The Anderson intelligencer. (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, April 08, 1880, Supplement, Image 8
of Counties. During the session of
1873- 74 a memorial signed by a
large number of the citizens of An?
derson, petitioning and. suggesting
legislation on the subject of drain?
age, was sent to me to be presented
to the House. In accordance
therewith I offered "A Bill to con?
stitute the County Commissioners of
Anderson County Commissioners of
Health and Drainage and to define
their powers and duties." [See
House Journal, page 250.] This
Bill was acted upon favorably in
both houses and approved by Gov?
ernor Moses, March 14,1874. It is
well known that this Act accom?
plished some good, but in some in?
stances failed to secure so favorable
a result as was anticipated. This
Act being imperfect and deficient in
detail, from want of experience in
such legislation by the General
Assembly, at session of 1874-75 [see
Senate Journal, page 366,] I sub?
mitted a Bill to amend the original
Act in various particulars, remedy?
ing as far as possible any defects
in it. This Bill was defeated upon
its third reading in the House,
but a House Bill was taken up and
acted upon favorably (which was
similar in its main provisions) and
became a law, to which I yielded
my cordial support
JUSTICES OP THE PEACE?TRIAL JUS?
TICES.
In my endeavor to carry out the
plain provisions of the Constitution
of the State which provided Justices
of the Peace should be elected by
the people, I introduced two Bills
for such election. [Senate Journals,
1874- 75,1875-76, pages 33 and 10.]
Both of these Bills were defeated.
After the defeat of the first,
as will be seen by reference to
\Senate Journal 1874-75, page
175, I offered "A Bill to regu
late the Courts of Trial Justices for
the County of Anderson." Among
other things this Bill provided for a
fixed and definite salary for each
Justice,to wit: twenty-five dollars
for all State or Sessions business.
This Bill passed the Senate, but was
defeated in the House. Not dismayed,
I again, at the regular session of
1875- 76, page 368, introduced "A
Bill to reduce the number of Trial
Justices in Anderson County and to
define their powers and duties."
This Bill provided for nine Trial
, Justices, one for every two townships
and one for the town of Anderson,
and fixed their salaries at fifty dol?
lars each per annum. This Bill
passed the Senate but was indefi?
nitely postponed in the House.
Hearing of this, I went to members
. of the House and succeeded in hav?
ing the measure reconsidered. On
/ this the Bill passed after being amend?
ed in several particulars. Now it
will be readily perceived that the
object was not only to curtail and
keep all Trial Justices within reason?
able bounds in Anderson County, but,
if possible, make the fines collected
' sustain and pay the expenses of their
. Courts, and, by giving a salary, pre?
vent any officer from encouraging
litigation for the sake of fees ob
. tained thereby, and - by compari?
son, at least, effectually prevent and
check other like officers inN different
Counties from having their bills of
costs paid, which, in some instances,
amounted to thousands of dollars for
a single Justice, which tended to
swell the County expenses to an un?
reasonable degree. Anderson was
selected as a mere example of what
could be accomplished in securing
efficient officers at reasonable sala?
ries to perform the official duties on
the criminal side. This Act was ap?
proved by Governor Chamberlain
and accomplished the object for
which it was intended. Afterwards
I offered a general Bill, [session
1876, Senate Journal, page 96,]
which, if it had been adopted, would
have Becured similar reforms
throughout the State.
INSPECTOR OP PHOSPHATES.
I presented three Bills referring
to the duties of this office. The
first will be found in House Journal
of 1872-73, page 384; the second
in Senate Journal of 1874-75, page
349, and the third in Senate Jour?
nal of 1877, page 40. My object,
amongst other things, was to reduce
the fees of the Inspector by requir?
ing a portion of it to be turned over
to the State Treasury. The Inspector
and his friends were too strong for
me, and the Bills were defeated.
REWARDS.
