The Greenville enterprise. [volume] (Greenville, S.C.) 1870-1873, 1872-03-13
- "REMINISCENCES
-tteq laoo OF 70 ,i,spai. .al Il
PUBLIC MEN.
BY Ex. GOVERNOR b. +. PERRY.

| .tS-IEN EN/,-S - ~ NAAlANe
| .yrse' $50 --4---isHitd si'ae'ho 81
/ BY Rx. GOVERNOR B. +. PERRY.
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III Ii'~aK .s"s-H5 40
sa JOHN 8. RICHARDSON. 80
| / prepared a sketch of Judge
Richardson for !" the XIX Cent?.
lry," but unfortunately. that peri
odical was discontinued before its
publication, and / have not been
able TO- recover the uianuscript.A
Nor can /, now, reproduce the ar.
.ticle, from memory in it's fulness
and justice. Bnt my great respect
for the memory of this distinguish.
ed gentleman, will not permit me
to omit him tn my "Reminiscences
of public men, yJ5a.sV .7npJ s's,ps
va Judge Richardson was well cal.
cnlated to inspire feelings of kind.
ness and friendship, in all who
were 80 fortunate as to become in.
timately acquainted with him. He
was a man of high and pure char.
acter, warm and ccrdialin his feel.
ings, disintercsted, and devoted in
his friendship. He had the coar
age of a trne. cliivalier in bis ma
ture, with the polished manners of
q Carolina gentleman of the old
school. HIS i.s.lents and ability
were of high order, united with
great practical good sense and Wis
dom. Iiknew him intimately be.
fore our political party orgaaiza.
tions in South Carolina, and had.
tor him, very great respect. He
became a bold uhcoinpromising
/ Union man, and this Increased our
intimacy, and threw us more fire
quently together. How little did
we then think it was possible for
that Federal Union to become a
foul and loathscme monster of ty.
ranny and oppression. But it is
not that grand Union ofStates, or
that beautiful Republican system
OF government, under which we
live, that has disgraced the ciyiliz.
atom OF the, nineteenth century,
legal'zed corruption, and establish
ed an lodiops, ignorant, polluted
tyranny in the Southern States
Mol This has beenthe work of the
corrupt and fiendish scoundrels in.
to whose hands the administration
OF the government has fallen. o..
Judge Richardson was, for many
years, a leading. member of the
House of Representatives of South
Carolina, Speaker OF the House,
and Attorney General of the State.
He told me that he was elected
Speaker very much against his
feelings and wishes. He was at
the time candidate tor Attorney.
General, and did not desire the
Speakership. As m Attorney.G Gen.
eral, he was able and eminent in
the discharge Of his official duties.
His great powers of analysis in
debate showed pre- eminent. But
as a Judge amongst his learned
compeers and associates, be was
not so conspicuous. He did not
like the dull rroutine of labor on
the bench, taking down testimony,
ruling points of evidence, listening
to long, dull arglments Gf counsel,
making out reports Of cases, &c.
This feeling and indisposition in.
creased on him with age, and the
bar became dissatisfied with bis
want OF interest in d the discharge
OF his judicial labors. An effort
was made a few years previous to
his death, to remove him from the
bench, tor want of capacity and
failure OF physical strength to per.
form tae arduous duties of Cir.
cult Judge. He was called before
the House OF Representatives, and
made an address in reply to the
charges brought against him. His
defence was most triumphant
one. and be showed that, he had
tar more ability than any member
ut the House, who charged him
with want Of capacity. The i'm.
peachInent was voted down by an
overwhelming majority ps1sp
Judge Richardson had very
clear nand, and was very dexter.
GUS in debate. He was not only "a
wise man. bnt a far-sceing man,
and one OF extended views in poll.
lcs. % he would have made u great
Statesman, aud, q most successfol
politician. He had great tact, and
was very adroit in management.
Whilst OH the bench, he was elec.
ted y member Of Congress, and It
would have been well for his tame
and distinction, had he accepted
the position, and turned bis aiten
iion exclusively to, politics. 4 He
could not have failed to make his
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