The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1877-05-10
Editorial Correspondence.
COLUMBIA, S. c., May 4, 1877,

havo boon seated under the same eon&
ditions imposed upon those who were
seated before them-that Of purging
themselves of the contempt of the
House of which they had been ad-
judged TO be in. Andrews, o colored
member from Sumter, said that he did
not feel in his conscience that he had
dono wrong, and would not toll lie
for q scat in the House. He said that
his course in the Mackey House should
bo sufficient evidence to the Demo-
Gratis that he desired to do right,
and ho pointed to the fact that he
had votod against Mackey for Speak
cl and against the action Of that body
in excluding the vote Of Edgefield
and Laurens. Ho was o member of
the last House, and from my own
personal knowledge, was one of the
best and most conservative Republi.
can members in it, But his apology
was not sufficient; tho House had de-
manded certain apology from all
previously sworn in, and did not feel
that it could discriminate and Mr..
Andrews was not sworn.
Thomas, Of Newberry, and Straker
of Orangeburg were excluded on the
ground that they were the leaders in
the Mackey House, and being moro
intelligent than their co-conspiators,
were consequently more contumaoious
and should be punished by expulsion
Or in other words, should be pro-
scribcd. The view OF majority of
tho Democrats, [ could not coincide
in. Thomas and Strakor were elected
by the same constituency who elected
their colleagues whom we had seated,
and their credentials wore equally
unquestonable. There is not the loast
doubt but what every member of the
Mackey House forfeited his rights
to seat in the Legislature, but in as
much rs wo had concluded to accept
some Of them, + did not feel that we
would be pursuing safe policy to
prescribe portion of them, whose
titles were not doubted on other
grounds. A proscriptivo policy is q
dangerous ono, and in my opinion
should not be practiced by q Legislative
body. There arc othor reasons why l
thought they should bo seated, and
acting upon conscientious convic~
ton, voted to seat them. Vandiver,
OF Anderson, Petty, of Spartanburg,
and myself being the only Democrats
who voted in the affirmative. In our
action, we have the consolation of
knowing that Governor Hampton en-
dorses the course we pursued. We
now have worry considerable ma
jority on joint ballot, and if the Char,
lesion delegation is seated, which
think doubtful, (Mackoy at least will
be ousted, and should be excluded. J
we will still have q majority of 10 OF
IL on joint ballot, and when elections
take place to fill tho vacancies of those
whose seats have been declared va
cant, our majority will still be great
CT, for it is believed that Democrats
will be elected in place Of all those
ousted.
The election Of q Chief Justice
promises to be an exciting event. 1t
is understood that Associate Justice
Willard is the administration candi-
date. Tho Radicals arc determined
10 make war on Governor HAMPTON
and defeat his administration if poss
siblo. For this purpose, the Republ-
can claimants to the State offices vo-
lunteerly surrendered last Mondav.-
Thoy knew they had no case in court
with good man to co operate with
Judge Willard, and in order to defeat
him and the administration thew vos
luntoerly withdrew in order, they saw,
to remove the reasons moving the Do
rnocats to make him Chief Justice, to
wit: That if the Democrats should
tail to elevate him to the Chief JUS
ticeship, he would 60 back to Wright
and declare that the Republican
claimants were elected and entitled To
tho State Offices. This they claimed
werc the reason why the Democrats