During one or more Republican
administrations the Governor had
offered large rewards for the appre?
hension of persons who, it was al?
leged, had violated the law, and
appropriations amounting in the
aggregate to many thousands of dol?
lars were made, and a tax thus
levied upon Counties not connected
with the trouble. I did not believe
the peaceable, law-abiding citizens
of Anderson County, or of any other
County not connected with the dis?
turbance complained of, should be
taxed to pay for the deeds of evil
disposed persons who lived else?
where, and I therefore introduced
"A Bill to provide for the payment
of rewards offered to secure the
punishment of crime." [See Senate
Journal 1875-76, page 413.] It
passed both houses, and was ap?
proved by Gov.Cbamberlain, March
24, 1876. It provides that the
Governor by proclamation can offer
rewards for the apprehension of any
person who commits a high crime
against the peace within this State,
and that such rewards shal1 be paid
by the County Commissioners of the
County wherein such crime was
committed.
CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS.
With a view to prevent any retro?
grade movement in the measures of
reform commenced by the General
Assembly, and to avoid the great
expense and excitement consequent
upon a Convention of the people be?
ing called to amend the Consti?
tution of the State, inasmuch as all
that was necessary could be accom?
plished by the General Assembly,
on the 8th of December, 1875, I
addressed a letter to such of the Sen?
ators and Representatives as were
then at the capital, stating to them
ray belief that the Constitution of
this State might be amended so that
it should be as effective, honest
?and economical a government after
the next election as that of any
State in the Union, and that
such needed reforms could be se?
cured without the expense and ex?
citement consequent upon an elec?
tion for members of such a Conven?
tion, by the passage of such measures
by the General Assembly and sub?
mitting them to the people for rati?
fication. I also cited some of the
changes which I thought our pecu?
liar condition and recent reforms in
other States particularly suggested
to every thoughtful man, being sub?
stantially those embraced in the
platform I have recited in this ad?
dress. All of these Senators and
Representatives agreed in the main
with the propositions set forth by me,
and in favor of the Republican Legis?
lature ipitiating such measures of
reform as would secure the greatest
good to the people; and requested
that my letter and their answer be
communicated to the Republican
members of iho General Assembly,
which I had done accordingly.
On November 23, 1875,1 intro?
duced in the Senate a resolution
providing for the appointment of a
Committee to report to the Senate,
as soon as practicable, such resolu?
tions for amendment to the Consti?
tution of the State as, in their judg?
ment, should receive attention at
that session, which was immediately
adopted.
On February 1st, 1876, as Chair?
man of the Committee, I submitted
a Joint Resolution proposing certain
amendments to the State Constitu?
tion, which .was finally adopted by
the Senate/February 10th, 1.876, and
sent to the House. But, al?
though the General Assembly con?
tinued io session for more than sixty
days thereafter, it was not acted
upon by the Judiciary Committee, to
whom this matter was referred, until
too late to secure its passage.
Unfortunately, a majority of this
Committee weis engaged in the pros?
ecution of Judge Moses before the
Senate; and, amid the excitement and
for want of time, the resolution
failed. The great satisfaction I
have, however, is that I made every
effort to discharge my duty, and
that if the resolution had been
adopted much good would have
resulted therefrom.
ILLICIT SALE OF LIQUORS.
The illicit sale of spirituous
liquors by wagons and through other
sources was tending to the demorali?
zation of the people, particularly
young men, both white and colored,
and in many instances having an
injurious effect upon schools and
disturbing religious congregations in
the country. To remedy this, I in?
troduced "A Bill to prevent the sale
of spirituous liquors within one mile
of any church, school house or col?
lege within this State." [See Senate
Journal, session 1877-78, page 471.]
The Bill as adopted excepts schools
and churches within incorporated
cities, towns and villages. At the
time of its introduction the illicit
sale of whisky in the various Coun?
ties was injuring the interests of the
farmers in many neighborhoods, and
destroying the peaceful relations be?
tween the United States authorities
and numerous citizens of the State.
One object I had in view was to pre?
vent, as far as possible, such sales in
the neighborhood of schools and
churches and at the same time ena?
ble the State authorities to assist the
Uuited States government in putting
down the unlawful traffic in liquor,
and thereby bring about a better
understanding between the citizens
of the State and the officers of the
revenue department. This Act re?
ceived the necessary readings in
both houses and was approved by
Governor Hampton.March 18,1878.
