The Sumter banner. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1846-1855, 1854-04-05
For The Banner.

3lessrs Editors: Having been allowed,
! through your columns. some time since, TO
address Il few questions to the candidates
for the Legislature, upon the principle to-
| pics OF interest 10 us, it is but reasonable
10 suppose that we looked 10 the fortlcom-
ing Of the next issue Of your extensively
circulated journal with some interest, cx-
| pecting reply to, at least some Of our IN
tcrrogaiorcs; but instead the7eoi wc !:::!
communication from a correspondent
Pro Bono Publco," who desires that
none Of tho candidates Of this (Ciarcmonl)
County will answer any questions upon po-
litcal topics Ulerehy admitting there are
more questions than one) until the can.
vass fully opens in July next; and with,
as we think, great deal Of presumption,
says to the people Of this county, {if not in
words we use, the same in substance) YOU
| bayc ht one question to interest you
which is ;lat Of giving you your -cosilu.
lional and Abstract" right of voting Tor
| Electors of President and Vice President 10
the people" What arrogance q! Is one
individual to declare 10 the people what
shall be the issue upon which choice
Of the candidates 10 represent them shall
turn? Why SirS. if the author vas as
much Roman as the signature which
he uses, we would even then say
that he was arrogant. And gentle
men, look 10 the reasons which he as.
signs for the desire to close the mouths Of
our candidates; first rs 10 the time, is it not
just and right when questions Of importance
arc brought before us that we should have
time 10 discuss them, to hear them discuss
ed by others and TO make up our minds,
more especially when it or they arc in re-
ference to changes Of existing customs or
laws? This certainly no one can deny.
Then it becomes time rs soon as questions
Of this kind are brought into notice, to as.
certain the views OF those who are to rep
resent us in these questions and because
he wishes :" no side issues" {" no illnesses
for individual advantages" and last of all
"lhc field will Le filed with additional a:,-
prants," it must needs be put off,
Now in your correspondents objections.
is there one that has any substance in
it! His first objection as to the time
has been already set aside by the candi.
dates themselves who have been meeting
the people at several public places AMI
gatherings. and arc. as we un rsland, do
ing their rory almost each f. himself
And as to his .fncSSes for iMdiridudl ad.
vantage" we think his piece clearly shows
that lie himself was tincssing inr thai p,lr-
pose when lio published his desire as to
the time when the candidates should CON.
mcncc giving their opinions to the people.
ut the same time stating to us, what re The
people were to have as the question for
them to answer, else why did tho idea of
iinessng strike him so early, unless OF the
| injury it might do to some candidates. In re-.
ference to his "sido issues" and main qucs.
tons, we do not lhinl: ho means that tho
| people of this county should not bo allowed
to make what. and as many. questions as
they SEQ proper. the tcat questions in an
election; no. notw outstanding his pre-
| sumption but, as one resembling fence
man, fisherman, friend Vulcan would saw
he wanted time to ascertain the state of
affairs in behalf of his own individual, and
if the opinions he should entertain upon
the topics alluded TO in one Of your former
issues, wero acceptable to the rotcrs,
If 3d. possibly he would not object to them
being answered. All ilprctty good tinossing,
but no go this time Bono.
As we have done before, wo eontond,
that it is our right. as a people, living un-
der the present organized government, to
know the opinions Of any or all of tho cam
dida,es before us, upon any question that