The Sumter watchman. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1855-1881, 1870-02-16
III SF 4 CIRCUIT JUDGE.

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SyS1 GSSt at she Capassl--Panae-
An3eW Dreko Lesse-MeaaheYs PaIa
g. 731HsCAAnGstNslr voees--A Scene OF TAw.
IA Ii 4SCSNfestsa.sCests, Hats, Blowsy
aisss ssRAssels---CosbIa Quells The
q ne sctpe which occurred on Friday
ip the Legislature Of the State, 10.
t3lSt tO the election ofa Circuit Judge,
$| 80 20 have boes even more disgrace
.&Als is possible, than any that has pre-
seedSd Il, since the present corrupt
aministratiou obtained the rcigns Of
Sfcrar.,
q We take ths following description of
stbie scene from tho Columbia Guardian
sssof Saturday last:
40 Yesterday was tho day set apart for
.sthe election OF judge for the fifth cir
sOpit, TO fill the vacancy occasioned by
Iithe death of Judge Booker. The nigh.
| previous (Thursday) there was caucus
d OF the legislators, at which the merits
ssof the different candidates were warmly
I. discussed, and the electors entertained
with some buncowbe by ono or more Of
{ the nominees For the past week it has
been generally understood that 8. w.
Melton would be the coming Judge, and
stho election yesterday verified the sup.
position. On the first ballot 8. w.
,Fhiclton, Fsq., was declared duly elected
.jpdgo OF the fifth circuit, he having re-
toeived GO yotes-63 being necessary to
a choice.
We have flushed with the actual
election wnen we give tho namc Of the
successful party and the number of votes
cast in his favor; but the scenes incident
to the election were such as wo have
: never witnessed before, and which We
believe were never heard of this side
:of-our present Congress.
= After the ballot had been token, there
i was such engineering, gagsing and
brow.b beating as are not practiccd else
where than in the present South Carroll.
ma Legislature. The President Of the
joint assembly 60. I. Corbin) was
utterly unable to proceed with business,
owing to the disorder among the mem
-bers. Elliott, Leslie, DcLarge aud
Johnston were the leaders in the uproar.
In other words, they were the "big
guns" which were we'll supported by
large number of smaller ones. Elliott
kept the floor for half an hour or more,
in spite Of the commands of the Prcsi-
dent to "come to ordcr." While Elliott
(aud half tho other members at the sdme
timc) were speaking, there was quite an
ingenious piece of engineering going on
to defeat tho candidate, whom Elliott
vigorously opposed Quite rapid change
was for time made 10 the result Of the
election by members changing their
votes in favor OF Murray. During tho
confusion Dcl.arge and others pounced
on these vacillating members. and
managed to get them out Of the hall, or
persuade them from their Intention of
changing thoir votes, while Elliott
covered their movements by keeping the
floor and haranguipg the assembly,
Cqrbin made at least one dozen incf-
feotual attempts to declare the result Of
the election, but Elliott was in his way
White Corbin came down with his gavcl
steadily for tho space of five minutes or
more, Elliott continued his cries Of "Mr.
President" Every time the gavcl came
down, Elliott drowned the sound with
coarse, loud "Mr. President" 1t was
trial of skill as to who was capable of
contributing the most to tho great
disorder reigning ut the time, aud Elliott
proved the victor. Tho President be-
came dishcurtened, aud permitted Elliott
to proceed Cries of "ordcr," "sit
down." sergeant at.arms," "Mr. Prcsi>
dent, &C., now came from all parts ofthc
house-o7en from :hc gallery.
All persons were now ordered to leave
except members OF the General Assem-
bly,, but many of these, becoming dis.
gusted with the shameful and boistcrous
behavior Of the statesman" took
advantage Of tho open doors and left the
hall. Motions were made to adjourn,
to dissolve. 70 suspend, but each in turn
was lost. Corbn proved himself to be
the wrong man in the right place. He
may be good at copying New York
Codes, aud framing phosphate bills, but
he is "not at home" in the clair. Tom
iinson seemed to be the man who best
understood the situation OF affairs, for
he wus to lie seen clbowing his way
through the crowd and on mp to the
chair, when he whispered to Corbin, and
the worn out President dropped into his
scat, and Tomlinson returned to lis
place, and made motion to the effect
that the President keep his scat and
refuse to proceed with business until
members should como to order. After
waiting about thirty minutes, amid the
persistent efforts ofsomc Of the most
hoisterons to take the floor aud get the
Presidents recognition, the members
having divided themselves into COM
nittccs Of two, three. five and a dozen
to take tho rounds and induce order, and
the manipnla.ors having completed their
several jobs iu inducing sufficient
number to change their votes so
as to secure the election of their fa
vorite, the confusion subsidized sufficient.
ly to allow the result of the election to
be declared. Then there followed bur
4, ..I. .rf.