Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1856-01-09

! 'u
and. sir, we elect them by baitot. This genera
assembly seldom sits longer than three. anC
never, believe, more than four weeks. And Il:
we have 10 elect on the average, about one
fourth of these officers ut every session OF The
Legislature frequently holding two or three
BALLOTS in one ceciion--how much time is left
us TO legslale. Nearly every member of this
body always has Il friend who is either declared
candidate or an aspirant for some office, now OF
shortly TO b, vacant. We are therefore, al
elcrtonccrcrs, with each other and the candi-
dates and nspifants must eec!ionecr with U.s.
We must consequently treat and be treated, feast
and be lrastrd-all of this consumes at least half
of our time, whic!, should be devoted to egis-
Iation.
will next undertake to show that onr votes
! in legislation are biased; yea. often controlled,
bv The votes which we intend 10 give, or hope TO
receive in elections for our friends. or ourselves
! (lor members Of this Legislature, are often, very
| often, too often candidates here themselves, and
candidates or ut least aspirants for years at that
! Every sound minded man must clearly perceive,
! that Il candidate or asplrant is ut all times prcv-
ous to the election, anxious to increase his popu-
| larity with those who are to pass upon his pre-
tenliOns; hence, that in any great excitement,
extending either to the whole, or, part of the
electors, such othce.seeker or aspirant must
and will be p'lhic, or, in convertible terms, pru-
dent and tnid. These great exctements con-
stantlY occur in every legislative body, and in
| ours, they for the most part, always assume a
sectional direction. Hence, no candidate, no rs.
pirant for any office in the gift of This assembly,
can give an honest and independent vote on such
! IIn nj Iplu npt 10 n ~ nm
and statesman ought for the reason tIIat it would
be in vain to appeal from the legislature to the
people, is the GQiiOt system here m0cks the
people and prevents them from beSlowlng So
icitor's commission, Il judges gown, or gov
crnors zap upon their tavorite, however worthy
lie may be.
Ard there are still other agencies, which op-
crate with almost diratorial force upon the votes
of representatives here in many matters Of leg.
i.lation The bank of the Stale, the private
banks. the railroads, the college, the military
academies, and the lunatc asylum, although but
corporations, are yet what might be called a
third and the most powerful branch Of our leg
isature The bank Of the State has four MIL
lions of the peoples moBey, and We manage it.
We elect the officers who have influence here.
Many members Of this body get accommoda-
lions there. and they must reciprocate the favor
bv voting rs the bank directs in many matters
Of legislation, as well as in numerous elections
here. If not, actions at law and persecution
under cover of the ballot is their portion here,
III well as indirect opposition in the primary
elections before the people. Many of The other
States have constitutional provision excluding
officers of rail roads and banks from sitting in |
the Legislature, but our private banks have large
stockholders and directors without limit, who
are also members of this body. Under cover
of the ballot and other parliamentary tactics in
vogue here. these institutions frequently take y
hand both in legislation and in elections. The
rail roads stand in the same category. The
South Carolina college in Il different way. like
wise plays IN important part in the action OF
this assembly. The same is true of the military
academies. ~ well as of the iunatic asylum;
yes sir, even The asylum is married to the Legis-
Ialurc laughter
But now for the overwhelming evidence that
this legislature is IN Assembly of electors and
not of legislators, and that by its peculiar organ.
izalion an oigarchy of live hundred men are
permitted to rule the State with an iron will.
| shall at present say nothing more Of the Or
ganizat;on Of this House, than that it consists
Of one hundred anl lwenty.lour members half
Of whom represent taxation and the other half
white population. Upon this joint basis fifty
representatives, believe, cul;:e from the parish
IS and the remaining scvtniy-tnnr from the dis
ricts 1t would be all easy matter 10 show,