Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1866-02-28
~ MRos GlUlEhES,
GHaREEsfoN, BROAD STREET,

10th February, lo0O.
- SIR: I hsye just receiyed ryonr-- note~iu-'
forming me that the Breyet Brigadier-Gene.
raj commanding desires to see me at bis Office
Immediately. respectfully inform you that
iE Lhad any. bnsinesa. .withzrthez e6eueral,@I
would promptly all.upon him for its trans;
acfion. But as | am not aware cf any Mat
ter either public or private which demands
myspresence?I beg leave respectfully to de-
cline answering your summons. Ifthe GenE;
eralbas any business with me; it will give md
great pleasure to receive4him at my place Of
residence;while in the city, Mrs. sGidiere's,
Broad:street. - = ., ..s.,s. i
Respectfully, your otedient servant,
so -. ''-'N'. A. P. ALDRICH.
To Lieut.. GE1sE."
The mex xtimorning Lieutenant Geise called
on me and was shown to my room. He in.
formed me that be had received mysreplylto
his note, nad was directed by General Ben
nett to call on me in person, present bis com.
plinents, and respectfully. ask me to see him
satihis Office on public business; of the nature
of Which Sheswas not!fully Informed. I asked
,hinhat what time,the Generalihad appointed
to see me. He replied, immediately. l an.
swered / am ready to go with you. Arriving
at headquarters, the King house, I was pre-
sexted to General Bennett who received nc
politely. He then said he had seen my reply
to Lieutenant Geise. and sconsideret it dis
respectful. I said 1 am sorry gonso consider
it, for ,intendedit to. be entirely respectful.
He said, think it rather curt. l answered.
that Che office OF Judge Of The Superior
Court in SoltE Carolina had always been
considered one Of great dignity, that those.
who had preceded me had maintained its sta.
ton and that was not inclined to depart
from their example. added If had been
in.Charleston on my! private nffairs and .hc
had requested me 10 come to his Office, would
have had no hesitation III doing so. Butias
l was here officially, holding Court, fthought-
something was due to the dignity Of the Office,
and that he'night at least have addressed
me under his own. hand and ipformed Of his
business. He asked me i'll did not recognize
tae authority of, the United States Govern
ment in the State. said E did, and was
forced to do 80. He then said that. he re.
presented the Government, and although it.
would have given him pleasure to call on
me, yet he thought my replymight have been
less curt. -
de then dreR ny attention to the,report in
the daily newspapers of the sentences passed
by me in The Court Of Sessions, and asked me
if the report was correct. He said, ] ask
you this question because the reporters some;
times make great blunders and we are led
into error / replied that the sentences were
corrcctlyreported. He answered. i supposed
30, as sent down my Provost Marshalto
examine the records. He then said AIN di-.
rected by General Sickles to request you to
revoke the sentences, as they are in violation
of his order and inconsistent with the ad-
Vance.of civilization and the humanity OF the
age Ireplied 4thatI hadnever seen Genera
Sickles' order, which he handed me but that,
would not revoke The sentences, as that
punishment was imposed by law; that the
only discretion had, as a Judge, was to in
crease or decrease the number Of stripes to
certain limit; but that the law prescribed
whipping, and could not, as the Judge, dis
pcnse with it and perform my duty. 1 then
explained to him the division of our Courts
into, Law, Equity and of Appeals, and
Cnnrt of Errnrs- He asked me il -tbe Chief
Justice was in the city, and if there was any
difference in the rank of Judges. replied,
no, that the Chief Justice presided in the |
Court Of Appeals, and in the Court Of Errors
that the Court of Appeals was a7separate
Court, and that the Court Of, Errors was coin.
posed of all the Judges, and that each Judge
has the same authority and dignity as the
Chief Justice. then said to him there il
butono way 10 which the whipping can be
avoided, and that is by applying to che Gov
ernor to exercise the power of.pardon. ad.
led it was also to be avoided by,your taking
the prisoners out Of the custody of the Sheriff
lie then said, understand, you to decline to I
revoke the sentences. | said l did. He re-,
Piled, I will report this conyersationto Gene
:al Sickles, and You may hear from me in the
course Of the day. This Terminated the IN
erview.9 A. p. ALDRiCIJ
On Tuesday morning Sheriff Carex visited /
he jail for the purpose Of carrying thesssn
ence into execution, but was refused posses /
ion of the prisoners and permission to carry
ut the sentence,