Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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* V 1 i sgSM WMF . HI ■ A:- ". • ?*■/*$&'' ■"• ‘ %■? . «r- The Weekly Ledger. A Newspaper in all that the Word Implies and Devoted to the Best Interests of the People it Subserves. YOL. II, NO. 31. GAFFNEY CITY, S. C., FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 1895. $1.00 A YEAR. THE HEW CONSTITUTION. WHAT IT IS TO BE NO ONE CAN TELL. Col. Aldricks Unique Proposition to Dis franchise “Cufly”—Congressman Talbert Withdraws——The New County Question. [Correspondence of The Ledger.] Columbia, 8. C., Sept., 10.—Prob ably the most startling proposition that will be laid before the constitu tional convention will be made to morrow by Col. Robert Aldrich, del egate from Rarnwell county. It is nothing more or less than a proposi tion to disqualify the negro from every holding office in the State. It will appear in the form of a qualifi cation for the holding of office in South Carolina that the person must be white. At its first announcement it seemed so novel that many w’ere disposed to doubt its practicability, and to question its constitutionality, but upon further examination no flaws have been found in the scheme yet. Col. Aldrich is one of the leading Jawers in his section, and his legal opinions has been sought by the State more than once, so when he puts his professional reputation at stake upon the soundness of such a clause, it cannot he passed over lightly. He points out in the first place that fa- * miliar proposition of law that all rights not conceded to the Federal government exist absolutely in the State, and- where the sovereignty of the State is not restricted by the con stitution of t he United States the State government can act as it chooses. Says he: “The 15 amend ment to the constitution of the United States forbids discrimination in the qualification for the exercise of the right of sulterage because of race, color, or previous condition, but it Bays absolutely nothing about the qualifications for holding, and nowhere else in that constitution is there any lim itations placed upon the right of the State to make such qualifications as it shall see fit. The 14th amendment confers the rights of citizenship upon the negro, but the right of citizenship does not include the right to hold office anymore than it does the right to vote, and the 15th amendment was necessary to confer this right upon the negro.” Several lawyers have been hard at work trying to find some flaw in the imposition of Gol. Aldrich, but so far Tt has withstood their most careful serunily. Col. Aldrich says that it is all right, and it looks now as if he were right. If its unconstitutional- ity cannot be pointed out, tire proba bilities are that it will bo adopted. It is being generally well received, but the novelty of the scheme causes the members to be reticent in ex pressing their opinion about it. The members of the convention are quartered at the various hotels in the city while a number are at private boarding houses. The hotel Jerome seems to be the head centre of a num ber of the leading politicians, but Ex- Governor Sheppard, Congressman Talbert and many others are at the Grand Central. A number of tho milder mannered ones are at Wrights. Very few of the members will bo able to meet their expenses mt of their $2 per diem, but while many are in favor of increasing the pay, tho sen timent generally is opposed to it. The withdrawal of Congressman Talbert and Speaker Jones of the House from the race for the Presi dency of the convention was some what of a surprise to the majority of the people who had observed luatters In tho capital for the past few days. The indications were that Congress man Talbert felt that these were “record breaking times” and that he was disposed to break the record so far as acquiescing in the precedent established of allowing the Governor, when a member of the convention, to preside over that body. In fact such an assertion has been attributed to him. The intimations are, too, that he did not retire of his own free will, that outside pressure was brought to bear on him, and that ids friends persuaded him that it would be the proper thing for him to do to retire. It is said that tho turning point with him was when he was told that on one occasion during the session of a constitutional convention that the term of office of the then governor expired, and his successor was in ducted into