I also, as shown by Senate Jour?
nal, page 45, session of 1875-76, of?
fered the following resolution, which
was adopted:
"'Whereas the Intornal Revenue Department
of the United States permits the issue of
licenses to retail liquors at largo: and whereas
the retailing of liquors at largo within this
State is forbidden by law, and, if allowed,
would bo productive of the greatest evils to
our agri"ultural interests; and whereas such
business has been largely carried on without
hindrance, sustained uy the belief that the
license under tho United States sufficiently
protoctcd the holder from accountability to
tho Stato law; therefore, bo it
" lienolved by the Senate, tho House of
Representatives concurring. That our Senators
be instructed, and our Representatives in
Congress be requested, to uso their influence
for the passage of a law prohibiting tho issuo
of licenses to retail liquors at large."
Through this resolution the mat?
ter was brought to the atten?
tion of our Senators aud Repre?
sentatives in Congress, and by them
to the authorities at Washington,
and resulted in an order forbidding
the issuing of licenses by the United
States authorities to retail from
wagons.
TRAFFIC IN SEED COTTON.
In many portions of the State the
improper traffic in seed cotton be?
came an unmanageable source of
trouble, causing great loss to the
planters and engendering strife.
Through this traffic and the baneful
results brought about thereby gins,
stores and other property were
destroyed, litigation increased and
vigilance committees organized. In
fact, it became such a leading cause
of evil that the grand juries of dif?
ferent Counties called attention to it,
and petitions to suppress it were I
numerous.
In an adjoining County the effect i
of this traffic had well-nigh ruined |
the agricultural prosperity in seve?
ral neighborhoods. I commenced a
war upon it, and from time to time
offered three Bills in reference
thereto, as shown by Senate Jour?
nals sessions of 1874-75, 1875-76,
and regular session of 1876, pages
359, 378 and 89. The first was a
general Bill and referred to its sale
in any portion of the State between
sunset and sunrise, attaching penal?
ties for any violation. This Bill was
defeated. I then submitted "A Bill
to regulate its sale in Anderson
County," forbidding its purchase or
reception for the purpose of pur?
chase after night. This Bill passed
the Senate, but the prejudiceagair.3t
the enactment of such Acts was so
great that, although the Bill did not
affect the lower Counties, their Rep?
resentatives voted it down. I again
tried to remedy the evil, and at the
regular session of 1876-77 proposed
"A Bill to regulate the sale of seed
cotton and to punish the unlawful
traffic in the same," which was
acted upon favorably, but was
eventually lost or misplaced in the
most mysterious manner. About
this time a Bill was received from
the House which was an exact copy
of mine. This Bill was referred tn
a Committee and misplaced in like
manner, but, a certified copy being
obtained, it was acted upon and be?
came a law, and has in part cured
the evil complained of.
TELEGRAMS.
Believing they should be kept as
sacred .as the contents of a letter
and guarded in like manner, I in?
troduced "A Bill to regulate the
transmission and delivery of mes?
sages by telegraph companies."
[Senate Journal 1875-76, page 249.]
This Bill made it a penalty for any
officer to fail, neglect or refuse to
deliver a telegram within due time
after its reception at such office;
also provided heavy penalties if any
officer or employee made known the
contents of a dispatch.
PER DIEM AND MILEAGE OP MEM?
BERS OP THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY.
The Journals will show that in?
variably I voted to reduce the per
diem of members. When what was
known as the salary grab Bill was
being considered, I voted for a re?
duction of more than one-half of
what was L-en allowed under the law
as pay of members of the General
Assembly. [See Senate Journal,
special session 1877, pages 307,309,
329, 353 and 380.]
By reference to Senate Journal,
special session 1877, page 31, it will
appear that I offered "A Bill to re?
duce and fix the per diem and mile'
age of the members of the General
Assembly." Under the then existing
law the salary was $600 and mileage
per session. The Bill submitted by
me provided for four dollars per day
during the session, not to exceed sixty
days. It was amended in the Sen?
ate, and 8300 pc r session agreed on
in that body. As the Senate was
then constituted, that was the best
compromise aud reduction that could
be obtained. The House amended,
fixing the per diem at five dollars
per day, which amendment was final?
ly agreed to by the Senate. This
Act was approved by Governor
Hampton, June 7,1877. Before the
passage of this Act the cost of each
session of the General Assembly for
salary and mileage of members was
896,100; under this last Act; 826,
491; amount saved per session,
$69,609.
