The Abbeville messenger. (Abbeville, S.C.) 1884-1887, October 19, 1886, Image 1
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YOL. 3. ABBEVILLE. S.C., TUESDAY, OCTOBER 19.1886. . NO. 3
Where the Flap was Furled. l
{
[Fnm Philadelphia Times.]
Appomattox Courthouse, Va., a sleepy
little village, doting its days away on '
the old stage road botween Richmond *
and Lynchburg, seems to the Northern j
traveler to have become tired of existence
away back in the early part of the (
century and to have settled into a Kip '
Van Winkle sleep, from which it only *
once awoKe, snaicen Dy toe inunacr ot
? cannon and the tread of armed men, only .
to relapse into more profound slumber. 1
All unconscious of its world-wide fame 1
and tlie richness of its local history, the .
little town is content with its own pecu- 1
liar life and calmly ignores the roar and ^
rush of the outside world. Once in a
while a stray touiist comes this way. *
but seldom does the old tavern door 1
open to admit a stranger. Its hinges 1
have accumulated rust for years and long y
springs of grass grow between the c
broken porch-steps. The whole town 8
wears the same passive air of sompolen- (
cy as when Generals Grant and Lee rode ^
through iti quiet streets to close, by a
few strokes of the pen, the most bitterly n
contested and bloody internecine contest c
ever to swell the pages of history. 1
? c
THE HOAD TO APPOMATTOX. f
This morning two tramps from the t
borders of tho Keystone State found \
themselves at Appomattox Station, on ?
the Norfolk and Western Railroad. ?
After a walk of three miles through g
sedge, field and thicket, forests and corn- f
fields, they reached Appomattox Court \
_ j House. Upon the brow of a hill over- i
looking the town a small graveyard i
brings vividly back to memory the one a
short but pregnant period of civil war ]
which is inseparably connccted with the c
place, for within its whitewashed fences i
are eighteen graves in one long row, cuch t
with a nameless white pino head-board ,
of simple design. These graves contain r
tho dust of the Confederate soldiets killed
ill the last skirmish on Saturday
night and Sunday morning before Lee
sent the flag of truce over the hills to
Grant. A small whitewashed pine monument
had been erected in the centre of
the lot by some loyal friend of the dead,
but even it is now overturned and lies
prostrate before the row of mounds. *
Tbo Court House, m tall, square red 1
briok building, resembling more the (
residence of a solid old Virginia farmer 1
than a public structure, stands within a 6
small square or "green" in tbo center of *
the town. The old stage road coming c
over the eastern bills deferentially turns c
to on<jj side and passes around the Court *
House in a semi-circle, to resume in
front its onward course again. Just 1
north of the public building and across '
thn.road is th<* tavern, a crl->nm v.Ionlrincr t
~ strdcturo of andent architecture. A mass
of matted ivy leaves cling to one damp
wall, while near by the old-time wellsweep
rears its mossy head. Very rarely
does a guest inscribe his name in
the musty register, or climb the creaking
stairs with his tallow candle to seek repose.
The county jail is southeast of
the Court - Honse about twenty' yards
away. Two small stores, one of which
enjoys the additional dignity of being
the postoffice, a blacksmith shop and ten
or twelve dwellings*constitute the remainder
of the town, which contains, by
actual count, one hundred inhabitants.
, The nearest church is two miles away.