office. Tho governor in office at the lime Hint the convention was called to order had been elected to the presidency of tho convention, but when his term of office ns gov ernor expired ho resigned the office of president of the convention in favor of his successor, who was also a mem ber of tho convention. There were many who wore offer ing odds in favor of Governor Evans In case Congressman Talbert re mained in tho race, but the friends of the latter assort that the doughty statesman from Edgefield would have woft. A* is to bo expected, “Uncle George” Tillman is one of tho famil iar faces to be seen in the convention. Uncle George moves about withi his old dignity, and wherever he goes the greatest respect is shown to this man of brain, who had made his mark be fore his more daring brother had risen to be the shining light in South Carolina’s political heavens. Uncle George announces unhesitatingly that he is opposed to the Mississippi plan, which he characterizes, as a system of fraud. While not a woman suffragist he would prefer woman’s sufferage to this, and he says there is no rubbing it out that woman’s suff erage is bound to come sooner or later. He says that there are at least 75,000 women in tho state who could vote if a proper qualification of $200 were adopted, and that this would give the white people a safe majority for all time. “Away with an educational qualification,” says he, “I would not give the snap of my finger for it,” and there are many who agree with him. Senator Tillman, who will be the guest of Governor Evans during the session of the-convention, is said to favor a $200 property qualification if the Mississippi plan cannot be adopted, and it looks very much that way now. Irby, Talbert, Evans and other leaders favor this plan, how ever, and it may yet be adopted. G. Wait Whitman, young Gantt and a number of other members of the “inns” are present to catch what ever crumbs may fall from the con vention table in the way of small po sitions with emoluments attached. The friends of a number of the pro posed new counties are on hand to urge the reduction of the area, and to advance the claims of their re spective projects. Gaffney’s name is prominently mentioned as a probable county seat if the old Iron District is divided, but she will have to fight Enoree, and it will be a lively contest too. Enoree is well represented here. It is hardly probable that the con vention will do no more than reduce the’area required for a county to 500 square miles, and the probabilities are that the friends of the new coun ties will waste their time by attend ing the sessions of Hie convention, as • ie matter of the formation of the several new counties will be left to the leghsrtatftres. Bowlinsville Dots. [Correspondence of The Ledger.] Bowlinsville, S. C., Sept., 10.— The latest Ledger is at hand and it’s certainly a daisy in every sense of the word. What more could any one expect. The Ledger gives the news, it’s non-political, and in fact a people’s paper. Rev. J. 1’. Whtlchel came home from Mt. Moriah last , Saturday. Jake had pretty good luck; 11 pro fessed religion and there wore a good many seekers. Our enterprising miller and saw mill man, Sam J. Kirby always has a hump on himself. He can make as good meal as Mr. anybody and just as good fiour as goes, and can cut just as nice lumber as the linest. Last Saturday we. elected our preacher at Corinth. It was a pretty close clip between Bros. Davidson and Brock, though Bro. Davidson was elected by a majority of fifteen. Rev. A. Clary preached an able sermon last Sabbath at Corinth, the theme being “Denying Christ,” based on Matthew 20:21. “One of you shall betray me.” On our “puny” list this week, we have Miss Alice Whelchel, Drayton Clary and your correspondent. Rev. J no. Crocker was made very happy last Saturday night. ’Tis said that he “jumped juber.” It’s a boy. If we mistake not Flaw Picker was in our settlement not long ago. John Burns, of Asbury, was at Corinth lust Sunday. Sum Sam v - -<#•- •— Skull Shoals Sketches. [Correspondence of The Ledger] Skull Shoals, S. C., Sept., 9.