Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1870-12-23
Letter From Judge Vernon.

COLUMBIA, >. u, December Is, 1870
TO Me Honorable Nanhhn H., Noses. ,Ir..
y Speaker Of The House Of Representatives..
Six: | have the honor to acknowledge
tho receipt of your official contamination
Of yesterday, covering the resolution Of tho
House of Representatives of the State of
South Cnrolinn, in words following, to wit
"ThatT. o. II. Vernon. Judge Of the Seventh
Judicial Circuit, be and is hereby impcachel
for high crimes und misdnmeunors" have
10 complaint to mike against this action of the
House of Representatives, wherein it sees fit
to prefer oharges against me as public officer,
provided those charges nro made, as to form
aud substance, in such manner that they can
be answered and met by me. This il tho
constitutional prerogative of the House of Rep
fcscntatives, on tho one hand, and it is my
constitutional right to answer the charp es
and rcpol them rs best may, on the other,
and to this cud dc,nand my tri,l. Let the
charSes be now made, and am prepared to
defend MY official conduct in the presence
OF the Senate, sitting III Court of lmpcach.
mcnt. demand the specification of these
high crimes with which l have been charged
dcuaud the specifications of n,isde.neanors
charged against nc in tho exercise of the
| functions Of the high Office to which have
bccu chosen. Permit me here to say thut I
did not seek the Office of Judge in South Car.
olina. was appointed to it by the Gene.
raj Assembly, without solicitation on nv part
in point of fact, without my know ledge
tct then, as feel now, my unworthiness
to stand in the place of the illustrious men
of the State who have heretofore worn, with.
out fear and without rcproach, the judicial
erninc-men who have, by their courage,
their profound learning and unsulicd virtue.
rendered illuStrious the judicial history Of tho
commonwealth. | accepted the Office with
neither the hope or expectation that | could
illustrate it with that learning or cxalt it with
that ability which has characterized its past
history but, in an humber sphere, honest.
y felt that, with Go'l's help. could main
tain untarnishcd ut least its ancient purity
and unsullicd virtue. Grent judicial talents
may adorn the State, but without these ad.
vantages, less shining judicial quality, to
Wit: judicial integrity, may often serve the
State. In this latter quality, ut least, claim
| to nc thcp' rof the first among the first, aud
challenge vestigation, without fear of
proof to the c. ,rary.
1t may be to my individual comfort, and
perhaps it might crafty some, that should
now tender to the General Assembly the com.
mission which received from it, without soil.
| citation, accepted in Difference toits Judgment,
have held without dishonor, and am prepared
to surrender without regret But in this
crave issue, personal consideration must yield
to a sense of public duty. l do not stand
alone The independence and integrity
of the judicial branch of the Government
| shall not be stricken down in my person, with.
out at least a fearless thouuh il NAV he iu,f
fcctua, effort to resist all assaults upon either,
come from whatever quarter they may
| With this resolve, | submit myself to the
action of tho House Of Representatives, and
have the honor to communicate the same
through you, its presiding officer ] shall M,
ate, assisted by my counsel, the Hon Joseph
ID. Pope and Col. A. G. Haskell, counsellors
ut law, of this city. | am, sir, very respect
fully, your obcdicnt servant.
r. 0. p. VERNON.