tionrtl /v /?f A 1-2?.J I
a mw vi /i^|iuuiubiUA sec vtsrjf Jiiuu
and hospitable, and without questioning I
the intent and purposos of the stranger '
at their gates, reccive hira courteously, 1
minister to his wants quietly, unostenta- e
tiously, but with a kind-heartedness be- 1
noath all that is genuine and cheering, A '
> number of j^ortherp,visitors stmy here 1
1n the' course of the year; ifk fact, -curi- 1
osity is the motive inducing strangers to 1
C<jme;at all, bat there is no cuolnuss in *
the welcome of these people. The vete- '
ran who fought under Meade at Qettys- 1
burg and followed Hooker inlo the '
Wilderness finds here ono of Jackson's *
"foot cavalry" ready to grasp his hand
and share his huuible home with his late
foe. *
ft
COLONEL PEER'S BTOBY. ,
A good roan here is Colonel G. T. ^
Pect-B, clerk of the county court, an t
office ho has held uninterruptedly: Tor ^
eighteen years, and altogether for near- c
ly a quarter of a century. Colonel Peers *
is the only white man now living at t
Appomattox Court House who was here c
. at the timo of the RMprflnHo* rtnno.?i -
?--r- - ---- p???viVMVi?i 1
Lee. He i? the friend, counsellor and t
4 loader, of the little community, and his t
kindly. blo?ejrei and flowingwhiteboard 11
give him a patriarchal appcarance. His
office in the basement of the Court House
is crowded with musty old paper?, many
beaming date early in the last century
tnd concerning the estates and fortunes
>f many proud P. F. V's. Colonel Peers
is probably better acquainted with the
local events transpiring at the timo of
Lee's surrender than any man in the
South. With great kindness he pointed
>ut the scenec of the memorable incilunts
of the 8th and 9th of April. 1865.
"1 remember well," he said, as, standn
tr c& t. 1
"6 uiikm? vuui i uuuau green," ue gazcu
houghtfully at tho woods skirting the
western sky, as though catching again
n memory's eye the glimmer of hostile
janners through the trees?'*1 remem)er
as though yesterday the day when
he Army of Northern Virginia passed
nto history. There were few men in
\.ppoinattox that spring. Some were
vith Lee around Richmond, others with
roe Johnstou in the South, and others
igain were sleeping on the fields
Gettysburg, Antietatn and Chancellorship.
There were anxious wires, brokenlearted
widows and childless mothers
imong us, and the few who remained
:ould easily seo the dark clouds gatherng
closer over the Confederacy. Lee,
Iriven out of Richmond and uprooted
rom Petesburg, was hurrying his weary
roops toward the western mountains,
nth the sleuth-hounds of Grant and
iheridan rressing hard behind. On
Saturday morning. April 8, a few stragglers
reached Appomattox with the inbrmation
that Lee was close at hand,
ville terified country peoplo from the
vest came in with the intelligence that
jheridan had come up the railroad track
ind m as across the road in Lee's frontin
the afthernoon Lee arrived and en:amped
on the brow of a hill about a
nile from town. About half-way bewecn,
through a fertile meadow, runs
Appomattox Creek, crossing the road
lear an old apple orchard."
A COOKCIL OK WAK.
"I wept into the Confederate camp
hat night and learned frotu an officer
hat a council of war had just been held
ty General Lee and his generals, at
vhjch it was decided that if Sheridan's
:alvalry was tho only obstructions in
'ront an attempt would he mai^e early
he next morning to cut through, but if
)rd"s infantry should arrive during the
light there would be nothing left but
lurrender, Lee's pickets hail been
hrown , through and about a mile west
>f the town, and and a sharp encounter
>ccurred about dusk between them and
he 15th New York cavlary. The picket
line fell back through the town, folVlAWil
Vv TT V* #. ..... ? ? ? ' - *
vncu ia?4iu uji uic oiiciujr, ana ll was
n leading this pursuit that the command
of the cavalry, Lieutenant Colo?el
Qoot,. was killed in the centre of
he village. This was the last life lost
it Appomattox. On Sunday morning a
>attery was planted in my yard one liunircd
yards from the Courthouse, and an
irtillery duel with the Federals began
?rom this battery the last shots were
Ired by the Array of Northern Virginia,
ibout 9 o'clock that Sunday morning
rord WAR Hrnil trVl t Onrornl I.nn TT-Vi r>
? O"" w V,VMV"4* " Mv/
lad ridden up under one of the apple
rees on the banks of the creek, that the
nfantry was in his front several thouiand
strong. According to the decision
if the council the night before, he itnnediately
sent forward from this point
he flag of truce. Thi is was the only
>art played in the closing drAraa of the
rar by the famous "apple tree of the
Appomattox." General Leo and General
Grant never mot under its boughs ;
n fact, the latter never got within two
tundred yards of the apple tree. He
tUmai.4i? ? - ?t- ?-*- ?*-- * - ?
vuv imitsugu mu viungu huoui an uour
iftor the flag of truco entered his lines,
ind was met by General Leo on tho
>row of the hill, half way betwoen tho
own and the appl) orchard. Here tho
wo chieftains conversed awhile, then
umed and rode together into the
own.''