—-We went over to Pea Ridge last week and attended quite an interesting meet ing. There were about fourteen con- vertions. The meeting at Piney Grove school house conducted by Rev. J. G. Farr resulted in the convertion of five. J. Pinkney Whelchel and Amos Clary have been carrying on a meet ing at Mount Moriah school house which resulted in tho convertion of eleven. Robert Bailey, an aged man of Pea Ridge, died at his home one night last week. He lived near Mt. Tabor. J. Ed Ganet has two molasses mills at work. Y\ e are needing rain pretty bad now. ^ Collott in opening rapidly now. Fodder pulling on forward corn is about finished. Rev. G. F. Clarkson has left us and Rev. Mr. Shullcr will fill his place. Arthur Peeler has been visiting down about Sunny Side pretty often. There must be ‘something to draw him down there. Mr. Peeler had bettor look after him before he goes too far. Wo must join Funny Boy about the pretty girls of this section, for there are more pretty girls do\s*h here than you can shake a stick at. Bio Ike. TIS UNION COUNTY GOSSIP. AT THE NATIONAL CAPITOL. PROTRACTED MEETINGS THE ORDER OK THE DAY. “The Ledger” Receives Words of Praise and ^Commendation—Personal Mention of Well-known People—Notes REED’S AMBITION IS TO BE THE REPUBLICAN NOMINEE. Texas Democrats are Uneasy at the In roads Made by the Populists Scandalous Talk Concern ing the Mora Claim. [Correspondence of The Ledger. ) Etta Jane, S. C., Sept. 9.—Tho protracted meeting closed at Abing don Creek church yesterday.* Rev. T. J. Brock has put in a good week’s work in this community. He has been laboring faithfully in the Mas ter’s vineyard (hero and elsewhere) for seven consecutive weeks and is compelled to take ». two week’s rest. On account of the meeting at Salem I did not have the opportunity of at tending Abington Creek until yester day, when I heard Rev. Mr. Brock preach from the text: “Be not de ceived ; God is not mocked; for, what soever a man soweth that shall he also reap,” Gal. 0:7. His discourse was replete with sound Bible doc trine. It was a powerful appeal to the unconverted and a solemn warn ing to the mere professing member of the church. Throughout his dis course he commanded the respect and attention of the large congregation present. Last Thursday night the protracted meeting closed at Salem with two accessions to the church—one on profession of faith and one by letter. Mrs. Laura T. Estes gave a dinner last Thursday in honor of her sister, Mrs. Oregon Smith, of Texas. Your correspondent was among the invited guests and did ample justice'to the bounteous array of rich viands spread for the occasion. Could Flaw Picker, Slim Sam and other pencil pushers been there they would have had something to write about. But boys, you were not so fortunate and so you can’t tell ahything about it. Fodder pulling is progressing very well. With a few dry days next week most of it will be saved. J as. F. Howe and Miss Luja Cobb were married last Wednesday by Rev. Jas. H. Thacker, of theM. E. Church. Hayes Mitchell, of King’s Creek, passed through this neighborhood last week on a visit to relatives and friends at Cross Keys. His little son accompanied him. Our group of Presbyterian churches are speaking of building a parsonage at Mt. Tabor or Lockhart shoiils. Noble J. Blackwell, of Chester county, is with R. A. Foster. Cotton is beginning to open and some farmers might do good work picking it now. We are glad to see the steady im provements in the columns of The Ledger, as well as to know it has been enabled to increase its reading matter. The Ledger has come to stay.and spread itself. Bro. Flaw Picker, your fodder pull ing party is a new idea in this coun try. Glad to see you ain’t afraid to work. Come down this way. You You can get more of the same kind of work to do. I am obliged to pub licly endorse what you said about my friend George Webster. He is a gentleman of the first order and I am glad you associate with such men as he is. Mrs. Picker can rest assured that while you are wdih such men as ho is you are in good com pany. Mrs. Luke Blanton is in bad health. Mrs. Ellen M. Lowrey, of Wilkins- ville is in very feeble health. She is very old and unable to get about without help. But she has one of the best and most faithful nurses In the world in the person of her daughter, Miss Georgian: Lowrey. Miss Georgia is truly ful filling the scriptural command “Honor thy father and thy mother.” Mr. M. C. Dorman I am glad to state, was out at Abingdon Creek church yesterday. He is getting along pretty well now. I regret to learn that Mr. Frank McCluney and his sister, Miss Lois, are both sick with the fever. J. l. s. -« Beaverdam Breveties. [Correspondence of The Ledger. | Beaverdam, S. C., -Sept., 11.