Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1884-02-21

IllSueuedHOIS, anu ltttt illttulcu lllS pltliIo
to do so. He was thus prevented from car
rying out his design, his season of reflection
changed his course, he determined on bet
ter things and new way Ofliving. He was
q man ever to abide by firm resolve, and a
long tide of success rewarded the arduous
study and temperance of his after life.
For many years Judge Smith was men,
ber Of the legislature from York, and at the
time of his election as Judge, in 1908, filled
the position of President of the Senate. In
1916 his was first elected to the Uuited States
Senate. In 1922 he was defeated by Robert
Y. Hayne for the United States Senate.
His York friends showed their sympathy
and confidence, by returning him, at their
next election, a member for the House of
Representatives; and the following year
in the House he took Prioleau's resolutions
and changed them.
In1S26 Judge Smith was again elected to
the United States Senate to fill the uneX-
pired term of John Gailliard. The doc
trine of notification, about this time, be-
came the popular one Of South Carolina,
and Judge Smith being an uncompromis-
ing Union man, was again superseded in
1s3O-this time by Stephen d. Miller. His
friends in the district of York, to soothe
his wounded ambition, elected him to the
State Senate.
think of Judge Smith as one of the bit
terest politicians l ever knew. His tenn
per naturally dogmatical, was sOured by the
constant defeats of his party. He hated
Mr.. Calhoun with bitter animOsity, and
felt that honors offered to the latter by the
State, to be insults to himself His affec-
tions were finally 50 alienated from the
people of South Carolina, he removed from
her limits and found home in Alabama,
where, some years earlier, he had transfer
red the major part of his property.
In many essentials Judge Smith was a
kind man, pleasant neighbor, a hospitable
gentleman, and good companion to those
he liked but implacable in his prejudces
and unforgiving in his enmities. One of
Johnson's good haters; out true as steel in
q friendship.
It was while at DR.. AleXander's school
he formed an attachment to William H..
Crawford, which friendship remained in
tact during their lives. After the contest
for the Presidency in 1924, when Adams,
Jackson, Clay and Crawford all entered the
arena, an article published in the papers,
quite humorous in tone, delineating the
race as one of q Jockey Club course, caught
the mood of the people, and was read and
referred to constantly. Smith, then residing
at Pinkneyville, Union District, had exert
ed every nerve to secure the election of his
paper burlesque said the Jackson horse
STROBE through the State of Tennessee with
utmost speed on through North Carolina
with almost equal velocity, and into South
Carolina, where, although a man named
Smith, at Pinckneyville, rushed in and
tried to scare him off the track for the
Georgia horse to get ahead, the Jackson
horse jumped over him, stretching him
SELF and losing no time till he reached the
Georgia line. Caleb Clark facetiOusly re-
marked to Judge Smith, on meeting him
soon after reading the piece, "Well, Judge
the Jackson horse was too much for you
ran over you; you could not scare him off
the track" "He would have been had he
been bridle-wise, sir" hissed the Judge, in
his sarcastic tone. ...
His old school-mate, Jackson, however,
bore no grudge against Smith for his supe-
rior affection for Crawford, and their same
ness of political creed cemented and strength
ened their earlier ties. After Judge Smith
removed to Alabama, Jackson appointed
him Judge Of the Supreme Court, but he
declined to accept the high position.
Judge Smith built a very handsome resi-
dence on Turkey Creek, but returned again
to a village life. Here he always dispensed
much elegant hospitality, both to strangers
and townsmen. Some of the handsomest
|
dinners given by him ; and dancing parties
with good music and fine suppers, were fire.
quently enjoyed in his pleasant mansion.
He improved the beautiful lot and built the
| handsome house now owned by Robert G..
McCaW, ESQ.,, but before he completed his
designs, he removed to Huntsville, Ala
bama, where he built himself a palatial
residence.
His manner of speaking was considerably
sententious, and his pithy remarks frequent
ly impressed themselves on ones memory,
when the same words, from another's lips,
would have been forgotten. Mr.. Bob Coop
good deal toward improvements; you have
built fine house on Turkey Creek and one
in. Yorkville-noW you ought to build a
MILL"
81 have often noticed, Mr.. Cooper, that a
mill was fine thing for the neighborhood,
but bad thing for the owner" In the trite
reply, is truth made manifest to many
who have had experience to test the matter.
Nothing could show the devoted attach
ments of this stern Judge more strongly,
than his habit Of removing his daughters
body wherever he went. She was his only
child. She married and died early, but her
they were taken by her father to Alabama,
where he now lies beside her.
His memory was remarkable for strength
and accuracy Much of his success in busi-
ness may be attributed to this, and his eX-
actness in even small matters. | once test
ed his power, and was struck fOrcibly, as an
eyewitness of the trait of mind l had Of
ten before heard remarked upon. l had
business in Court for one OF the heirs of DIR.
John Allison, and for the want of q certain
paper, was much perpleXed, and feared l
might not, without it, be able is establish
the claim. Some friend suggested that
Judge Smith might have it, rs he had been
DR.. AllisOn'S Executor. / called to see the
Judge and told him of the desired paper,
and the hope that he might have it. 81
haveit," he answered promptly. "Patsey,"
he called to a servant ego in my office,
look in the left hand corner from the door,
on the shelf, and bring me small red, hair
trunk, with brass nails" The woman soon
returned with the article described. He
| took out al immense bunch of keys, soon
selected one and fitted it. AS he turned the
key, he said, 81 have not been in this
trunk for fifteen years, but the paper you
want is in the right hand corner, tarthest
back, near the bottom" He looked in the
designated spot, took out bundle Of old
papers from near the bottom, and soon pro-
duced the one l coveted. | almost forgot
my eradication at its possession, in admira-
ton of this remarkable exhibition of
memory.
| His resentments were strong, and some
times he allowed his irrascble temper to
get the better of him, and he would use his
cane as we'll as the biting sarcasm for which
he was famous. Fisticutfs, too were rather
more dignified then than now but though
/ have seen the Judge several times attempt
| to take things high-handed in a dispute,