This Act of itself did not effect in
full the reduction, but it materially
aided therein, and the good sense
and proper idea of economy evi?
denced by the Democracy since get?
ting the control of affairs, by return?
ing to short sessions and close appli?
cation and work, will soon correct
whatever of apparent extravagance
may seem to exist in the present per
diem and mileage.
COUNTY INDEBTEDNESS.
I introduced the following Bill
May 14,1877 [Senate Journal, page
155]: " Bill to investigate and as?
certain the actual bona fide indebt?
edness of the various Couuties in
this State and to regulate the man?
ner of paying the same." It was
acted upon favorably and signed by
Gov. Hampton, June 11, 1877. At
the time of its passage a large ma?
jority of the Counties were groaning
under the burdens imposed by levies
of taxes to pay past indebtedness
for several years, a large proportion
of such indebtedness being well
known to be illegal. This Act pro?
vided that upon petition of fifty tax?
payers of any County, setting forth
that in their belief portions of the
County debt were doubted and chal?
lenged, the Governor should ap?
point a Commission, composed of
three competent and discreet per?
sons, to investigate the same, and to
report' their action thereon to the
next General Assembly, with power
to send for persons and papers, and
forbid the levying or collection of
any special tax during the investi?
gation. The Governor appointed
Commissioners in a large number of
Counties, and much good was ac?
complished thereby, a large amount
of unlawful claims being eliminated
from the bulk of their indebtedness.
LIQUOR TAX.
Believing that the sale of spiritu?
ous liquors added largely to the
annual expense of the State and
Counties by adding to the expenses
of its criminal Courts, its jails and
Penitentiaries, and that the State
reaped no benefits therefrom, I
offered "A Bill to impose a
tax and prescribe a mode of col?
lecting the same on the privilege
of selling wine, ardent spirits and
malt liquors within the limits of this
State." [Senate Journal, 1876-77,
page 149.] Failing to get a report
upon it I submitted a resolution
[page 420] which placed the entire
matter in charge of a Committee of
which I was a member. We made
a report in favor of levying such a
tax, and presented two Bills in con?
nection therewith, both of which
were sacrificed on the altar of politi?
cal expediency.
PAY OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS.
At session of 1876, [Senate Jour?
nal, page 67,] I introduced "A Bill
to reduce the pay of County Com?
missioners and their clerks." It re?
ceived a majority vote in both houses
and was signed by Governor Hamp?
ton, May 31, 1877. This Act re
I duced the pay of County Commis?
sioners and their clerks from three
dollars per day to two dollars, and
at the same time reduced the number
of days'for which they should be
paid from 100 to 70, and thus saving
to the taxpayers of the State thou?
sands of dollars annually.
DIETING PRISONERS.
At the time of the introduction
of the "Bill to reduce and fix the
price of dieting prisoners," Sheriffs
received forty cents per day, which
in my estimation was entirely too
much. The Bill as I presented it
fixed the price at twenty cents per
day. It was amended on its passage
by substituting thirty cents, and be?
came a law, being signed by Gov?
ernor Hampton, June 8,' 1877. My
action in reference to the above will
be found, Senate Journal 1877, page
149. This measure looked to the
reduction of County expenses, and
in a considerable degree accom?
plished that result.
PUBLIC EXECUTIONS.
During my term of service in the
House and Senate, feeling the de?
moralizing influences and effects re?
sulting from public executions, I
addressed a communication to each
Circuit Judge in the State iu regard
to this subject. Their replies ac?
corded fully with my views; and,
thus supported, I introduced at va?
rious times three several Bills pro?
viding that all executions should be
private, in jail yards, to be con?
ducted in a building erected for such
purpose. [See Senate Journal, ses?
sions 1874-75, 1875-76, pages 41,
85 and 239.] The first two Bills
failed to pass in the Senate. The
third Bill, however, received the
necessary three readings in that
body, but was ultimately defeated
in the House. Since 1876 a similar
law has been enacted, and now the
country is saved from such revolting
and demoralizing exhibitions.