TBS SURRENDER.
"Meeting Mr. Wilmer McLean in
ront of the Court Houso, General Loo
Lsked him qrhere thoy oould do , some
I'ritinor. and tho nnrtv worn McnTlfvil Kv
?> 7-.r I V " "J
hat gentleman to his own house,
vhere, in the parlor, tho artitles
of capitulation were drawn up
ind signed. An hour or so later Geniral
Lee passed me on his return to
tamp. He was alone, and rodo slowly
.fid thoughtfully, his hood bowed
ipon his breast, ss though in deep
bought. He did not seem Repressed,
>ut looked like one who, conscious of
having done his best, had been compelled
to submit to the inevitable, feeling
at the same time the terrible importance
of the step he had taken. After
tie surrender both generals retired to
their respective headpuarters, and, if I
mistake not, neither carno to our ^lown
again. Both, I think, left on",^Tuesday,
uenerai urant leaving Ueneral tiibbon
to complete the surronder and parole
officers and men."
During Colonel Peer's narrative he
pointed out many points of interests
The spot where the two groat leaders
met is marked by a pile of stones, while
nearly a mile up the road on the brow
of the hill, stands the solitary
poplar under which the Confederate
commander stood while delivering his
farewell address to his troops.
The McLean house, where the arti
1
cles of surrender were signed, is.a long,
comfortablo looking red brick dwelling
with a porch running its entire
length. Over the parlor door hangs a
picture of the room, representing itwhen
the articles of surrender were being
signed. Mr. Wilraer McLean, who
owned the house at the time, was a refugee
from the first battlo of Manassas,
bringing hit? family hore to escapo the
horrors of war.' In 1869 the old place
passed into the hands of Mr. N\ II. Ragnld,
its present owner. His son, Mr.
T. T. liagald, is a merchant and postmaster
in the village.
The only time when tho town awakes
to any degree of life i3 on Court days.
They are periods of groat interest to
the Virginia farmers and people flock
to the town from far and near. Two
resident lawyers transact tho local
Court business and the Judge of tho
County Court is allowed to practice
ueiore the Uircuit Court.
A strong effort is being made to have
the Court House and jail removed to
Appomattox Stationv three miles distant.
This place contains more inhabitans
than its sister town and is growing as
rapidly as the average interior Virginia
town. Then several brands of whiskey
are sold here. Th<> Country surroundAppomattox
Court House is poor and
uninviting and there is little to attrac^
strangers save its rich mine of historic
interest.
The Chester, Greenwood, und Abbeville
Railroad.
[From the Augusta Chroniclo.]
New Yohk, Oct. II.? [Spccial.] ?
Talking with -a gentleman to-day, who
is prominently identified with railroad
j i- * * ^ *
ueveiopiuunt in ueorjria, I canght the
cue to an enterprise which has about
matured here, and which when generally
known may create something of a
sensation in railroad circles. The New
York, Philadelphia and Norfolk is of
the Pennsylvania Central system*, and,
as tho same indicates, extends from
New York to Norfolk. Ya. The waterbreak
in track, between Cape Charles
and Norfolk, amounts only to slight inconvenience,
the longest freight or passenger
trains being rapidly lerried across
without uncoupling. The ferry boats
used in the service are the largest of the
kind in th? wnrlil. This lino in i?o
present length is of no special interest
to the Chronicle readers, but.its south
erly extension, as now contemplated and
provided for, concerns everybody in
Georgia. From Norfolk it will bo continued
to Weldon, over the Seaboard and
Roanoke track, either by purchaso*of, or
traffic arrangements, with that line.
From Weldon it will run on over sev
erai lines, iorining a succession or links,
now stretching between Woldon, N. 0.,
and Chester, 8. C. At Chester tiow work
begins, which is to consist of an air lino
between that point* and Athens, Georgia.
For the construction of this contemplated
new line tho capital is absolutely
ready. No better guarantee of that can
be given than the assurance that the
Pennsylvania Central is behind the enterprise.
