Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1876-04-20
Attorney and Director G. & L. N. G. R. R.
LETTER FROM CHESTER.
CHESTER, April II, 1877

Correspondence Of the YorkvilIe Enquirer.
LETTER FROM CHESTER.
CHESTER, April II, 1876.
The ruling Republicans of this place were
in Columbia portion of last week. Some
we're there in the capacity of delegates to the
State Republican Convention, while others
were on hand to aid in pulling the political
wires wisely and we'll. The promotion of the
welfare of ".he party" was, of course, the OBJ
ject of these magnates, though considerable
difference of opinion existed among them as
to the mode of accomplishing this result.
The delegates from this county were G. G..
Macoy, James White and D. I. Walker. The
latter is not unknown to fame, if it is Of an
unenvable nature. The readers Of the En-
oU1RER are sufficiently acquainted with the
prominent events Of his life during the past
three or four years to occasion any reference
to them at the present time entirely unneces.
sary. However, he is still power among
the colored population of the county. They
believe him to have been victim of perse-
cution, and have still an abiding faith in his
goodness and integrity. Mackey at one time
led the negroes whittier he desired, but the
mantle of authority has fallen from his
shoulders upon those of Walker. The Mack
ey element endeavored to control the late
county convention, but their efforts were ut
terly futile.
We were favored with exceedingly mild
and beautiful weather last week. Had the
farmers been permitted to select the kind of
weather they most desired, they could not,
probably, have been better suited. And judg-
ing from the deserted appearance of our
streets, they remained at home and devoted
the time to planting corn and other agricul-
tural work. The probabilities are that far
mers learning wisdom from bitter experience,
will diminish the acreage in cotton, and in
crease that in corn. This certainly will be
the result, if an idea of their probable course
Of action can be obtained from an expression
of their sentiments. However, there is ground
for the apprehension that the farmer may ad-
nit the correctness of the proposition of plant
ing more corn and less cotton in reference to
his neighbor, but may be unable or unwilling
to see the appropriateness of the application
in his own particular case.
The Republican county convention, at the
recent meeting, adopted the following resolu.
ton: "rhat while we are desirous of promo
ting the interests of the party to which we be-
long, and should prefer having persons pro-
Tossing the principles of that party in office,
yet we do not hesitate to announce our deter
mination that we will only advocate the ad-
vancement of honest and capable men to fill
the places of trust and emolument both in
State and county, and to this end we cordial
ly invite the members of the Conservative
party to assist us in the selection of such men
as will be acceptable to both parties" The
Democratic county convention will, in all
probability, at the next meeting, take action
in regard to this resolution. Representative
men will, on that occasion, express the senti-
ments of the Democracy. A preponderance
of public sentiment, az far as my knowledge
extends, inclines to the adoption of the
straight-out policy.
The Republicans passed another resolution,
condemning the action of Couch and Jordan,
members of the Legislature, in voting against
the resolution of investigation of the charges
against Judge T. j. Mackey for alleged 'ille-
gal and tyrannical acts," and commencing
Samuel Coleman, another member of that
distinguished and delectable body, for doing
80. Couch, in his effort to defend himself,
stated that this resolution was written by
Major S. P. Hamilton. Treasurer Yocom
pronounced the statement untrue
The Republicans also adopted the follow
ing resolution: "That the thanks of this con-
vention are due and are hereby rendered to
the Hon. A. S. Wallace, our representative
in Congress, for his fearless and answering
advocacy Of the rights of the whole people,
and we hereby express our earnest desire for
his reelection to Congress, and we hereby
pledge him our support" Mackey is also an
aspirant for Congressional honors. If the
race is confined to these two candidates, the
prospects at present are rather gloomy for
Mackey.
Some severe reflections upon the grand ju-
ry of this county, that appeared recently in
one of our State papers, are entirely unjust.
Some of the best citizens of this county were
members of the grand jury. Major James
Lowry, the foreman, is gentleman of intel
ligence, and highly respected and esteemed.
1t is sufficient to say that the grand jury at
the late sitting of the Court at this place per-
formed their duty well and faithfully, and
their different presentments met with the
warm approval of the people of this county.
The Chester Sabre Club, mounted and num-
bering about tbirty-fve members, paraded on
Saturday under the command of their cap
tain, Gen. w. A. Walker. The company
presented a fine appearance. They formed in
line on Main street about 2 o'clock, and then
marched out to an old field, near town, where
they drilled for considerable time. The
various evolutions were we'll executed, and
were viewed with interest by a number of
spectators.
A trial of some interest took place before
Trial Justice Sanders several months ago, in
which Moses Benson and Samuel Brown, both