FEES AND COSTS OF OFFICERS AND
ATTORNEYS.
By reference to Senate Journals,
sessions 1875-76 and 1876, pages
555, 149 and 31, it will be seen that
I introduced Bills to reduce the fees
and costs of certain officers and at?
torneys. These Bills in the main
reduced the fees and costs, where
practicable, to the fee Bill of 1839,
which was just and equitable in all
its bearings. I found it impossible
to obtain either a favorable or un?
favorable report from the Seuate
Judiciary Committee, therefore they
were lost.
BANK DEPOSITS.
The policy of creating banks of
deposit was certainly intended to
provide a safe and convenient place
where public and private funds
should be kept to be paid out to de?
positors on call. The experience in
this State (and it is by no means an ex?
ception) has been that some of these
institutions have been the medium
of great loss to the people at large.
In some instances charters have un?
doubtedly been obtained by cunning
sharpers with the intent to steal and
defraud from the commencement.
In more than one case the officers,
knowing the insolvency of the in?
stitution, have continued to receive
deposits, knowing such deposits
would be lost by those who made
them. The State has not escaped
from the rapacity of such bank offi?
cers. To aid in preventing such
impositions and frauds and at least
to hold the terrors of the law over
the officers of such institutions, at the
regular session 1876 I submitted "A
Bill to render officers of corporations
personally responsible in certain
cases." [Senate Journal, page 67.]
It was acted upon favorably, ratified,
and approved bv Governor Hamp?
ton, May 31st, 1877.
" BILL TO REDUCE THE PAY OF COM?
MISSIONERS AND MANAGERS OF
ELECTION AND OF THEIR CLERKS."
By reference to Senate Jonrnal cp,
1876, page 102, it will be seen that
I offered a Bill bearing the above
named title, which provided for a
reduction of the pay of Commission?
ers and Managers of Elections and
their clerks from three dollars per
day to one dollar. Having been
reported upon favorably, and whilst
being considered by the Senate,
Senator Meetze asked if I would
favor a further reduction and so far
reform this class of expenditure as
to go back to the halcyon days
when good men served iu this ca?
pacity free of charge. I informed
him that I would gladly do so. He
then offered to so amend as to abol?
ish all pay, which amendment I
advocated and voted for. This Bill I
was acted upon favorably and was !
approved by Gov. Hampton, May j
23, 1877. By its provisions the I
State is saved every two years a sum
approximating 815,000.
STATE OFFICERS ON BOARDS AND
COMMISSIONS.
Of all the evils that befell South
Carolina, none equaled the appoint?
ment of State officers on State
Boards and Commissions. For in-!
I
stance, the Financial Board, com?
posed of Scott, Chamberlain and
Parker, increased the State debt by
unlawful means many millions of
dollars. The Land Commission,
the Sinking Fund Commission, etc.,
composed of the same or similar
officers, all drew their deadly coils
around the State, poisoning her very
life blood and destroying the Re?
publican party in the end. To
prevent further trouble in that di?
rection I introduced in the Senate,
session of 1876, page 39, "A Bill to
prohibit the service of State officers
upon Boards and Commissions and
public committees." This Bill re?
ceived its necessary readings in the
Senate but was defeated in the
House.
SCHOOL FUNDS.
Having ascertained that frauds
were being perpetrated by teachers
filing accounts for children not in
attendance, I presented the follow?
ing: "Bill to require all school
claims and claims for teachers to
be sworn to." [Senate Journal,
1876, page 102.] This Bill was
passed and approved by Gov.
Hampton, May 31, 1877.
I introduced "A Bill to prohibit
the unauthorized absence of certain
officers from duty." [Senate Jour?
nal 1878, page 59.] It was duly
ratified and approved by Gov.
