The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1871-05-18
What JUDGE Orr Thinks.

What Judge Orr Thinks.
The subjoined extracts are from, a letter to
the New York Tribune from its correspondent;
Mr.. smallcy. The letter is dated Anderson, S..
c., May 3rd, but re have not copy of the en-
tire letter, and only publish these extracts,
which we find in another journal, and which.
set forth the views and opinions of Judge Orr
upon the situation:
Judge Orr, once Speaker of the National
House of Representatives member of the Con-
federate Senate during the war, and Governor
of his State in the early days of Reconstrqe-
ton, is almost the only one of the great, old
time political leaders of South Carolina who
now belongs to the Republican party. He is
Circuit Judge of the five northwestern coun-
ties Of the State and believe it is due, in
great paft to his influence that these counties
are entirely free from the violence, and out
RACES that occur in other sections. The Judge
is confident that in no other sqeal populationhn
the United States have fewer crimes against
persons or property been committed durirgthe.
past year than in his circuit. In the County
of Pickens, in his circuit, not single bill Of
indictment has been sent to the Grand Jury du-.
ring the last two terms of court, period of
eight months and not single criminal case
ty there is but one prisoner, and he is waiting
trial for trivial offense. The people here are
anxious that these facts should be known, and
that Northern men who wish to emigrate South
may understand that, in this part OF South Car.
olina, they will be as secure as in eny part Of
the North. have no doubt that this would BID
the case at present, and probably always so in
the towns, but in the back country, in a. time Of
great political excitement, believe Northern
Republican, who should freely express his sem
timents, would find it unpleasant, if not dam
gerous, even in this quiet region.
Judge Orr thinks that the disorders that are
occurring in many parts of the State arise from
various causes, chief among which may be
mentioned the arming of negro militia, the in
crease of taxation, the extravaganza of the
Legislature, the corrupt practice of some public
officers and the incompetency of Others, the
bitter feeling cherished by the old politicians
on account Of the failure of Congress to remove
their disabilities, and the hostility of the white
population to the negroes on account CT the ex-
elusive supremacy of their former slaves in the
State Government. The Rebel soldiers are es-'
pecially irritated at negro rule During the
war they looked forward to their return home
with the belief that they would then he honor
ed by the people and chosen to Office, as SOL
dfers have been at the North. Instead of this
they find themselves disqualified for even the
most unimportant places, while offices are most
" filed by negroes who once blacked their
boots, groomed their horses, or worked in the
cotton fields. The greed of the negroes for
Office constantly increases, and was greatly ag-'
gravated last Fall by the nomination of ne
groes by both parties, and the election I'M the
State of majority of negroes to the Legisla-'
ture, and all negroes except one to Congress-.
Many Of the officers chosen, both negroes and
white men, were VIGOROUSLY incompetent, and
ret al few were of questionable honesty. In
Abbeyille County, the Probate Judge, member
fof the Legislature, and the Intendant of the
town are now in arrest for robbing the county
treasury. The Reform nominees last Fall we're
no better than the Republican nominees, and
|;this fact showed the insincerity of the Reform
Emoyement, which; Judge Orr believes, was a.
Etrick Of Democratic politicians, and not an hon
est effort to PIT good men in office regardless of
\ party. The Judge believes that the old mill
tary leaders in. the State the generals and
colonies of the Confederate army, who have an:
resembling that of the Scottish chiefs with
their clan, could stop all violence and outrage
at once by the simple expression of their dis
appreciation, and that they Go nbtdo thisbecause
they hope for some political advantage h7tnthe;
continuance Of irritation and disturbance
He does not expect any good result from the
approaching Taxpayers Convention, which.
he looks upon as a scheme of Democratic poll
ticians. This, he thinks, is shown by the fact
that all the delegates appointed to the Conven-
ton are bitter Democratic partlsans, and also
that the gross misstatements made and persis-
ted in by the Democratic press and leaders
about the taxation and financial condition Of
the State.
The civil provisions of the recent Ku Klux
legislation of Congress- Judge Orr believes,
way can the military portion of the bill be eff
fective. 1t will be useless to attempt to police
the State and endeavor to keep the peace and
enforce civil law with soldiers; but if it is.
clearly the intention of the Democrats at the
Presidential election, by violence and intimida-
ton, to keep the negroes from voting, the Leg
isature can provide that there shall be but one
polling in each county, and a company
of United States troops at that place would Sc
cure a fair election. To do this, however.
would require 5000 soldiers for South Carolina
alone The Judge thinks that the hope of the
South for future quiet and prosperity lies in the
gradual extinction of the bitterness caused by
the war, in the education of the blacks, in the,
division of the whites into two parties, and in:
the influx of emigration from the North. All
this will take time, but great progress has al
ready been made by the general acceptance of
equal suffrage by all classes as an accomplished
fact. And when the immense social, political,
and industrial changes that the South has
passed through are considered, it is to be Won
dered at that the condition of affairs is as good
as We find thcm-that so great degree of Or
der prevails.
- The travel to the Yosemite Valley was
never so great as at the present time.
- The Maine Democrats hold their State