Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1855-11-28

tween several of them.
After urging number Of other arguments,
pertinent to the subject, he proceeded to ray
that the friends of Division had Two enemies to
conquer and Two victories to win-one at home
and the OTHER at tho Legislnture-ihat we had
peii:ionod nnd prayed for division long enough
that five would succeed, that discussion and
the ballot box were the weapons which we
should nse-that truth, justice, and right argu
nents were on our side, and he referred to the
federal and state statistics 10 sustain our posi-.
tiOns, .pr--->rSs7~ -
He said that athome, all fncumbents, candi-
dates and aspirants for the district Offices of
profit, ~ well rs their friends and relatives, would
oppose division, because it would diminish The
profits of their fat incumbencies-that the citi.
zens residing ut or near The Court Houses would
oppose The measure from self.interest; and that
the lawyers would oppose it from the fact that
large districts increased litigation, AMI that in
stead of seeking business themselves, business
WAS brought to them and because as body
they were competitors for Offices n The gift of the
Legislature, which was under the control Of the
parishes.
In the Legislature we would hare to contend
with the party in power, which is the Parishes.
Power is sneet-and as the Parishes have the
lions share, they are as unwilling 10 give it up,
as an individual would be to part with property
that he had obtained unjustly.
He then alluded to the fact that the people are
permitted TO amuse themselves with the sem.
blance of sovereignty by. elec,ing their petty
militia officers, District police, members Of Leg
islature and of Congress; whilst the Legislature
had the election and appointment to more than
nv Z r.kff fha hDaN IL fonf
and lucrative Offices in the State.
That as the Districts have nearly four times
as many white inhabitants as the Parishes, they
must necessarily have four times as many aspi-
rants and candidates for Offices in the gift of the
Legislature; that these candidates and aspirants,
fearful of offending the party in power, were de-
tered from advocating many measures which
their judgment approved, for the good Of the
people. In this way the leading men of the up.
country were brbed to silence and the same
influences were generally brought TO bear upon
the controllers of our newspapers
He next commented with great severity on
the vote by ballot in the election ofHofficers by
the Legislature-said that most of the other
States hnd given all elections to the people, ex-
cept that Of Judges and few other officers, who
:ls far as he had been enabled to examine the
constitution of the several States, where chosen
rira roce and in all elections by the people by
ballot. That this was right-lhat the people
could then see how their representatives voted
in elections, rs well as in matters Of legislation
that representative was as responsible for
good vote IN the one case as in The other-that
in primary elections, the people are responsible
only to themselves-that by this ballot system
in the Legislature, the people could not have any
officer of their choice whatever, provided their
choice did not coincide with that of the repre-
scntatves-that the ballot covered a mul.
titude of sins in Columbia-that the votes of
up-couniry Representatives in matters of legis.
lalion, were frequently controlled by the hope or
promise of reward in fat or honorable Office in
the gift of The parishes. This he said explained
why Edge6eld and Barnwe had not, long ago
been divided why the election of Presidential
electors, had not been given 10 the people, and
other wholesome reforms made-that the parish.
es and their organs were eternallv preaching
it. since they control the State as things now
not the conviction Of enlightened judgment and
equal justice TO ALL He then refuted many OBJ
ections that are urged against small judicial
Districts, and ended his remarks by exhorling
the people to adopt the report of the committee
and firmly adhere 10 it in all future elections
The Resolutions were then read and adopted
seriatim, without a dissenting voice. Several
letters were then read from the friends of The
cause, bidding it God speed.
After which the meeting adjourned to
neighboring grove, to discuss the merits of nu-
merous carcasses, well adapted to tempt the
hungry appetiles Of 8 or 900 voters, the yeoman-
ry OF the proposed Districts.
J.G. ROWE, Chairman.
F. l.. WALKER,