Hampton, June 7,1877. The in?
terests of the State had suffered so
much by the absence of officers from
duty that I was constrained to offer
a measure that would prevent it in
the future. It prohibits State and
County officers from leaving the
State lor more than thirty days in
one year, under penalty of losing
the salaries and perquisites of their
offices for the year in which such
absence occurs.
APPOINTMENT OF COUNTY
OFFICERS.
I offered, at regular session 1876
[page 67,] "A Bill to regulate the
appointment of County officers,"
which was acted upon favorably and
approved by Governor Hampton,
May 30,1876. It provided that no
person should be appointed to any
County office unless he was an elec?
tor of such County. It is so well
known what the State and Counties
have lost by such appointments that
I need make no comments thereon.
ELECTION OF 1876.
Any history of ray course of ac?
tion would be incomplete without a
brief allusion to the exciting and
important election of 1876 and the
session of the General Assembly
immediately succeeding.- Governor
Hampton in my judgment having
received a majority of the votes cast
according to the returns made in
the mode and manner provided
under the Constitution, I could do
no less than sustain him. What?
ever clamor was raised over illegal
votes or ballot-box stuffing or in?
timidation had no effect over the veri?
fied returns. The Supreme Court
of the State, having been ap?
pealed to to decide these grave and
important questions, had decided
that the Wallace House was the
legally-constituted House of Repre?
sentatives. J, therefore,in obedience
I to law as pronounced by the Court
of last resort, at once acquiesced in
this decision; and on the passage of
the tax levy by the Senate in con?
junction with the Mackey House,
with the view of presenting the
same to Governor Chamberlain for
approval, I submitted a protest to
the Senate embodying this view.
[Senate Journal, 1876, pages 122,
124.]
JOINT INVESTIGATING COMMITTEE.
My connection with the Joint In?
vestigating Committee, to which I
have already alluded, has been made
the occasion of comment, particu?
larly on the part of Republicans.
It is proper to say that I did not
move the appointment of the com?
mittee, and was made a member and
Chairman of it without any solicita?
tion on my part. Designated to
that position by the Senate, it was
my plain duty to accept it and dis?
charge the trust with an eye single
to the public good. As a Republi?
can I would have been recreant to
my party if I had shirked the re?
sponsibility. As a representative of
the people it equally devolved upon
me to meet the responsibility fairly,
fearlessly and thoroughly. Charges
of corruption had for years been
freely circulated and had weighed
with crushing force upon Republi
I nans in this State as a party. To
I eliminate and fasten the truth upon
I the guilty was to vindicate the in
noceut, whilst to expose what was
false was even more effectually to
I relieve the masses of the people of
the odium which should attach
solely to their leaders?aud if this
resulted in deposing leaders who
had betrayed their trusts and their
party as well, the remedy, however
heroic, was only proportioned to the
disease and indispensable to the cure
of it. If the investigation proved
that leadera who had claimed to be
honest men and reformers were
leaders only in fraud and corrup?
tion, the responsibility rests upon
those who committed the wrong and
not upon those whose duty it became
to expose and bring them to punish?
ment. In a civilized community no
party can follow such leadership
and live; indeed, under such leader?
ship, a party ought not to live. It
was because of such leadership that
the Republican party met defeat;
and it was only by impeaching such
leaders and raising up new stand?
ards that it could hope ever again
to be deemed worthy of participa?
tion in public affairs. If I have
impartially, thoroughly aud faith
fully done my duty upon this com?
mittee?and for this I challenge the
record?I have served thei Republi?
can party no less than the State;
and in all of it, having fully dis?
charged my trusts, I have nothing
to regret save the crimes which
created the occasion and imposed
upon me the trust.
ROUTINE OF LEGISLATION.
To one not familiar with the pro?
cess of legislation it would appear
to be an easy, simple and speedy
thing to obtain the enactment of any
ordinary law. The preparation and
introduction of the Bill is only the
first step. Its reference to the ap?
propriate Committee follows, and
then the report from thai: Commit?
tee, if one can be obtained." If the
report is favorable, the Bill comes
up on its merits on the second read?
ing; whatever discussion is had on
the Bill is usually had then. If the
Bill passes its second reading it is
ordered engrossed, and then awaits
the report of the Engrossing Com?
mittee, and then the third reading.
