The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1875-07-22
Affairs in Edgeiield County.

Affairs in Edgeiield County.
Last month Governor Chamberlain
wrote to Judge Carpenter, saying that
the people of Ed dgefeld County complain
that the highways are neglected, that the
school fund is wasted, that the county
officers are incompetent, that Sheriff has
totally failed to do his duty, that the past
Indebtedness is unadjusted and fund
of $4,000 is still undisturbed, and that
the indictments against the public officers
have not been duly pressed Governor
Chamberlain so wrote because he had
assured the people, last winter, that all
their wrongs could be rcdressed in the
courts, and because he fears not little
for the peace of the county this summer.
He urged Judge Carpenter to apply any
preventive or remedy that might occur
to him, suggested that an extra term of
the Court be held. and declared himself
ready to take any official or personal
action which will, in any degree, tend to
the advantage of the good citizens of the
county,
In reply, under date of July s, Judge
Carpenter asserts that he will heartily
cooperate with the Executive in main
tanning law, order, and an honest govern
ment, but does not see what he can do
in the specified causes of complaint.
The $4,000 had not been distributed,
because there had not been time to take
proof of the Indebtedness; it is not the
duty of judge to become detective,
prosecutor nor solicitor; eff the people
elect incompetent or corrupt officers, it is
deeply to be regretted; but the remedy
is educational, moral and political, not
judicial" udge Carpenter is far from
believing the fears for the peace of the
county unfounded; but there are but few
cases pending against officials, and he
would not feel justified in putting the
people to the trouble and expense of an
extra term. One cause which, in his
judgment, tends largely to the unfortu-
nate condition of affairs in the county is
described as follows:
"It is political in character. The gen.
cral and indiscriminate denunciation of
all public officers of one political party
by members of the other would seem to
sustain this view. The abuse is too gen.
eral and extended not to excite suspicion
of its fairness, and seems to arise from
the same spirit as the ancient inquiry
Can anything good come out of Naza-
reth?' The minority is dissatisfied with
the political complexion Of the county.
They assert that 'the people who have
the property, the intelligence and the
true heritage of command are entitled
to the sole administration of County
affairs. Consequently they are dissatis-
fled with some of the local appointments
of your Excellency, not only on account
of their manner of conducting official
affairs, but because, in their opinion, the
obnoxious appointees manipulate and
control the dominant party, and they
have no hope of success while the per-
sons referred to have local place and
power. | do not, in the remotest degree,
critcise these appointments, nor intimate
the propriety of any suspensions from
office. These are matters belonging ex-
clusive!y to the political department of
the government, with which the Judiciary
can nave no Olllclal COnCeTu.
We may be wrong, but we believe that
the white citizens Of Edgcield denounce
their public officers because they know
them to be, with or without exceptions,
ignorant or corrupt, and not because of
their politics. What they demand is an
honest and economical expenditure of
the public money, and intelligence, bold
ness and impartiality, throughout the
County in the discharge of every public
duty. When Edgefeld enjoys this there
will be security and hopetulness in the
County. Whether any good thing can
come out of Nazareth, is not for us to say ;
but if Nazareth stands, in this instance,
for South Carolina Radicalism, no good
has come out of Nazareth for the citizens
Of Edgetield.
Judge Carpenter says it is not his duty
to become Solicitor. Granted but it is
his duty to see that the Solicitor is not
negligent. 1t is within the power Of the
Court to appoint counsel to assist the
Solicitor, and if some gentlemen we can
name were associated with Solicitor Run
kle, for the pure love of the thing, the
| tlCCuSeu WOulu fClJ SoOtl w
brought to trial. 1t is a salutary rule
that persons shall be deemed innocent
until they are proved guilty, but this
does not apply to the bulk of the Radical
officials in this State. Their character.
their manner of living and their quickly
amassed fortunes, tell sadly against them
as presumptive proof of criminal conduct
and of their capacity for crime, and SC
the public understand it!
Judge Carpenters letter is very nice
and so is that of Governor Chamberlain
but the Judge can straighten out thing:
in Edgefeld, if he puts politics to he'd
and ceases to remember that the Judicial
election comes off next winter; and the
Governor can pacify the people and en-
sure quiet by removing such of his ap'
pointecs as are shown TO be violent, ig
norant, wasteful or dishonest.-Acacs anc
Courier.
TIE HOMESTEAD LAW.-We were
ctruck the other day with an applicatiOi