The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1879-11-13
AN ODD Fl,s,H.
a Carolina Court ea Seen by 2 carollnisn.
Special Correspondence Chronicle aid Cb,iS;i-
~ ttliioadlist, &
EDeEFIELD, s. O., Oct. 2S.


EDoEFIELD. s.. O., Oct. %. /,
The term of Court which las just
closed here has been such very ramark.
able one that cannot resist the fempta-
ton to aDsi.le, eriticise and satiFize It.,
so as to "ss,,.ace it upon the record,n for
all time to come, as abuunding in scenes
varying rapidly from the sublime 10 the
rldicalo!is, Opening with the Tragic and
sublime Booth and Toaey trial, in which
genuine eloquelco was displpyed, it
on Sunday morning, at 4 o'clock, the bar
furnishing the sublime--the Court the
ridtculousf slass5 i;'
Since the memorable days of '76 Edge.
field has hailed the advent of Judge
Mackey much as che would q travelling
circus, or to pervort an old couplet we
may say that "a
"a little Mackey (folly) now and then,
Is relished by the best Of men,
In Edgefield, where he was converted, or
rather saw, that a. mas u good time to de.
sert Chamberlain, and successfully ride
the political wave, from one party to
another. It is not that Edgefeld does
not see and appreciate the marked All.
ference between this "relic of Radical
barbarian" and the other judges of this
State.
ut is not that his wit is rich or. rare,
The devil of 1t Is, how it came there,
But If we interpret it Alright, it is be.
cause ne serves as contrast-a atrong
contrast--to warn and remind the people
of the day of their redemption Of the
day when the Saxon wore the iron col
lar of the Norman or "when South Car
oline hung like q rick jewel in tho
Ethiop's ear" But really and truly
Mackey is a wonder A sore Of. nniyef.
sal genius, in fact for his record in zhnft
shows him to be o natural iilibustor: h
border adventurer; scheming poiiti.
clan; Radical proselyte; a Democratic
convert; foreign ambassador to Hayes'
Court; public lecturer; an amusing
wag; vulgar wit, and n sophistical
monstrosity. We would also add ~ \
y hut We have shown enough to put
him far. ahead of anything you have over
in Georgia.
Now we have given the amusiag aide
of the question, but we feel serious when
we see Circuit Judge of South Caro-
lima playing the role of the SENSATIONAL
ist; electioneering from Circuit to Cir
cult, throwing aside his judicial dignity,
and spending his Sabbath mornings
amusing crowds upon the public squaTe
(the subject of remark to every passer-
by); the retailer of vulgar anecdotes; /;
the partisan even upon the bench, where
he bullies the lawyers and jnries, argues
with counsel, INDUCES in low, envio,ls
filings at other Judges This Huperiorsl,
ridicnles the Legislature (which elected
him), aud while uttering his stale With.
cisma or doubtful law, Is always casting
his eyes around the Court room to catcii
the cheap appliance for which he is con.
stantly bidding. Making great show
of his night sessions, he really consumes
more time than any other Judge on the
bench by his unnecessary and uncalled
for efforts at wit; his quarrels with mem-
bers Of the bar; his vain, voluminous
and partisan charges to the iuries.
When We see this man sitting on the
bench, with his head bobbing up and
down las he talks like a lizard on q log)
who cares more fol. an oft-repeated, WELL
worn witticism than he does for time
honored principle of law, and amuees
himself, whilst he wearies the snwyern
and juries by the sound of his own voice,
oil of which Is evident to the people, who
are. standing around freely expressing
their opinion of "his Hcnor;" when We
S1O AaWJOIo tlyiHS w SAsOlu u tSlHlOI Cu6IE
cases for fear, Of his prejudice Ito say tha
least); and at last, when we see ,6ue of
the oldest and ablest members of the bar
making an affidavit that he believe the
Judge is prejudiced, and therefore asking
continuation of his case, we are forced
to say, "tbis does not aud could not occur
with Judge Kershaw, Pressley, Wallace
Thompson, or others on the bench, who
are above suspicion, anti this man Is not
fit to be q Judge in Sout,, Carolina"
All of this, and more, occurred at the
last sitting of the Court at Edgofeld, and
though We may this time forgive those
who ore responsible for the election of
such men, as o reward for political
treachery, we pray that no political me-
cessity" may ever make such another
election even possible. This article may
seem hard, but the great question is It
true? What nearly every one believes
and many know, have written.
ANGUS CUpIg.