The New Orleans crescent. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1866-1869, 1868-04-22
Ca.d from tbe Late Attorney General OF
sonth Caroline.

In the card published on Saturday, I confined
myself TO the action of the meeting IN Columbia.
In taking leave, however, Of the public, as
attorney general, after a service of near twenty
years, desire TO say a word as TO the office, and
the more so because ] consider myself the last
of the attorney generals Of South Carolina.
mean the old white mans South Carolina-one OF
the original thirteen 1.-THE South Carolina
which gave TO the revolution " her Rutledges
and PiDekneys, and to the crisis preceding the
"second war Of independence her Lowndes,
Cheves and Calhoun. which has contributed to
the councils OF the country since her McDufhe,
Hayne, Preston and Degare-of that South Caro-
lima / am the last attorney general
Heretofore the Office has been, 10 this State, as
in England, one Of the prizes Of the profession,
TO De attained only after long and ardu0us
service. The attorney general Is the acknow-
lodged head Of the bar, and the bar have jeal.
Ousy guarded the position.
The office, since the revolution, has been filed
first, by John Julius Pringle. learned lawyer,
of large experience, with a very lucrative ana
multarious practice; second, Langdon Cheves,
cldruga a uenea6ae non.en, a giant among giaat',
with the very largest private practice ever know
In this State third, John s. Richardson, eminent "
eloquent and successful as barrister, for very
many years judge in our highest court; fourth,
Robert Y. Hayne, who, between the age OF
twentyone and thirty. began and finished bril-
liant professional career, which gave him fortune
enough to enable him TO devote twelve years to
politics; ninth, James L. Petigru; his very name
a synonym for learning, eloquence and force as a
lawyer sixth. hugh Swnton Legare, a polished
corner of the temple" as profound as he was
brilliant, and equally the scholar and the lawyer
seventh, r. Barnwell Rhett, who after q very
brief term of Office was transpanted to the halls
of Congress, ard who has run a career since
which has made his name familiar from Cana la
TO the Gulf; eighth Henry Bailey. who as law
yer, was q fit compeer Of his distinguished prede-
ceseOrs.
For myself, viii only say that when elected
attorney general, | had been sixteen years a
prscticiDg lawyer, and have since been elected by
Eve different legislatures to this high Office. So
ends the roll OF the attorney-generals VI Old south
Carolina.
How begins the newt Who is Mr.. Chamber.
lain! II may be that be Is gentleman, a scholar
and, for aught know. learned in the law. Bat
10 he citizen of the State? and, if so, how long
Is he member of the bar Is he q member OF
any bar at all How long has he prscticed the
profession Of the law?
mean nothing personal towards Mr.. Chamber.
lain. But far as Is known to the voters Of South
Carolina he is citizen of Massachusetts, VINO has
come into South Carolina since the war, and set
tied down as q planter" on Wsdmasw Island
Whether be is lawyer at all, or not, is not kuo WI
TO the voters.
But TO this, too, we must submit as a subjugated
people. and, so far as the bar is concerned it i.
not the least of humiliations, in the passage OF
power from the white man to the negro. Yale
ISAAC W. HAYNE,
Attorney General Of South Carolina