Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1867-10-30
Judge Aldrich does not Obey General
Orders No. 80.

At the recent session of the Court of Com.
mon Pleas and General Sessions for Edse6eld
District, Judge Aldrich, wko presided, after
q manly exposition of kis sense of duty, de.
clined to obey the order of General Candy
requiring the drawing of jurors from all per-
sons who have paid taxes for the current
wear, and who are qualified, and have been
or may be, duly registered as voters. This
order excludes sll disfranchised white persons
from the jury, Notwithstanding they may
have paid their taxes, and yet makes the
paying of tax the sole basis Of eligibility for
Jury service in the case of the negro.
In taking this ground Judge Aldrich has
planted himself in he strongest possible po.
sition-a position, too which, as a Judge of
the State of South Carolina, he was bound
to take.
He was about to enter upon The discharge
of the duties Of the positions of Judge OF the
State of South Carolna-pot United States
Judge, aud not even State Judge, appointed
by tlse military Commander. By his official
oath. given to tie State, he had sworn to
q protect and defend the Constitution of this
State and of the United S'ates," " and "in the
drawing, ballotting, impaneliing or summon
ing Of juries, truly, diligently and uprisht'y
carry into due and faithful execution the act
of the General Assembly, commonly called
the Jury Law, passed A. ID. 1897, as the same
has been since altered, or amended or may
be so hereafter The order Of General Can.
by required him to utterly disregard and
violate this solemn oath. He could not do 50,
and continue Judge of the State OF South
Carolina. In truth, his obedience to the
order would transform him into nothing less
than part of the Congressional machinery
for the oppression of the people, and the car
ry;ug forward the behcsts OF tic Radicals.
| 1t would have made him openly and officially
disregard the Constitution Of his State and
of the United States, and become an instru
ment of the unconstitutional, uSnrping mill.
rur, power -er-,s-.,---i:!--------''-'T 49,
he would have had no warrant for such
course, even in the very Reconstruction Acts
of Congress, unconstitutional as they are.
Those Acts, whilst bcirg sclufn'ousy care
| (ui in particularising as 10 what snail ana
shall not be done, in no place eiTe authority
for any such proceeding. The order is a
mere assumption of the Military Cominand-
ant-a help to tho Radical Machinery, which
proroscs to tear to shrci;S the entire fabric OF
our State Government, and create in its stead
the vilrst usurpation. We can therefore but
Give ut,crancc to our hearty approval el the
course which judge Adrich has pursu,d
And we wish that our Sense OF duty ant!
responsibility as public journalist, permitted
MS to Stop here. Fer the judiciary CT the
State VIC have ever felt the highest vcnera'
ton, and We cannot and do not impinge upon
its hinh honor, its patriotism, or its convic-
ton of the pursuit CT conscientious duty
But we must be permitted TO enter OUR pro
test against this ready obedience Of a power
which has no semblance Of Constitutional au
tEIoriiy, and which is in cntilc sab7ersion I"
the authority Of the Stale under lha laws o
which, in their present position, they mus
act, if they act at all.-Slmter Watcaman.