The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1876-05-04
THE CHARLESTON JUDGEsHIP.

Eighty-one members of the Charleston
Bar have addressed the following letter
to Hon. ]. P. Reed, asking him to main
tain: his rights to the whole term of four
years from the day of his election, and
affirming their determination not to
recognize Whipper, pledging themselves
to resist the seating of such an infamous
character upon the judicial bench of
South Carolina. These gentlemen repre-
sent the entire legal fraternity, with two
or three exceptions, and their united
purpose will doubtless have an important
bearing upon the vs1ed question which
has arisen in regard to the tenure of
Office. The response of Judge Reed to
this commu unication has not been re-
ceived, but we may safely assume that
he will resist any attempt to deprive him
of the position, regarding as he does the
law clear and unmistakable that he was
elected for four years from the date of
his election. We may expect lively
times in the First Circuit, which is to
test the whole question in regard to the
legality of the judicial elections last win
ter. Whipper is to make the fight, while
Moses will await the issue there before
attempting to exercise judicial authority
in the Sumter Circuit. We regret that
our space will not allow the publication
of the names appended to this letter,
which embraces many honored and up
right lawyers of recognized ability and
purity of character, whose protest in any
other community would deter even a
villain like Whipper from .essaying the
exercise of judicial functions against
their wishes. The venerable Edward
McCrady, Sr., heads the list of names to
this letter, while Chancellor Lesesne, G.
G. Memmiuger, Gen. W. G. DeSaussure,
James B. Campbell, W. D. Porter, Gen.
James Conner, Henry Buist, Jas. Simons
and NJ. P. O'Connor are among the
signers-in fact, all the respectable law
yers in Charleston. There, is not much
doubt, either, if the worst is to come,
that the people Of Charleston will place
this question ultimately upon stronger
grounds than q mere legal protest, and
by every means in their power resist the
seating Of Whipper upon the bench:
~ CHARLESTON, April 25, 1876.
Hon. j. p. Reed, Judge Of the First Cir
cult:
DEAR SIR--We, the undersigned,
members of the Charleston Bar, believe
it to be our professional duty 70 say to
you, that we regard the decision of Gov
ernor Chamberlain, that your term of
Office had not expired when w. j. Whip
per was elected, and would not expire
until four years from the date of your
election, and that there was therefore no
vacancy to be filled by the Legislature,
as the decision of coordinate branch
of the government, which we intend to
uphold. u. ..,.."i 8:
We therefore earnestly request you to
hold on to your Office, aud maintain your
right to the whole term of four years
from the day ofyour election, and pledge
ourselves to sustain your claim in every
way we can devise and you may require
of US.
-, We further take occasion to say that
we are fully determined not to recognize
w. j. Whipper as Circuit Judge in this
County, and will resist any attempt on
his part to enforce his right to the Office.