Whatever that powerful cor
poration espouses is perfectly protected
against failure, if millions of raonevcan
secure success, and in railroad>building,
as with almost everything else, 4* money
talks." This line, I am assured, is to be
vigorously pushed through to Athens,
and there to connect with the Covington
and Macon' and by that alliance, secure
to itself a liberal share pf the through
business furnished by that section trib
utary to the Covington and Macon.
A WKLL QUOUNPBD PROBABILITY.
Thus may be seen,, oven by this meagre
forecast of coming ovente, the welt
grounded probability that, in the near I
future the great Pennsylvania Central
will make its way into the very heart of
Georgia, joining its links as it stretches
its mighty chain through several Southern
States, until its bold and far-reaching
projection becomes a Southern system,
more powerful and important than any
now known in that section. Our people
can woll afford to bid it welcome, for the
management of all its vast property is
notably characterized by efficient ser
vice, surpassing enterprise and libera)
policy. Capital is unquestionably inclining
to the South now, and any
scheme laid to that section, with fairly
reasonable prospects to commend it, is
promptly backed by all tbo money it
needs.
Everything here is so inflated, that
uien of means are naturally looking to
other fields for investment, and none is
more inviting than the South. The
mineral interests of Tennessee, Alabama
and Georgia Are growing in development
and importance every day, and
if our people will only work conservatively
in the projection of their enterprises,
money will flow to them from
here and other financial centcrs in absolutely
prodigal abundance.* Tho very
near future will certainly bring the
South into independent affluence and
unsurpassed prosperity, if she will oiily
husband her resources, and be patient
for magnificent results.
The Triennial Convention.
Chicago, October 12.?The House of
Deputies of the Protestant Episcop.il
Church began its sixth day's session
this forenoon. Tho committee on canons
submitted a report, recommending
that no church edifice be consecrated
whiie any debts rest upon it. Tho committee
also ask that the question of the
consecration of colored people to the
Episcopacy be referred to the committee
on tho constitution. After considerably
discussion tho report wras placed
on the calender.
A messenger from the house of Bishops
reported rhat the Ilishops had decided,
tho House of Deputies concurring,
hat thnrn ?a r*r\ a??a 1 akol-aln
vto?v v?*vi v to ii v wijoiuuwivihii uaiauic
to the consideration and adoption of the
several additions and alterations
in the Book of Common Pray- '
er proposed to the General Con
vontion of 1883. A siinular report was
presented on behalf of the joint commute
on liturgical revision of the House
of Deputies, lloferred to the committee
constitutional amendments.
The Rev. Dr. Benjamin Franklin, of
New Jeasy, read the unanimous report
of the joint committee on marriage and
divorce appointed at the General Convention
of 1883. It embodied a new
canon which contained several stringgent
modifications of the existing canon
on marriage and divore. The proposed
new canon provides that no marriage of
any person under eighteen years of age
shall be solemnized unless the parents
or guardians be present; that the divorce
can only bo recognized or granted
on the ground of adultery, the guilty
nerson being forbidden to marry during
the lifetime of the person from whom
he or she was divorced. The proposed
canon forbids the remarriage of divorced
persons under certain circumstances,
and provides for penalties to be imposed
npon the clergy for any non-observance
of the strict lotter of the canon.
