The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1878-06-05
Reply to Fide.te.'
Editors Press and Banner:

Editors Press and Banner:
In vour issue of last week appeared q
communication over the signature of
"Videtie' in which the suggestion is
made that ut the next primary election
for candidates for the various County
offices, suitable persons for County Aud
ltor, County Treasurer and Trial Justices
be balloted for and the Governor be re-
uuested to appoint, to these offices. Such
parties as are shown by this process to be
the choice of the people, in other words
"Vidette" proposes to do just what the
Legislature in it's wisdom, after thorough
IN discussing the matter, refused to do,
viz: make these offices elective-aS the
suggestion made, if acted upon, would
be virtually electing these officers. "Ni-
dctte'' concludes his article by saying
that sit is important for the success Of
the party that the people be heard in
these matters" am curious to know
how the fact that certain offices being
filled by appointment of the Governor
can have anything to do with the success
or ~non-success of the democratic party.
l rather suspect that Fidette is like a
great many others in IL country, given
to mistake himself for the democratic
party.
| can readily conceive how an individ-
ual who aspircs to a certain office and
who feels that he is more popular with
the masses than he is with the powers
that be-" should desire that such office
should be filled by an election rather
than by an appointment, and how the
success Of said individual depended up
on which of the modes of filling the office
was adopted, but how the success of n po-
litIcal party depended upon such a con-
tingency passes my comprehension. l
don't suppose that Vidette will deny the
assertion that the different officers in our
county who hold their places by appoint
ment will compare favorably, as whole
with those who were elected by the people.
l think it eminently proper, and that the
Legislature showed its wisdom in so
concluding, that this class of officers
should be appointed by the Governor,
rather han by the people, as a proper
discharge of The duties OF these offices re-
Guires a man Of firmness and %independ-
ence, and n not given to Partially, and
in short the very kind of nan that would
nevor be selected by the masses, who are
governed, in selecting men for office by
their likes and dislikes rather than by q
consideration of the qualifications of the
candidate or whether or not he would be
the fright man in the right place" l
am ready to acknowledge that perhaps,
some of the appointees of the Governor
are not the best that could have been
made, but / think the same will apply TO
some of the selections made by the peo-
pie. MY candid opinion is that If the Of
fees that are now filled by the Governor
were filled by an election by the people,
you would see in them far less competent
men than the present incumbents arc.
No, Messrs. Editors instead Of taking
from the Governor the appointing power
IN fIn marian of fSaSn nf1ipns fnr 0nQ
am in favor of increasing the number by
adding thereto the office of School Com
missiouels and County Commissioners,
and then you would see these offices per-
forming their duties without fear, favor
or affection and you would never hear
complaint of favoritism or partiality be-
ing practiced by them in their official
transactions. X
Visit to Ninety.Six.
Ninety-Six is one ofthe growing towns
on the Greenville & Columbia Railroad.
We spent last Sabbath with the good peo-
pie Of that town and vicinity, and had the
privilege of preaching to a large and at
tentive audience in the Presbyterian
church. They have a good arrangement
there for a small town. There are three
churches in the place - Presbyterian,
NlcllOuISG dllu lDdptlSl DuC to liiCS wv
not have preaching in all of them every
Sabbath, they arrange to have only one
pulpit occupied at a time, and then all 60
to that church. We had the pleasure of
hearing Rev. Mr.. Smart in the Baptist
church Sabbath night. Mr.. Smart is
from Beaufort; has been a member OF
the bar, but has given up the bar for the
pulpit-a good exchange, and he promises
to make a very acceptable preacher. lie
is q gentleman of fine address, and is a
pleasant and effective speaker. It is q
singular coincidence that the Methodist
and the Baptist churches in Ninety-Six
are supplied by two brothers.
Our visit to Ninety-Six was a delight
, full one, rs it always is. We ound the
:, people in the midst of their harvesting,
and harvesting in that section means
, more than in almost any other part Of the
, State that we have seen. Large crops OF
: grain are sown, and the yield is generally
, good. Reapers and thrashers are COM
mon in that region.
! On the 18th of June the people of that
general section in Abbeville, Laurens,
Newberry and Edgefield, are going to
, celebrate the anniversary of the attack on
the old Fort at Ninety-SiX in 1850.
Governor Hampton, Lieut.. Governor
! Simpson, Ex-Governor Bonham, and
= other distinguished gentlemen are to be
present. Animmense %concourse Of peo-
pc will be there. The Centennial of the
aforesaid attack will be celebrated in
a 1854. r. Presbyterian.
T;poo 10 a ~ ovoo11opt roopnra for ne6nh