—We are having some fine weather now. Tho farmers are pulling fodder and cutting hay. Our school is coming to an end. Our teacher, Claude McArthur, spent last Thursday night with J. L. Spake and family. Thomas Smith, of Woodruff, visi ted I. M. Smith and family Satur day night. Mr. and Mrs. J. L. Perry, of your city, spent Sunday with Mr. D. L. Vassy and family. One of our well known young men is going to Texas next week. Wo are sorry to know’ that ho is going to leave us. Wo think it will break the hearts of some of our young girls. Mr. and Mrs. J. L. Spake visited their son Lawson, of Ravenna, Satur day night. n. a. c. [Correspondence of The Ledger.] Washington, D. C., September 9.— Speaker Reed’s probable distribution of lue important committee chair manships of the next House is a very live topic among tho politieians. That Mr. Reed will make use>of them as fur as he can to help along his ambition to be nominated for President by his party is natural and to be expected under the circumstan ces, but men differ as to how that may best be done. Up to three or four days ago it was thought to be certain that Representative Dalzel, of Pennsylvania, was sure of being ehuirmun of the Ways and Means CommitH'^which would make him the leader of his party on the floor of the House ; b l *t during tho recent factional fight jn Pennsylvania Mr. Dalzel took the losing side, and Sen ator Quay has, it is said, asked-Mr. Reed not to give him the place. The politicians think such a request from Mr. Quay would bo regarded as a command to ho obeyed by Mr. Reed, owing to.Mr. Quay’s probable con trol of tho Pennsylvania delegation to the nominating convention. Rep- resenatutivo Hopkins, of III., some times jocularly referred to as “The Red Headed Rooster from Illinois” is now credited with being slated for the chairmanship of the Ways and Means Committee, but that is not accepted by those who believe that Mr. Cannon, of the same state, will be chairman of tho Appropria tion Committee. It would bo un heard of to take the chairman of the two most important Committee from the same state. Texas democrats are apparently getting f'i'. tened at the incivase of populism in that, Stale a id. insleuu of ridiculing the populist s as they did for a long time, they admit that the populists may carry the state next year. Judge Potter, n prominent Texas democrat, now in Washington, says: “that there is danger of popu list success is apparent in the vastly diminished democratic majorities last year. I am fearful that the course of some of our leading men on the silver question will give such aid and comfort to the populists as to make it hard work for us to carry the state. I take it that tho demo cratic national convention will de clare for sound money. I will have to abide by that platform, but I will also have to support a state platform that will doubtles declare for the free and unlimited coinage of silver at 1(5 to 1. It is this fatal varience be tween the national and state declara tions on silver that is going to make it so embarassing to the democrats of Texas. The populists are well organ ized, aggressive and led by shrewd men, and they will seize on this point of discrepancy, and work it to tho tremendous disadvantage of the dem ocratic party.” “If the old parties,” said a vet eran observer who is inclined to be both independent and cynical in things political, “want to dodge the silver question in the presidential campaign they should readopt the silver planks of their ’92 platform and nominate Senator Allison and Col. Bill Morrison as the heads of their respective national tickets. Then both parties would have plat forms which would mean gold to the gold men and silver to the silver nen, and candidates whom the gold non would believe to be for gold and liie silver men for silver.” This gentleman may have been a little se vere on Senator Allison and Col. Morrison, but if anydody knows the position occupied by either of them on the silver question they have not taken the public into their confi dence, and it is certain that both gentlemen have palpably dodged op portunities to place themselves squarely on record either way. Tho much talked about Mora claim will be paid in Washington, by the Spanish Government, on the 15th of this monthi Tin total amount to be paid will be about $1,500,000 of which lawyers will get about $000,000, other parties $300,000 and the claim ants $000,000. There is a lot of scandalous talk about this claim and the manner in which its payment has been brought about, and some of it may cause trouble yet for some body. Comptroller Bowler’s