Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1866-03-03

! to the Judges lodgings, and, upon inquiry
there, was informed that the Judge was not
at home, (the 1Gth.) The man returned, and
was shown into the Judges room, and pro
duced the following note:
HDo'Rs PRoyosr MAKsuAL's OFFICE,
MILITARY DISTRICT,
Charleston, S. c., Feb 16, 1866
Ion. Il. T. 1lt7rich, Charleston, $. g.:
The Brcyct Brigadies General Commanding
directs me to present his compliments, and
desires to see you at his Office immediately.
Very respectfully FRANK GElsE,
lst Lieut.. Saith NY V. ", prov't Marshal.
10 this note the Judge replied as follows
Mrs. GIDIERE's,
CHARLESTON, Broad Street.
February 1G, 1866.
Sir: | have just received your note inform
ing me that the Brcvet Brigadicr cncral
commanding desires to see me at his Office i'm
mcdiately. I respectfully Inform you that if
| had any business with the General, | would
promptly call upon him for it's transaction.-
But as | am not aware of any matter either
public or private which demands my presence,
| beg leave respectfully to decline answering
your summons. If the General has any bus
mess with me, it will give me great pleasure
to receive him at my place of residence willie
in the city-NIrs. Gidicrc's, ljroad street
Respectfully, your obcdient servant,
A. p. ALDRlCH.
TO Lieut.. GE1sE.
The next morning Lieut.. Geisc called on
me and was shown to my room. lie informed
me that he had received MY reply to his note,
and was directed by Gen. Bennett to call on
me in person, present his compliments, and
respectfully ask me to sec him at his Office on
>cf - IL >s,ll l.
PINOT fully informed. l asked him at what time
the General had appointed to see me. lie
replied, Immediately. Ianswcrcd, am ready
to SO with you Arriving at headquarters,
the King House, was presented to General
Bennett who received me politely. He then
said he had seen my reply to Lieut. Geisc
t aud considered it disresncctful said | am
sorry you so consider it, for intended it to
be entirely respectful. lie said, l think it
rather curt. | answered, that the Office of a
Judge of the Superior Court in South Carroll
ma had always been considered ono of great
dignity, that those who had preceded mo had
maintained it's station and that was not in
clined to depart from their example. added,
if / had been in Charleston on my private
affairs and he had requested me to como to
his office, would have had no hesitation in
doing so. But as was here officially, holding
Court | thought something was due to tho
dignity of the office. and that he light at least
have addressed me under his own hand and
Informed me Of his business. lie asked me
if did not recognize the authority Of the Uni
ted States Government in the State | said,
did, and was forced to do so. He then said,
that he represented the Government, and al
though it would have given him pleasure to
call on me, yct he thought my reply might
have been less curt.
lc then drew my attention to the report in
the daily newspapers of the sentences passed
by me in the Court of Sessions, and asked me
IT tho rcpMt YVES correct Hc said, ! ask you
this question because the reporters sometimes
make great blundcrs and we are led into error
[ replied, that the sentences were correctly
reported. lie answered, suppose SO, as /
sent down my Provost Marshal to examine the
records. He then said am directed by Gen
Sickles to request you to revoke the sentences
as they. are iD violation of his order and ncon-
sistent with the advance Of civilization and the
humanity of the age | replied that had
never seen Gen Sicklcs' order, which he had
handed ne; but that | would not revoke the
sentences, as thai punishment was imposed by
law; that the only discretion had, as
Judge, was to increase or decrease tho num-
Der OF stripes to n certain limit; but that the
law prescribed whipping, and ! could not, as
the Judge, dispense with it aud perform my