The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1877-05-22
COLUMBIA CIIIT-CHAT.
i3Olp TIE NEW MA CHINERY or TIE
STATE 60 HERN.NEN1' Is RUNNING.

busy as boes--The fight for tho Chief
-Mattors Of moneQt-- Edu-
cation ard the public dePt-. .Miscel-
laneous topics, &c.
CORRESPONDENTS or TIE NEWS AND HERALD.
COLUMBIA, May 19.--The novelty
of tho new order of thing existing at
tho capital has somewhat passed
away, ard matters are running
along rs smoothly as if the Demo
Gratis had always been in power.
All departments aro busy, for much
work is required and tho time is
short. The Legislature has already
been in session longer than was con
templated, and the time for its adj
journment is notyot fixod. A week or
two moro will doubtless be conslm>
eel before tho members return to the
bosoms Of their respective constitu-
encics. Several Important quos-
tlons hayo been settled during tho
week just expiring. On Tuesday
the election for chief Justice result
ed, as is known, in D. victory for
Willard. His election to the high
est judicial office in the State is at
tributable solely to the influence of
Governor Hampton, and both in tho
canvass preceding the vote, and
even since then, considerable
amount of bitterness VAS evolved.
There were many good reasons why
Judge Willard should have been
elected, and rs many why he should
not.
CHIEF JUSTICE wILLARD
came to South Carolina at the end
of tho war on the staff of General
SicSles, and was Judge advocate on
most Of the military commissions
held in Charleston for two years
after the war. Tic first come into
general notice in tie well known
trial of Koys and Byron of Ander-
son, for the alleged murder of some
Federal soldiers near that place.
This case he prosecuted vigorously.
He had previously attained distinc-
ton at the New York bar. He
married daughter Of Zephaniah
Platt, who was the first judge of the
Charleston circuit after recons true
ton. (By the way, Colonel Parmelo,
superintendent of tho ponitentia
married n sister of Mrs. Willard.) J
Judge Willard. was placed upon the
supreme beach at the first election,
and has served there continuously
to the present time. He was
formerly a devoted friend of Cham.
bcrlain, but was alicnated hy the
falsehoods tho latter perpetrated
upon the people. During the whole
trying period through which tho
State passed, Judge Willard firmly
maintained the dignity of the State
courts, and his decisions were of
great influence in securing to
Governor Hampton undisputed
possession of the gubcrnatorial
chair Judge Willard has ever re-
Trained entirely from politics, and
for this reason has emerged from
the era of reconstruction with u
respectable record. He is u man of
ability, and is u devoted admirer of
the new code of procedure. These
circumstances constitute his claim
to the Office. Another argument in
his favor was n desire OH the part
of Governor Hampton to carry out
his broad policy, and ho believed
that the selection Of Judge Willard
to this high Office would rcdound to
the advantage of the State by
cliciting favorable public sentiment
throughout the Union. So, when
Judge Moses died, Governor Hamp
ton announced his intention to ap-
point Willard to the vacancy, but
being notified by Mr.. Willard that
an election by the Legislature was
necessary, the Governor pressed
his claims before the General
Assembly He did not demand the
election of Willard, but signifcd
that such measure was in his
opinion necessary to the success of
his policy.
A. serious opposition to Willard
was developed at the outset, Many
persons held that tho principles Of
''straight-out" Democracy forbid
the election of q Republican to
office. Besides, they affirmed, with
out fear of contradiction, that there
arc many natives of South Carolina
better fitted for the Office, and they
claimed that The State should honor
ono Of her own sons. Moreover