Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1856-03-05
For the Advertiser.

Mr. EDIroR: The mode Of argument employed
by the Inorcr No. 3, on the subject Of elections,
is as logically and untrue as his conclusions are
arbitrary. and incorrect. am that shall not
attempt to follow him through all the wild vagarics
of his unbrided fancy. But, that the Legislature
in the preamble of one of its Acts, did say that the
people are the best Judges of the qualifications Of
local or District officers" and in the preamble Of
another, did declare that the time Of the I.esis-
Iature which might be otherwise occupied in dis
cussing the interests Of the State. is too much en-
crossed in holding elections for District and local
officers. and their attention diverted from objects Of
greater to minor importance" is no reason why the
election OF the various Boards OF Commissioners,
the Escheaor, the Coroner, the Magistrates, and
the Commissioner in Equity should be given TO
the people One Legislature has no power to bind
another in such matters-nor are its declarations in
the beginning of an Act to be understood ar
gumcnts to influence the action Of different BODY
Of men. But the very Legislatures that adopted
the preambles, have heard much Of lately
declined to grant the peop any more elections than"
they at present have in their hands If, then, tho
declaration Of those Bodies must be claimed as
sons to control our judgment and direct our con-
duct, certainly their acts and their refusal 10 act,
should be considered as reasons much more potent
to shape our policy 1t would have been as easy
for them to pass acts giving all the elections to the
people, as to pass the two Of which the fntormer"
50 loudly vaunts. | maintain, therefore, that his
deductions are not warranted by the premises, and
are, in logic, absurd
But the gentlemen "play on harp Of thou
sand strings" TO the loss Of the precious time Of
the Legislature in making these odioas District
elections They complain Of the want Of opportunity
for discussing the interests Of the State" My
own impression is, TINT il these interests were less
discussed by the General Assembly, much more
progress in business would be made, and much
more Wholesome legislation would be the result.
Indeed, it would seem to impartial observer, from
the vast number Of crude, unmeaning and intcrmin-
able speeches that eemed in the papers, during the
last Session, that many members did nothing dur
ing the whole winter in Columbia, but babble and
write out their prosy nonsense.
am more astonishcd, though at the bold asser-
tions Of the Inormer" to establish the great loss
Of time, by the Legislature, in making the District
or local elections. Do the gentlemen suppose, that
they are always speaking to certain portion Of
Aiken District? Do they suppose that their re-
marks will not be scanned, and their expressions
weighed by some fc,o men capable Of ascending 10
the height Of their great argument? Could they
induce even the marines" to believe that half the
time Of the Edge6ed or any other delegation, in the
Legislature, is spent in electng District officers
Other gentlemen have seen the inside Of the State
Capitol, and have, at least, been allowed seats in
the galleries, besides the very able conductors of
the Injorm,r. The facts are these, which can be
testified to BY thousands Tho elections Of the
General Assembly are carried on, and mostly COM
peted at every Session, whilst the various commit
tees are preparing business for debate: and the Sc
lection of the numerous District officers throughout
the State, being made by each delegation, mostly
from recommendations and nominations BY the peo
pie themselves at home, venture the assertion, on
my responsibility to man and God, that decga-
tion, OH m average, has need to spend more than
two whole days during Session in appointing tho
officers for its District. This is the truth. Let it
be successfully controverted and all the blundcrs
of the Informer, the "SIsTEn DIS" Of The Gccn-
vile Mountineer shall be received as Gospel. The
elections referred to- and objected to- are, in fact
almost entirely and wholly made BY the people
themselves, for delegation scarcely ever refuses
their nominations, even down to the managers Of
elections themselves, and the Legislature never re-
fuses the nominations Of the delegates. The people
Of precinct determine who would be good manag-
ers to succeed the oil ones tn. people OF neigh
borhood, who would be good magistrates to succeed
the old ones; the people Of the Battaions, or the
members Of the boards themselves, or any good
citizens of the District interested therein, determine
who would be good Commissioners Of the several
Boards to fill the places Of the cd ones, and they
send their recommendations to Columbia which are
uniformly adopted and confirmed. Hence there is
no complaint in the Districts whatever, in regard to
their local officers, and there is no hardship elt.
Neither can see, with an honest vision, how it is
possible for the most ingenious aspirant for public
applause, to make capital out Of these Paltry Dis
trict officers for the delegations are generally
agreed in accepting the different nominations of
their constituents, and, presume, tha. there is no
member, even Of the corrupt Legislature OF South
Carolinn, so mean and base to avail himself Of
difference of opinion in the private business consul
taons of his colleagues to curry favor among the
dappointed or discontented at home.
Now, tell me, il ye be wise prophets and sages in
legislation and political ecouomy, what plan more.
efficient and peaceful and cheap could be devised
for electng the several Boards Of Commissioners,
and the other District officers in controversy be-
tween us7 You may make figures until doomsday,
and summon 10 your aid all the inapplicab'e statis-
tics in the American Almanac, and still you may
furnish no argument to convince the intelligent
members Of this community Of the business and
truth Of your position.
Your proposition to confer the appointment OF
the managers of elections on the Clerks Of the
Courts of the Districts, is not only weak, but, in a
degree, monstrous and Scvotng. The Clerks
themselves are elected at the very polls which they
would be called upon to designate managers to con-
troll and they would thus be exposed to the greatest
temptation which it is possible for man to withstand
that Of subscribing his own interest when in his
power TO do so. You would throw in the way Of
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