Mr. J. Bancroft Davis, of Maryland
presented a resolution providing for a :
joint coinmitto of three Bishops, three ;
clerical and three lay delegates, to consider
the duty of the Church in work
among the colored people of the United :
States. Mr. Stozenburg, of Indiana, ,
offered an an\ondment requiring the
committee so appointed to consider and
report the the best praotible method of
prosecuting the proposed work, and also
to draft a canon to place to place the
plan upon a permanent hasi?. Tho
amendment also provided that the committee
should submit to its reports, and
that it be made the special order for
next Monday. The resolution as
amended was unanimously adopted. ]
The Rev. B. A. Rogers, of Texas, of- <
fered a resolution providing that the
missionary jurisdiction of tho Church I
be extended so as to includo work <
among the colored peoplo of tho United 1
States. Laid on the table for futnre t
roferonce. ,
The Rot. Mr. Cartstenson of Pitsburg. <
offered a resolution providing for the 1
appointmont of a joint committed to re- j
port some plan by whioh the work of |
evangelists may be officially recognised, i
Placofl on the calendar. ]
Governor Richardson on Our State s
, Government. 1<
[From the News and Courier.] b
fie did not proposo to say a word tl
against any man or sot of men. lie had v
been a farmer all his life,"and his family a
had followed that profession for gonera- i
tions and his sympathies were with
them in their struggles. While he would
not answer all the charges that had been
made, he would nay something about
that of corruption in the administration R
ar Hio QtnfA T"~\.? - 1
VI Vitw v/miu uvv?:i UlIICllVi i HU JLfUIIlOcratic
party liad accomplished more for j
all the people in the last ten years than ^
any political party had ever done in the
same length of time. In 1868 the Itadi- ^
ical debt of the State had run up to g
$29,000,000. Governor Scott carried his
treasurer and the great seal of the State s
to New York and stamped the bonds as ^
they came from tho mills. They went
down to ten cents on the dollar, and the
v
levy for Stato tax was 14 mills. All c
this money was riotously wasted, and it
is said that Governor Moses absorbed
$500,000 in one year. Our Stato then ^
stood disgraced in the financial markets
of the world. ^
Thus matters went on until 1876, p
when the "sons of Revolutionary sires,"
who had fought under Morgan at Cow- .
pens, rose in their manhood and hurled
tho usurper from our State. When the
Democrats came into power tho first
thing was to appoint a Court to separate ?
the fraudulent from the valid debt, and ^
after their verdicts passed through the k
highest^Courts of the country the valid
debt of the State w?s settled at six and
a half million dollars. The State government
has been fairly and economically
administered. Ono of the chnrges
is that there is great and wasteful ex- J
travagance. He said that honor is the
g
best economy that a State ever exercised.
No business can be carried on
without raonc}'. The farmer will fail if
he attempts to make a crop with impov- 1
erished stock and poor tools. The mer- ^
chant will suffer if he hires cheap, inefficient
help. It is a wise economy to ^
pay a good price for a good article. So,
in the administration of our Government,
the question is whether there r
have been any unnecessary expenses or
not. v
One of the special charges is that the ^
State levy is now $320,000 more than is 1
necessary. In 1878 the State levy was< e
$300,000, because no levy was made that 1
year to pa)' interest on the bonds as they ^
were in the Courts. That matter was V
settled, and the next year the lew was
"8
twice that amount. Some additional expenses
havo been incurred in the State
Government. The amount is $92,000,
and it goes for the South Carolina College,
the Citadel Academy, the comple- a
tion of the State House, and for the
Lunatic Asylum; but as an offset to this ?
increased expenditure wo have an increased
royalty from tho phosphate
mines, so that the burden of taxation is *
really no heavier on the people than it
was in past years before this increased n
expenditure. Taking our State in all P
its departments there is no extravagance
and no waste.
Then comparing it w,ith the cost of
other State Governments, South Carolina ^
takes the lead in economical administra- ^
tion, with the exception, perhaps, of Al- ^
nbama. The tax per head in South Car- 8
olina is $1.83, in Georgia $2, in Louisiana e
$4.67, in Pennsylvania $7, in New York ^
111, in Massachusetts $13. "
In conclusion, Co). Richardson said: w
"Now in the administration of pnblio c'
affairs I promise eccnomy when it will u
do good, and will recommend retrench- w
ment when it will promote the honor of ^
the State and the prosperity of the peo- a
pin. But I want no one-horse Judge on ei
tho bench to try my case. A 25-cent c
man is not the proper persop to try one
for his life. Farmers and iruirchanffi do h
not want cheap men to manage their *
affairs. A niggardly, ungenerous, self- <c<
ish man is tho worst of all. With such T
tin administration as We have had for the n
last ten years the future is full of high- "
est hopes. It is only by following the ^
Democratic banner that we will be able 1,1
to preserve all that we have acquired,
and I exhort you men of Spartanburg to ^
be faithful to party, to principle, and to
the highest honor of the State." b
Gol. Richardson's speech was repeatidly
cheered and applauded throughout.
It-was one in which there was not' sin- 8<
gie naoKwmra step iaxen. no savored a ^
progressive policy in all things, political, *,
agricultural, industrial, and educational, '
tie opposed none of the established in- d
titutions of the State, and perhaps the
ave of the people for the past governlent
of the State could not have been
otter or more gratifyingly indicated
han in tho rounds of applause with
rhich thoy punctuated his manly and
ble defence of tho past policies of tho
)emocracy.
