The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1877-12-20
EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT, l4s
OFFICE OF ATTORNEY: GEN,
COIJTSdBIA. Dec. i 1877.

q My, Lear Str: In 1ulnilmenG or my
purpose declared to you ID September
last, I now resign the eieAice Of Attorney
General, and respectfully request ;that.
you will communicate the. fact to the
General Assembly, so. that it may elect
nv successor. AS my resignation occurs
dhring the session, the General Assem-
bly,, under the act Of 1876, {15. Statutes;
l9B5) will ell the vacancy, and the busi...
ness of the Office will not be, interrupted.
|, It is difficult for one not connected
with the Office to realize how exactngs
I have been its duties during the past year.
The cases before the Supreme and Circuit
Courts, which involved the grave, Issue Of
|, the establishment of the State Govern
ment, and the title of those officers who:
were elected by the people in November,
1876, elgrossed my time and; most anx.
ious attention during the early part of:
last winter. They had not been con-
cluded when the General Assembly was
convened in extra session, requiring my
constant attention. When that body adj.
iourned the joint investigating committee:
commenced its sittings. The frequent.
conferences with. the committee, and the
preparation, supervision aud conducttof.
the prosecutions instituted by it, de-;
Volyed a vast amount of labor upon the
Attorney General Office. I have been,
ably assisted BY gentlemen whom I en-.
gagged to take part in the work with me,
but light as the burthen has been, q very
heavy responsibility has necessarily re-'
manned with me-. 81. I.ss .;as..,sss3
The General Assembly, among other.
|tthings, required that / should; before its:
regular secession, prepare sport upon
the phosphate interest Of the State, and as
legal opinion upon the. validity Of the
charters granted to the several companies
engaged In the business. ~. [.
During the time occupied by theseldns
ties the ordinary business of the Office:
has;been regularly conducted, and @ con-,
slant correspond been kept up with.
the different State and County officers
newly indicted into Office, who have re-
quired legal opinions and advice to guide
them in the performance of their official
duties. Ga @ s. 80, 4:
I refer to these matters that I may
make clear to the people of the State the
reason why resign the high Office TO
which they elected me. q have given TO
the duties of the Office my undivided at
tsntion and anxious solicitude for the
past year, TO the serions neglect of my
private affairs and the injury Of my
health. I cannot continue to do so with
out Injustice to others and to nfysolf, and
as / am not willing to retain the office
without making its duties paramount to
all others, it is. proper that should re-
sign. = y
My earnest desire to. serve the State
to the best of my power, reluctance to
close my official relations as the legal ad-
wiser of the State government, regret at
the thought of breaking off my daily in-
tercourse with yourself, and ofseyering
| tiles with the officers of the executiye de.
partment which were formed II. the
| darkest hour of the States struggle for
her freedom and her purity, and have
Ibeen cemented by the trying as well as
| the gratifying experiences of 1875 and
f1877, ,,are feelings which have 80 arrayed
|.themselves in conflict with q sense of
private dnty, that I reluctantly adhere to
my conviction Of the necessity Of resign
/ ing. I cannot close this letter without
expressing to you personally my warmest
thanks fcr.the large measure Of ,conti--
dence and the uninterrupted kindness
which You have shown, me. shall ever
recur with satisfaction to the fact that
my, Judgment and my sympathy have
concurred in every. act of your adminis-
tration, and T will look back always with
pride to the cordial relations which have
existed between us. US (
With regard and respect, ,:s.:. &
/ am very truly yours, IS 55
JAMES CONNER,
To Governor Wade Hampton.