Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1870-12-23
Proceedings Of the LegisIature.

'"PPei, Atoh ,Ihe opeoisi cOLhmltCee app0lnC-s
ed to investigate the official conduct of judge
Vernon, submitted report, recommending
that he be Immediately suspended and i'm.
peached for high crimes and misdemeanors. " q
Mr.. Wilkes had recorded on the Journal
the following: Upon the resolution to i'm.
peach Judge Vernon, vote nay, for the rea-
son that do not consider the evidence sufi-
c'ent to put him upon his defence. think
that more than one witness to the same fact
should have been examined. do not doubt
tho veracity of any witness who testified be.
fore the special committee. My objection
above relates to the quantity of evidence
The testimony given before the committee
was read by the Clerk.
Mr.. r. NJ. Smith made some remarks
against the adoption of the report, asserting
that Judge Vernon had done nothing but
what he was required to do by law, aud that
nc believed the resolution was intended to
suspend the writ of AaJeas corpus, and that
1T would have that effect, if hurried through.
lie protested against the Legislature stepping
in between the citizens of the State and their
great civil right-the writ of haJeas corpus.
lie said that if Judge Vernon was impeached
for issuing these writs, no other Judge We uld
dare to issue another, while the General AS.
sembly was sitting. He hoped the House
would not pandcr to the prejudices and wish
cs of few who are pressing them on for po-
litical purposes. sl
A colored member asked him, as kind Of
justification for pressing the matter, if the
political rights of the people were not their
most valuable ones !?
He replied, to this senselcss ~, ,estion, that
not having enjoyed political rights lately, he
was not prepared to answer it.
address by Afr. Crews and other Republican
members, but they did not succeed in preven.
ting him from expressin. his opinion on the
question.
the report of the committee be made the spe-
c;al order for to morrow at o'clock, and that
the proceedings of the committee and the ev.
idence taken before them be printed
Mr. Moblcy opposed the postponement Of;
the resolution said that he had heard that
Mr. Smith was closely connected with tho
Ku Klux Khan, and moved to layon the tablo
the motion to postpone. Adopted.
The question was then taken on adopting
the report of the committee, and the yeas and
nays were called resulting-yca 03; nays 10.
Mr.. Ryas offered resolution, that d com
mittce of five be selected to appear at the bar
of the Senate and announce to them that the
House had impeached Judge Vernon, aad
would present in due time articles on i'm
peachmeut. Adopted. Mcssrs. w. j. Whip.
per, +. j. Moses, Jr., w. d. Wilkes, A.
Logan aud JOS. Crews were appointed said
committee.
A resolution was adopted. providing for an
adjournment of this body, from December %,
1870, to January s., 1871.
Mr.. Crittenden introduced an amendment,
providing that the members be not permitted
to draw their per diem during tho recess,
which was indefinitely postponed,
COLUMBIA, Dec. 15.--In the House, the
Sergeautat arms reported that no had deliv-
cred Judge Vernon communication from
tho clerk, informing him of his impeachmcnt
Mr.. Crews offered resolution that tho
Speaker be instructed to ordor Judge Vernon
to appear forthwith at the bar of the House,
and show cause why he should not be nttachad
for contempt, in performing the functions
of Judge after tho receipt of communica.
tion informing him of his impeachment y.
Mr. r. NJ. Smith objected, on tho ground
that as Judge Vernon is to be tried before
the Senate, lie is subject to its jurisdiction,
and is not at liberty to obey the summons Of
tn, Speaker.
Messrs. Wilkes, Crittenden and Selle.s OBJ.
posed it, on tho ground thasJadge Vernon
did not commit such contempt as The House
could punish, under the Constitution.
| Mr. Crews said that no liked Judge Yer.
non rs man, but despised him asa Judee,
and wanted his. head entirely scut off. of,
Judge Vernon is brought here, two thirds of
the members will say that he Is drunk "a
Messrs. j. A. Davis aud Bosemon expressed
the intcntion to vote against the resolution,
because they conscicntiously believed that
1 they should do SO, and though they had a
right to vote as they thought best. 3s 81
Mr.. Hurley, who opposed the fespl1sion, !,
sent to the Chair Q volume, FROM which le
requested that tho clerk might read oes sain
1 sections, which was done. When the clerk
had fnished reading, Mr. w hippsr obtai1ad
possession Of the Sook, and rsf fised I'd delisss
it to Mr.. Hurley, and tho aiter was conpots
lod to discontinue lis srenaSks III ssss
!. After couside dSbate by liossTs I0sas,s
| ThomI on, syhipper, Daacan and here HIS
resolution WAS adopted 3. Ssss %
I Mr.. Byas offered 4 rssolut ution, TINT tas nossas