long winded opinion remanding tho claim of the sugar men to the money appropri ated by Congress to pay sugar boun ties to tho Court of Claims, to have the eoiihlilutionality oi government bounties determined, may be satis factory to him and to the administra tion, but it isn’t to u great many other people, and it is altogether probably that Congress, as well as tho courts will take a hand in tho game. Of course so far as the sugar bounties are concerned, the courts will determine—whatever the dec..,- ion of the Court of Claims it will probably be appealed to the United States Supreme Court—but Congress will have something to say about the power assumed by the Comptroller, and it will not be surprising if an act defining the duties and powers of that official goes to the President for his signature before the fifty-fourth Congress ends its life. Feet-Washing Babtist. [Correspondence of The Ledger] Cedar Mountain, N. C., Sept., 10.— It has been some time since we have contributed to the columns of The Ledger, but here we come in full blast from the “Land of the Sky.” The protracted meetings are carried on in the* usual style, except after going through the performance of the Lord’s supper a dozen washpans were ordered and both male and female began to draw off their shoes and then began one of the most sacred feet washinsg we ever witnessed. We were never at a foot-washing before and it looks somewhat out of order to us. Whether or not it is a church ordinance we can’t say but would like to hear from some of the corres pondents upon the subject. J. L. S. lets have your views upon the ques tion. This is perhaps one. of the finest mineral regions in the United States. Here we find most any mineral, but it is so far to any railroad it is not looked after. Monazite can be found up hear in nearly every branch. 'Tis reported that on a certain rock not far distant, a man can see the sun before day. We would like to visit your city about now for we are somewhat home sick. Our school is progressing rap idly and we are going to have vaca tion in two weeks, which will last one or two weeks. We expect to visit your city during tho holidays if possible. The chestnut crop is fine in this section of the mountains. We are on the west side of the Blue Ridge where people wear home made cloth ing and brogan shoes and are not stuck up about their ability like some dudes are around Gaffney. We have worn our coats every day since we came up hero and then it is so cold every morning that wo must have a lire. The cabbage and potatoe crop is good. Wishing The Ledger success we close. Buster. *■ • • Broad River Association. The next union of tho middle of division of the Broad River Associa tion will convene with Ararat church, Saturday before the fifth Sunday in September. The following is the pro gramme. BATURD V MORNING. 10:00—Devotional exercises—Amos Clary. 10:30—Enrollment of delegates. Organization. Reports from churches and schools. Miscellaneous business. 11:30—Relation of the Sunday- school to the church.—J. J. Ken drick, P. S. Webber and Thomas Chalk. AFTERNOON SESSION. 1:00—Is a Baptist church consis- ent in supporting a Union Sunday school in its house of worship?—John Hames, Willie Woffords, Thos. Green and Amos Clary. 3:15—Some of the incentives to the activity in the Sunday school work.—Sam Lipscomb, John Crocker, Chas. Legg, Benj. Bonner and J. P. Whelchel. Question box opened. SUNDAY MORNING. 10:00—Sunday school mass meet ing, speeches by many brethren. 11:00—Missionary sermon—Rev. Mr. Hickson. Please let us have a full delagation especially of the speakers. J. T. Brock, For Com. — —- The N. P. I. S. S. Convention. The North Pacolet Interdenomina tional Sabbath school convention will meet at Asbury Chapel on Septem ber 22d. The following is the pro gramme : 10:30 a. m.—Praise service, con ducted by Rev. Simpson Blanton, chaplain. 10:45 a. m.—^Enrollment of schools and reading reports of same. Ha. m.—Sermon by Rev. G. M. Boyd, pastor. Intermission. 1 p. m.—The Sabbath School, what has it done for our country and what may wo still expect from it? Dis cussed by T. M. Littlejohn, J. M. Greer, T. J. Estes and others. / 2 p. m.—The convention will re solve itself into a school and recite tho lesson for tiiat d’:y under the supervision of some ono elected’ or appointed to teach. Everybody is invited to take a part in this recita tion. / 3 p. m.