This being obtained, it is sent to the
other house aud goes through the
same routine there. If it passes,
without amendments, then it is or?
dered enrolled. If amended at all
it must go back to the first house for
concurrence, and, after thai:, is enroll?
ed, ratified and presented to the Gov?
ernor for approval. Under the most
favorable circumstances it is a mat?
ter requiring great care and watch?
fulness in the midst of the business
of the two houses; but if it invokes
opposition of any character, honest
or otherwise, then its passage re?
quires a degree of care and watch?
fulness which cau hardly be appre?
ciated by any one who has not been
a member of the General Assembly.
There are nameless chances, from
first to last, of the most meritorious
Bill failing of passage through the
management of unscrupulous per?
sons opposed to it.
My object in referring to this
matter is that you may in some de?
gree apprehend and appreciate the
amount of labor, care and attention
bestowed by me on various measures
during my six years of public ser?
vice. Take up, if you have the
patience and curiosity, the numerous
Acts and resolutions introduced by
me. How many are now on the
statute books as laws? Consider
the condition of the State, and the
character and intelligence of the
Legislature; the prejudices then ex?
isting; the amount of labor and
perseverance actually performed by
me, to say nothing of the anxiety I
endured, and I am more than will?
ing to abide your judgment. The
Democratic members, although in a
minority up to 1876, always unani?
mously supported my attempts at
reform, as well as many of the
members of my own party. After
1876 my measures were more favor?
ably cousidered by my own party,
and received almost the unanimous
support of the opposition; hence my
success, and the laws and their ac?
tual results are living witnesses for
me.
CONCLUSION.
As I set out in this address to give
a full, unvarnished aud candid ac?
count of my action in the General
Assembly, and nothing extenuate, I
shall proceed to notice several mat?
ters for which I have been criticised.
That I made mistakes I do not wish
to deny ; but I can safely and con?
scientiously aver that iu all and
whatsoever I did I acted in the sin?
cere belief that good, and not evil,
would result to the people of the
j State. Among other things, I was
I censured for insisting upon the ap?
pointment of Samuel Johnson as
Jury Commissioner for Anderson
County. My reasons for this course
were:
1. Because I believed him com?
petent to fill the position.
2. Because he was the only
colored man in the County asking
for position at the time I asked for
nis appointment.
3. Because I thought the colored
voters were entitled to at least that
small recognition from the Repub?
lican administration.
4. Because he had supported me
in more than one election, and I felt
that he was entitled to this return
from me.
His competency was evidenced in
the character of the juries drawn
from his list, being intelligent citi?
zens and representing all classes aud
races, (and in striking contrast with
some drawn since in the latter re?
spect.) It is well known that no com?
plaint was ever made of the juries
thus drawn by him. His reappoint
meut by Governor Hampton, as well
as his endorsement by the Anderson
delegation, should surely have re
moved any censure from me. How
ever, I have no apology to offer, and j
would act in the same way at any i
time under similar circumstances.
THE VOTE FOR W. J. WHIPPER AS |
CIRCUIT JUDGE
occurred under peculiar circum- j
stances. It was my opinion at that
time his election was of no effect. |
Judge Reed but a short time before
the election informed me that he did j
not wish his name suggested or of
fered in nomination; that he would j
not yield the office, claiming to hold j
it for four years. Governor Cham- j
berlain had expressed a similar opiu
ion. The direct issue was made
with me about this vote. Some of the
leading colored Republican mem?
bers of the General Assembly openly
threatened to oppose and defeat ray J
measures of reform if I did not give i
this vote. It was certain I could I
not succeed without the assistance
and votes of Whipper's supporters.
Feeling assured that the election
was a nullity, and that I was only
expected to cast one ballot, I did so,
believing it for the best, under all
the circumstances, nor could I have
been consistent and have voted other?
wise after the Democrats had cast
their vote almost solidly for J. J.
Wright as Associate Justice?a more
important and higher position. And
why is it that they escaped censure?
for no one will question that in point
of morals, intellect and character
Whipper was certainly the equal of
Wright.
