The news and herald. [volume] (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1876-1881, 1879-07-02
TIE SFIERIE'E'.S OFFICE.
y Letter from General Bratton on the
Subject.

McSsrs. Edit0rS: The excitement
over the shcril%s appointment is all
wrong, and based on u misapprchcn-
sion Of the scope of the primary cleo
ton, which is a law adopted by the
Democratic party. prescribing the
mode of selecting lis candidates on
whom the whole force Of the party can
be concentrated in any given election.
Ii is party law that cannot and should
not reach further than tho party and
its officials. State and county officials,
though they be Democrats, have The
constitution and laws Of the land 70
guide them in the conduct of their
offices. And the candidates Of our
party are pledged to support and
maintain the constitution, if elected,
When by law it is made the duty Of
the governor to fill certain offices by
appointment, the full exercise Of a free
and untrammcllcd discretion on his
part is necessary to a proper perform
anca Of it. In the exercise Of su ch dis
crction there is no source from which
he may not seek information and adj
vice which he might deem necessary
to judicions action, but there is none
from which Inc is bound to take it,
even after asking for it. lie may con
suit our delegation in the General
Assembly, or the Democratic County
Chairman, Executive Committee, or
private citizens, or all of them, and at
last, in the exercise of ofcXccutivc discre-
tion follow the advice Of none Of them,
but 90 what in his Judgment is best.
And yet it would be, in my Judgment,
the duty OF all OF them to respond to
Il call of the sort from the governor.
Now, if this be tic true view Of the
| matter ofeXccutivc appointments, it is
the business of tho governor TO con-
slider and make them. and not the bust
ness of our Representatives, or the
! Democratic party, or private citizens.
They have nothing to do with il further
than to respond to calls from the cx-
ccutivc for aid in reaching iulicious
! appointment. Neither l., as county
chairman, nor our executive commit
J tee, nor the Democratic clubs can.
with propricty, take the matterin con-
s:dcration until care invited so to do.
! Our party organization least of all
! could afford to do so. Any attempt Of
our party to strain and stretch our
party law Of primary election beyond
| its legitimate purpose, will weaken it
and impair its effectiveness. To use it
as an engine Of dictation to the cXecu-
tive would be to suspcrscdc the law of
| tho land us a guide for official conduct
by mere party law--would be press
! ing our executive TO violate or disrc-
gard the pledge which we cxuctcd Of
him whom our party candidatc-would
be tho abandonment ofthe principles Of
our party, and destructive opposition
to the great object for which wc have
built up our organization, viz, tho
restoration and maintenance Of the
power and dauthOrity Of the constitution.
! Nay. more, tho immediate md press
ing object Of our organization was
the rescue of our government from tho
hands ofaparty who, in their admins
! tration of 1t, superseded the constitu-
ton and laws Of Tho land with their
party laws.
With such views, / cannot got my
consent to any action in this mnttcr by
! our party, unless we arc invited to con-
slider 1t. 1t seems that the governor
has called on our Representatives in
tho Legislature for their views or
recommendations. 1t is peculiarly
their duty as officials ofthe county,
whose business it is to study and net
torthc best Interests Of the county,
to rcspond. They arc not only Demo-
Gratis, but arc representatives Of tho
entire county and all its people, and
having OH their shoulders the RESPONSE
bility oflooking after the intcrcsts of
us all In government matters. wonld
secm in q position to act for the entire
county. Should they, however, fail
to reach satisfactory conclusion, and
desire to consult nc as county chair
man, ortllo executive committee, or
the entire party, I,wouldrcgard 1t our
duty to respond 70 EanyJcal upon us.
The mattcrwould be properly brought
to us and I would Immediately take, as
county chairman, tho necessary stops
to submit tho cntiro subject to tic
Democratic orgailization Of tho county,
that 1t may, after due dclibel.ltion
and discussion, decide tho matter and
iputMmcnd to oilistraetil,g excitement.