—Reading essays, extracts, etc., question box, miscellaneous and adjournment. Everybody friendly to the cause is invited to come. Each school in en titled to four delegates. J. L. Strain, For Ex. Com. MR. PICKER’S PREDICAMENT HE GETS "FREZ” OUT IN THE IRON CITY. “The Ledger” Has Not Charms Enough Itself so He Has to Take a “Ban- jjer” Along or Meets with No Success. [Correspondence of The Ledger.] Blacksburg, S. C., Sept. 9.—It's all fired hard to tell where I’d like to be jist now. I believe I’d prefer a fodder pullin to this place. I can jist begin to imagin how* a man feels when he is among strangers, without friends and without money in this world. I be dog-goned if I aint in a mess jist now. My hotel bill for me and Charley is seventy-five cents and my pocket book is jist about as large as forty-five cents, sterlin. But Flaw Picker is the man to pull through O. K. I miss my banjer awfully bad though. I—I tell you what’s a fack, thar’s nothen in the world that’ll carry a man through like a banjer. Now I’ve done and tried it both ways an I know. All I’ve got to do is to give ’em the best tune in my shop an the' next thing I hear is, “Flaw Picker, you can’t leave here to-night, so jist git out and put up that hoss.” But this time I aint got no banjer, and God only knows what I’m to do, I don’t. But I’ll “git thar” I guess. I come pass Cherokee to-day and found the mill partially in operation. The brick mill had been in operation, too. It had been performin’ some operations on a nigger man, so I learn. I didn’t see ’im but they say you can jist see the naked bones a shinin whar the skin is off—under his arm and above it. A CLOSE OBSERVATION AND A CUNNIH* TRICK. Now, thar aint many folks that would notis the little incident which I am now about to relate, but it con tains rods of thought—if thought is measured that way. I was in an old barn t’other day, you understand, an I saw a big spi der-web in one corner. You know, when a fly gits tangled in a spider web he buzzes an flops his wings an goes on till he wakes up the spider, an consequently, the spider grabs his ropes an darts out of his hole, an if you watch right close you can see him lassoein’ the fly. Now, the cunnin’ trick is this: I was standin thar a lookin’ at that spi der web and wonderin to my self, you know, how comfortable he must be sleepin’in that hole when all of a sud den (I was envyin' his place if he was sleepin’ for I had jist bin to f, fodder pullin* a few nights previous, you know) one of these old blac’c dirt dob- bers flew and lit in reachin’ distance of the spider web. Well sir, that thar old dirt dobber stood thar and grabbed the net work an pulled an flopped his wings an went on scanlus, tryin to imitate a fly, you understand, till the spider waked up, grabbed his lassoes and rushed to the front to see what w’as the excitement, when all of a sudden, before the spider could get tho drousiness rubbed from his eyes, the dirt dobber was on ’im an done ’im up brown. That was the dog-gondest trick I’ve seen lately. Well sir, you jist ort to seen me open my eyes in amazement. I bin studyin’ about it ever since. Flaw Picker. Below is a letter which Flaw Picker sent us the day after the above letter was written.—[Ed.] Blacksburg, S. C., Sept. 10.—Dear Ed. I’m doin no good at all. I had to put up at a boardin house. They charged me seventy-five cents for a nights lodgin for me an Charley, don’t you think. I thought shore I could collect the money to-day, but by the livins, not nairy cent could I collect. Mine and Charley’s dinner will cost twenty-five or fifty cents, an I’ve got a quarter yet, so I want you to send me a dollar to get home on. Send a the dollar by the 4 o’clock mail if you ever want to see Charley agin. Yours truly, Flaw Picker. From Smith’s Ford. [Correspondence of The Ledgkr. | Smith’s Ford, 8. C., Sept. 10.— Our place is on a boom now. Ail the farmers are getting ready for their work. { I saw in The Ledgkr that some one had brought hi an open boll of cotton. I oaa beat that. I have ou* nearly one thousand pounds and I have gathered two thousand bun dles of fodder and I think I will get through this week. I also have one of the best . cows in this country. She is giving throd gallons of milk, a day. I have another one that will be in shortly that will give four gal lons of milk a day. Wo have had a good meeting at Abingdon Creek church. Rev. Mr. Brock of Pacolet carried on the meeting. He has gone to tho moun tains a while for rest. Julia Gist, colored, killed a large pilot snake in Jessie Sanders’s yard today. 8. j.