from the wrist, and to that race you and
I belong. I refer to the struggle that was
carried on in Ila^ti. In this country t?e
liberty we now enjoy the priv.leges of assembling
here, and the right to assemble
without interference, has not been granted,
without an effort on our part, an effprt
that has been recorded to our honor. I only
refer incidentally of the past, and will
proceed to that which is of more importance
to us both. I speak of the present. Would ,
to God there was nothiug to mar the splendid
triumph recorded by the historians to
our race, would to God that we could assemble
here on this beautiful day and celebrate
this event unsullied by anything
since Abraham Lincoln invoked the great
war power of the nation after every remedy
tailed to induce the rebellious states
to return to their aHegiance to the Union,
when he was equal to the exigency of the
times, declaring that the great object for
which they fought, was the enslavemeut
of the african race, and declared freedom,
to the bondsmen. But it was not enough
for them to be declared free, the rights of
freemen must be secured to them, and on
the 2nd of March 1SG7, followed by another
act on the 23d of March was grauied to
you and me the right of freemen, which I
trust we will ever guard as only freeman
can. Would that we could have luiltilled
all that might have been expected from a.
race of people springing Xrom these former
abject positions to the heights of glorious
manhood, but there have been occurrences
in the history of our race in this state,
which mar the pleasure of this day, aud,
which I feel called upon to bring to your
aiieuiiuu, and snail continue so to do for
the next few mouths. I allude to the
tiouble which we are called upon to face.
1 have been chosen on t very occasion and ,
upon every election in tUe county to rep- I
resent you, and therefore as a steward of
yours, 1 think it my duly to bring home
to .you the troubles that now exist. I will
trv to the extent of inv abilies to exnlain
J ? J k
them to yuU. I do uot expect to elicit >
your applause, 1 would uot tickle your fan- cieseveuifi
could, but I do expect u>
arouse you to a sense of the magnitude
or' the danger that you and 1 must meet..
I do it at ibis time because I fcel that at
no distant date we must appeal to you for1
that relief which we caunot elsewhere obtain.
In the fall of 18G7 for the first time un- ?.
der the law you and 1 were allowed to
vote for members to a convention, and
these members prepared a constitution
which you afterwards adopted, a constitution
wuich extended proteetion to the
humblest citizen of South Carolina, as
well as to those who could attain the highest
po.-itiou.
1 honor that constitution, and have seven
times sworn to support it, and am ready
to swear to support it now, equally ready
am 1 to expose those men who sworn to
its support and afterward disregarded their
promise. After the adoption of that constitution,
we elected a legislature to make
laws in pursuance thereof, laws that would
carry into effect the great organic law of
this state, and at that time I ilattered myself
and Ilattered you that we had entered
upon the political millenium, and we were
in a fair way for an advance unparalled in
the history of republican governments. I
honestly believed it then, but the time has
come anil the tide has turned, and to-day
it is for you, for me and for the republican
party of South Carolina, to rise in our
majesty and might, and prepare to meet
( l>ii nmurnroni^'ir fKof K rna fona f A At?n**_
buu tiuui J wiitvu bui (.uituo i/vy v?gi~
whelm us all. Can we, dare we, will we
do it? are the questions which thrust
themselves on the understanding not only
of representatives, but the people, for it i?
from you the people that the representatives
received the power by which they
act. How, when, and by whom have the
halcyon seas upon which we once sailed
been aroused to its present turbulence are
questions for you to answer, and if I can
assist you in auy way to their solution, I
shall gladly do it. The speaker then proceeded
to answer the questions he nad
propounded and in the course of his remarks
to the lirst question, replied that it.
bad been done by plunging the state intofinancial
ruin, and by failing to protect
tnu citizens 01 tiie slate wiiicti ought to be
1 the sole object or the government.
The great object of government is the
protection of the citizens, and wherever
that protection is not granted, the government
is virtually a failure. But there is
one thiug more that makes the failure the
more poignaut. When the means of carrying
on the government fail at the same
I time as it has occurred in the state of
South Carolina. The debt of South Carolina
he had no doubt was eighteen millions
of dollars, but to take the record, it was
: fifteen millions, the interests on which toi
gether with the bonds falling due, would
take three times the taxes that has Ken