One other matter, aud then I be?
lieve I will have answered every
charge made against me whilst I was
in the General Assembly. This was
my vote in favor of furnishing Sen?
ators with three or four daily papers
to be laid on their desks during the
session. This would seem to be a
small matter, yet I prefer to give
the reasons for such vote. Three of
the four papers were Democratic,
and, the Senate being largely Repub
lican, my desire and motive was
that this Republican Senate should
be kept daily informed, through an
opposition press, of the many griev?
ances complaiued of, in order to
produce a wholesome check on bad
legislation, aud, on the other hand, to
hold out an inducement for economic
and just laws. What effect this
daily information produced can only
be determined by the legislation and
reforms subsequent.
I know that interested politici?
ans ? endeavored to make the
appointment of the Jury Com?
missioner before referred to dis?
tasteful to some citizens of the
County, and were loud in their con?
demnation of me; but a calm and
dispassionate review of all the ap?
pointments made iu Anderson Coun?
ty during the Republican rule, made
under my influence in a great meas?
ure, must convince all that I did
not act from a partisan spirit but
for the general public good. In
many instances I favored the ap?
pointment of citizens who I knew
had opposed my election, but I was
well aware that such persons were
competent, honest and acceptable to
their neighbors: hence I ignored all
personal feeling and considerations
and recommended good and true
men.
Even in times when the Demo?
cracy of Anderson were divided I
did not advise or seek to take any
advantage of the situation in County
affairs that could be tortured into
partisanship, but invariably sup?
ported none but good and compe?
tent persons for County officers, thus
on more than one occasion hazarding
my position and influence with some
of the leaders of ray own party.
Take, for instance, the County offi?
cers elected by the votes of the Re?
publicans in Anderson, and I ven?
ture that their conduct of County
affairs will compare favorably with
any elected before or since that time.
In concluding this long ad?
dress, in candor I must say that
there are many things running
through the last twelve years that I
would like to forget. But with all
the ostracism and persecution which
followed and was meted out to my?
self* and family for a time, and per?
haps with some is continued still,
simply because I dared to be a Re?
publican, yet I can say with truth
that I have never knowingly injured
the people of this State by word or
act. I have stood by the County of
Anderson, opposing each and every
effort to injure or oppress her. On
the one hand I bitterly opposed the
organization and arming of the
militia within her borders, the im?
portation of the State Constabulary,
or the quartering of troops upon us
for political purposes; whilst, on
the other hand, I opposed as strenu?
ously any Ku-Kluxism or violence
for like purpose, and in so doing I
not only assisted in preventing
discord, riot and bloodshed, but
strengthened th^ Republican party
and promoted harmony between the
races. I always felt an honest pride
in representing a constituency dis?
tinguished since 1868 for peace,
economy, just and liberal views; and
at all times in life, in whatever posi?
tion I may have been placed, I have
endeavored to sustain and maintain
your fair fame and reputation,
whether on the field of battle or as
a private citizen, or as County Audi?
tor, or as member of the House of
Representatives, or as Senator; and it
is with no common or ordinary feel?
ings that I attempt now to express
ray lasting gratitude for former con?
fidence and support. I bear no
malice to any, but leave all with the
best and sincerest wishes for their
prosperity and happiness.
To you, my colored fellow-citizens,
this address would be incomplete
unless I made full and frank ac?
knowledgment of the confidence and
support you have rendered me. I do
not think it can be said that I ever
willingly or knowingly deceived or
misled you. That I earnestly de?
sired your advancement in all that
builds up a true citizensb/.p must be
evidenced by my conduct and ad?
vice on all occasions. Whatever
measures will aid your educational,
moral or material progress will al?
ways receive my ardent support. I
advise you to give your undivided
support to the organization and
maintenance of a thorough school
system, free from all politics and
creeds, to the end that every child
shall have the opportunity of ob?
taining a common English educa?
tion?reading, writing and arith?
metic?the basis and stepping stone,
according to capacity, for the high?
est standard of all learning.
JOHN R. COCHRAN.
Anderson, March 5,1880.