The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1866-1891, 1871-06-15
Judge Wright. "

Now, have no prejudice whatever against
negro simply because he is negro. They
cannot help their color any more than We
can help ours, or Adam could his, whatever
it was. But do say it is impossible for a
mau to read law two or three years practice
two or three years and then be fit for the po-
sition of the Supreme Judge. ] don't care
what his color is or how smart he may be.
As for Wright, he is not overly smart. If
he were white and lived in Ohio, he might
stand some chance of being justice of the
peace. 1t is said, but don't know how
true it is, that he has never delivered but
one opinion. aud that was written for him
by Attorney General Chamberlain. i give
the report as | heard it, though I hore he,
has delivered dozen and written them him:
self. ;,t-.
Iconfess to feeling vague sense fsome
thing wrong when I 90 into the Supreme
Court room and see this young and inexpe-
rienced negro presiding over SOME ofthe
first legal minds Of the South. In front Of
him see a row of whitc headed veterans,
some of whom were giants before he was
born. Men who occupied high positions on
the the bench, and rendered decisions honor
able themselves and beacon-lights in juris-
prudence, look out of place standing below
this young negro and addressing arguments
to him which in many instances it is clear
in the nature Of things he does not under
stand. He lacks age and experience, two
essential qualifications to a position on the
bench, no matter how brilliant a man may
be by. nature. Brilliancy is not learning,
and kecnness, is not depth. There is but
one way that it can be obtained, and that is
by plodding, and to plod takes time. Take
the case home to Ohio. What young man
is there in that State who was admitted to
the bar fn 1865, and who has been mixed
up. in politics to such an8extent since that
he has little experience in active practice,
who is now fit for the position of Supreme
Judge {? I think an attempt to hoist such a
man upon the bench there would meet with
breeze ofrebuke not easily gotten over.
Now, the lawyers and property.holders of
South Carolina are just as anxious to havea
competent Supreme Court as tEey are in
Ohio. Why should they not have it? Is a
negro put over them to make them feel their
degradation and cause them to lose their self
respect? Do they not feel it ten times more
keen than Ohio would, and would it not
touch to the quick? Is it as punishment
for the crime of rebellion If SO, what sort
of punishment is that which degrades both
victors and vanquished, and sows the seed of
perpetual discord and hatred :? Punishment
like this is impolitc, for we see it doing
every day without the possibility for a bone
fit. Partial confscation itself would not SOW
the seeds of hatred any deeper in the hearts
of Of the people of South Carolina than the
elevation Of negIo to a position on the Su-
preme Bench but confscation would con-
fer benefit on the victims, and, therefore,
would be some wisdom in it. But the pun
ishmcnt that seeks to degrade those of our
flesh and blood, with no perceptiblc advan-
tage as the price of degradation is folly.
Columbia Letter in Cincinnati Commercial