Adrift In Mid-Ocean.
St. Johns, N. F., Oct. 11.?The Anhoria
has arrived here in tow. The pasengers
and crew are all well.
The steatner Anchorla, Captain Small,
eft Glasgow on the 18th of September,
>ound for Now York. She had 700 souls
n board, including passengers and crow.
)n September 22, four days later, a
trong gale sprang up and a heavy sea
truck the ship, and in the lurch which
he made the shaft of the propeller was
>roken.
At the time of the accident the ship
ras in lat. 50.19 north asd long. 39 west.
1 J ?- ? * - - ?
jiiu whs rucKonea 10 DC aoout 1,'ZUU
niles west of Ireland. The shock occaioned
by the breaking of the shaft
hrew the ship on her side and strewed
;lassware and other articles over tho
leeks. Many of tho passengers wore
rightcncd, but upon officors assuring
hem that there was no danger of siukng
a panic was averted and order retored.
Sails were set and the ship beame
somewhat steadier, but tho rudder
;ear being useless she drifted about at
he mercy of the waves from the 22d of
Jeptcmber, to Wednesday, October Gth,
ifforts in the meanwhile being mado
laily to repair the broken shaft.
On October 6 tho engineers effected
cmporary repairs and the ship was once
nore erot under control, but soon after
vards the shaft broke again, this time
>eyond all prospcct of repair. A conlultation
was held by the officers and
he exact position of the ship was ascerained.
It was found that she was eighty
niles off the coast of Newfoundland.
Is provisions were running short, the""
irst officer and seven others volunteered
o launch a boat and make for the coast.
L'he first officer was instructed to secure
he services of a steamer if the boat
eachod St. John's.
On Friday the ship made little headway,
and the expected steamer did not
ome on that day nor during the followng
night. On Saturday at noon, howver,
the glad cry of "land" rang through al
ho ship. Another volunteer crew was
luickly enlisted, consisting this time
rbolly of passengers, who pulled
oward shore. Both boats reached land
afely, but the steamer which was sent
o the Anchoria's relief did not find her,
nd the lattnr had nearly reached port
before she was seen and taken in tow by |
*1 aIIi aw V >
iiuiuui t vooci*
There were two deaths and two births ^
n board during the voyage. 'a
The State Campaign.
[From the News and Courier.]
Cuester, October 12.?The socond Mm
looting of the State Democratic camaign
was held here to-day, and was
irgely attended by tho Democracy of -^j
tio Fifth Congressional district. Owing v>|]
a an indisposition, which prevented
iin from speaking, there was no address
-ora Col. Richardson, tho nominee for "-v^jj
lovernor, a circumstance which caused ' ^3
cneral regret. Speeches were, howver,
made by Messrs. Leitner and Bon- > ]
am and Congressman Hemphill. It ^
us expected that Senator Hampton 'M
rould be present, but having missod . m
onnection he did not arrive at Chester yi
ntil after close of the meeting. <He
r*8, however, waited on at the train at
hester.station and received with musio .'>!
nd cheers. He spoke a few words of
ncouragement and recognition to the
ro-vd and wont pn to Columbia with M
le State canvassers. It is possible that .;:a?
e will address the mass meeting at
'lorence on Thursday next, but he will
grtainly attend the meeting at Summerille.
He stated to-day that he would )-jim
ot be able to attend many of the meet- ';k9
i<cs announced for the State campaign, S
ut would make an effort to speak at as |9
lany as possible of those whioh will be
eld in the low country. Senator Hamp n
will not remain long in the State, |H
ut will spend Rome time in the West
ofore the opening of Congress. 9
" vjH
Baoklen's. Arnica Salve. 9
The Best Salve in the wotfd for Oats Brat- *j|H
>8, Sores, Ulcers, Belt Rheum. Fever Sores. .
etter, Chaped Hands, Chilblains Corns. *na
\\ Skin Eruptions: and positively cures Pi!es, ^vflH
r on pat required. It is guaranteed to' rivei-iaM
'Hatioq ft.*