The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1883-06-06
MACKEY on MELTON.
The Eccentric Ex.Judge Gives the
INSIDE History of the Political
P-rcspcnfinns LII Snnth CErnIina.

Ex-Tuise Mickey. who Is now living in
Wasliirg.on, has zen In Columbia Tor sever
for the REGISTER ON Monday. and 9nve his
views 1T icu;th about tho political prosect-
ttoas In South Carolina. He sntd:
ut Is true that I have stated that .cnunsc.
from the North have been appointed TO assist
In the prosecution OF the election cases IN
this State upon the written request Of DiSlric,
Attorney Melton. | have understood tnai
the district attorney has denied tiiS, ana
therefore state the facts. In Il cOn vrrsitloh
that | had with Acknowledgement Brcwktr
In December last expressed the opinion tiint
the appointment of such counsel was IN inc
i highest degree impoli!ic. as calculated to re-.
! pei every native white Democratic juror from
in impartial consideration OF the evidence,
in "a >tt.c which had suffered. gricvouS;y from
The rule of tn" stranger. aud whcrcSurh cout,
sci, whatever their individual or professional
merits, would lie stamped at once by the pub
lie opinion as tho UcSSianS Of the bar,
"Mr. Brewster then informed me that upon
the personal! and written r"qne T. OF l,SCiiGt
Attorney Melton he had assigned Northern
counsel. gentlemen learned In the law, loas-
>ist him in the prosecution or the c'eclloh
cases. That Judge Melton stated That ne
deemed it essential thai he should ne aSs'Sted
by additional counsel in The prosecution, ana
that such was the dccp.scated prSJudlcc ana
bitter hostility OF the community? NJ large
against any effort on the part OF the Govern
nient to punish these election frauds. that no
member of the bar OF any emincnce IN MS
profession In this State would accept a retall-
or from the Government in such cases. rs 10
do SO would doom him to social oStracisH:
Hence the appointment OF Mr.. Saunders, OF
Philadelphia, and other. gentlemen oi great
personal worth and OF high standing IN me
profession. He stated that hc appointed MI
Saunders, p Democrat, upOn the suggestion OF
Judge Melton that n Democratic lawyer should
be selected to assist him, as more ikclyto I'm.
press ftv0rably the Democrats on the Jury. l
remarked that in my opiniGn: IL W y" ,hr hw var
n flag OF truce had been sent into a CohIeuer-
ate camp in the hands of Il descrter from the
Confederate army.
torncy. general in thc.carly part OF last nlohth
I informed him that | had repeated to many
persons In South Carolina what he ha:i stated
I" me formerly upon this SuDlGct. 'i'a Ut ~
and stated that Judge Melton had recently
written to him requesting that he would as
sign an eloquent advocate from the North to
assist him-in able lawyer VINO Woulu oe
The acknowledgements, who l know Is wor-
thy to be compared with Eldnn or ErskIne IN
his profession, and diSdnins the Gliaracter ana
feeling In the exercise OF any OF his olflcial
powers In reference to these election cases;
a i]nStnncing his freedom from poItlttcitii
The appointment Of Gen. James Chestnut, Il
south Carolina Democrat. as Il member OF the
Tariff Commission. and that President Arthur
and secretary Folger supported MN earnest
~ VI elltIi ~ 80 WV
ing. but the majority of the Cabinet declded
in favor Of Il gentleman from Georgia, VINO
was urged by the Georgia delegation III Co"-
gresS, to represent the Cotton states on mat
commission. He stated that during the con-
test to select a commissioner from the COTTON
States he succeeded in defeating several. who
were urged for the appointment, and the
President would say occasionally. I'VE had
better go back to BrnwSter's Chestnut and a
It out or the fire. He referred to Gen. CheS.
nut and Governor ]. l.. Manning as men OF
the lOfticst type, to whom he was deeply at
tached, and stated that he thought Manning
the most lOveable character whom he had
ever known in his wide experience among
men. They were his classmates at Prince
.'Thc encouragement referred to Senator
Buffers very harsh and unwarranted attack
upon him in connection with these election
cases. and stated that If he possessed the high
qualities of true manhood that his friends at.
tributed to him, no doubt Justly, he would
live to regret 1t.
"My v opinion is that Senator Butler
would fine Il more vulnerable tar for his
heavy guns in District Attorney Melton,
whose appointment was mainly due to the
Senator's earnest efforts in his behalf, who
doubtless thought him the best available MAJ
among the Republican competitors for the
A to Judge Wizards recent appointment
as one OF Melton's assist hts in election cases,
l think 1t perfectly absurd, for Willard Is no
criminal lawyer, and IS nervous and cranky
IN the highest degree. Hewill be endorsed by
the slightest touch of John G.. Hask ell
kniehtly lance, who appears as the leading
counsel for the defence. or course I think
that any citizen Of South Carolina who Is
proved by clear legal evidence to have vlo.
lated the election laws Of the United States
should be duly cor victcd and punished. |
believe thai such convictions can be Trad be.
fore a jury composed entirely of respectable
white Democrats, as was tic case before me
when such a jury rendered verdicts against
John Bcnficld and other members of the ku-
klux Klans in 1873, when l was upon the Cir
cult Bench in this State, in York county