The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1870-02-17
ELECTION OF JUDGE FOB THE FIFTH CIR.
CUT.


The Columbia Guardian. of Saturday last con-
ta1s the following particulars attending the elec.
tion to supply the vacancy created by the death of
Judge Boozer:
Saml w. Melton, Esq, was yesterday elected,
on the first Ballot to the Office of Judge of the Fifth
Circuit, made vacant by the death of Judge Booker
Out of one hundred and twenty-five votes cast, he
received sixty eight. The other candidates put in
nomination were, Thompson Fl Cook, Orangeburg;
VIM. Earle, Greenville J. Scott Murray, Ander-5
SON; L. F. Youmans, Edgefeld,~ and Coy Wingo,
Spartanburg. The contest was mainly between
Mr. Melton and Mr.. Murray.
ehave finished with the actual election when
ne give the name of. the successful party and the
number of votes cast his favor; but the scenes
incident to the election such as We have nev-
er witnessed before, and which we believe were
never heard of this side of-our present Con-
gress. ijai5r= IA
After the ballot had been taken, there was such
engineering, gagging and brow-hesting az are not
practiced elsewhere than in the present South
Carolina Legislature. The President of Che joint
assembly ID. T.) Corbin was utterly unable to
| proceed with business, owing to the disorder
among the members Elliott, Leslie, DeLarge and
Johnston were the leaders in the uproar. In other
words, they were the ''big guns" which were well
supported by large number of smaller ones.
Elliott kept the floor for half an hour or more in
spite of the commands of the President to "come
to order" While Elliott land half the other MEM
| bc-s at the same time) were speaking, there was
| quite On ingenious piece of engineering going on
to defeat the candidate, whom Elliott vigorously
opposed. Quite q rapid change was for time
| made in the result of the election by members
changing their votes in favor of Murray. During
the confusion DeLarge and others pounced on these
yacillating members, and managed to get them out
of the hail. or pursuade them from their intention
of changing their votes, while Elliott covered their
movements by keeping the floor and haranguing the
assembly. Corbin made at least one. dozen inef-
fectua attempts to declare the result Of the elec
ton, but Elliott was in his way. While Corbin
came down with his gavel steadily for the space of
Eve minutes or more, Elliott continued his cries Of
"Mr. President Every time the gavel came
down, Elliott drowned the sound with; coarse,
loud, sSlr. President" II was trial of skill
| to who was capable of contributing the most TO
the great disorder regning at the time, and Elliott
proved the victor. The President became. dis
| heartened, and permitted Elliott to proceed:
Cries of 'order, s'st down." sergeant. Alarms,
"Mr. President" &c., now came from oil parts Of
| the house-even from the gallery. III ?.
| All persons were now ordered to leave, except
| members Of the General Assembly, but many Of
of these; becoming disgusted with the shameful
and boisterous behavior Of the statesmen" took
advantage of the open doors and left the hall.
Motions were made to adjourn, to dissolve, to sus-
pend, but each in turn was lost. Oorbin proved
himself to be the wrong man in the right place.
He may be good at copying New York codes, and
framing phosphate bills, but he is ssnot at home"
| in the chair. Tomlison seemed to be the man who
best understood the situation Of AFFAIRS for he was
! to be seen ebowing his way through the crowd
and on up to the chair, when he whispered TO Cor
! bin, and the worn-out President dropped into his
seat and Tomlinson returned to his place. and made
| motion to the effect that the President keep his
\ seat and refuse to proceed with business until
| members should come to order. After waiting
about thirty minutes, amid the persistent efforts
| of some Of the most boisterous to take the floor
and get the Presidents recognition, the members
having divided themselves into committees Of two
three fve and dozen to take the rounds and in
| dpce order, and the manipulators having compile
ted their several jobs in inducing sufficient mum
ber to change their votes so as to secure the elec-
tlon Of their favorite, the confusion subsidized sui
| eiently'to allow the result of the election to be
declared. Then followed hurrahing, shouting
tossing of hats to the ceiling of the hail. jumping
on chairs and desks, shaking of hands, and gen.
eral rush for the door, The joint assembly and
the House of Representatives adjourned without
ceremony, every member rushing pell.mell for the
| door. s.,,.- - i9'..tn
| When the confusion was at It's highest piteh
Leslie, With his nasal twang, charged upon men,
bers the resort to bribery and corruption and de-
manded the appointment Of q committee to inves-
tigate the matter. He said he had proofs, and
plenty of them, that such was. the case. But he
failed, in his endeayors. Johnston said he would
J he TO know where the money was, as he had not
received his share. 1t is said if Johnston did not
/ see the eight" many others did. The last we
heard of, the affair the members were having
knock-down arguments over the result of the elec-
tion. }7