Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1884-08-14

The argument Of one of my competitors, that
an inexperienced man should not be elected to
the State Senate, does not apply UNDERSTAND s; and
make speech during the past session. This is
proper, in so large body, where it requires time
to becomeknown and acquire influence by form
ing personal acquaintances But in the State
Senate the case is different. In our State Senate
a member may be sufficiently known as to en-
title him to speak during the first week or the
| first day of his term.
Maj. Harris nomination for the unexpired term
two years ago. In the primary election about
l 100 votes were cast, of which he received 600,
while the full vote of the county was then about
1900. He was nominated by 100 majority in the
primary election.
He regretted that one of his competitors (Maj.
Hart) had referred, at q previous meeting, to his
war record, and to honorable wounds received in
battle. This, to the speaker, was a delicate sub
ject, and one to which he referred with reluc-
tance. While the war record of man has moth
ing to do with his fitness to represent the people,
he admitted that it was natural that the people
should have confidence in those who went into
the service of their country. He (the speaker)
has six wounds, received in battle-a broken
skull and broken arm being two of them-and
while on that score he occupied the same ground
as his competitor, he referred to the matter with
reluctance. He claimed no more credit for his
military service than is due to the humblest pri-
vate. TO the worth of the private soldier he paid
a glowing tribute and claimed that officers of
| the dead no more than the living; and the wound
ed no more than those who were not wounded.
In closing, Gen. Law said that if elected to the
Senate, he would promise to serve the people to
the best Of his ability and with honest devotion
to their best interests
The chairman now announced that as the rela-
tive merits of the officers and private soldiers of
the late war had lust BEEN discussed, and as the
speaker had awarded tosfhe eprvate soldier that
need of praise which was his due, it afforded him
pleasure to introduce as the next speaker, and a
candidate for the Senate, one who had borne his
musket as private and acquitted himself as a
gallant soldier
MIR. J. NJ. ADAMS
Mr. Adams explained his position before the
voters as mechanic, which class he thought
should have showing in preference to electing
so many lawyers to legislative positions. He
said, My motto is, up with the State House {;
down with the railroad commission and the lien
law. 1 challenge my competitors to show why
the State House should not be completed One
and a half million dollars has been spent on it,
and think it can be finished for half million
more. think the Columbia Canal is humbug,
and am opposed to making State appropriations
for digging it. If elected, I will make it my
there never shall be another lien law in South
Carolina. AM in favor of repeating the liquor
law, provided we can prevent the United States
government from establishing stills in the coun-
ty. But with government stills in the county
| the law is nuisance, and persons violate it and
drink liquor every day. despise liquor and
am temperance man, but would bind them
up to keep decent houses and pay license offive
hope to hear upon this subject from others who
are to come after me. The way the liquor law
now stands, men are dribbling it out and for sell
| ling small quantities are snatched up and taken
to Greenville to he tried. In National politics, /
have been Union man ever since l laid down
my gun. 1 have no faith in the independent
movement at the North but no matter who is
elected, we will have good President: My
motto is to finish the State House first. l am in
favor of internal improvements and common
schools. AS soon as the Charlotte, Columbia and
Augusta Railroad is able to buy it, would be in
favor of selling the Chester and Lenoir Railroad
gauge to broad gauge They could easily sell
| the old iron and cars, or use them in building a
road from Blacks Station by way of Rock Hill
to Fort Lawn. think 1 ought to be elected. A
voce-"What about a Court House at Rock
Hip Four years from now may say some
thing about Court House at Rock Hill. 1count
myself as good as elected. Some say the move
ment in my favor is all bosh, but if | am elected
ba will have the State House finished, if have
to do the work myself. know can put on the
roof, and instead of putting 'soft sawder" on the
members of the Legislature, as is too frequently
| done, I will put it on the roof of the State
House, for my motto is that it ought to be fin
ished before it goes to loss. 1t has been said
| that I proposed making law to make every
man honest. did not mean to say that would
have such law passed. My meaning was that
1 would hedge around the laws so as to make
men honest. Forinstance there is the homestead
law, which is not Just as it is. favor law pre-
venting a man from transferring his property to
| his wife or children ether relatives to avoid
paying his debts. lam in favor Of making every
man pay his debts. Several of our laws need
| improvements There is the law on concealed
weapons, which gives the bully and whisky
drinker the advantage over peaceable, sober men:
They carry weapons in spite of the law, and
say, punish men for using pistols and not simply
| for carrying them. I say when man commits
wilful or unjustifable murder, hang him. If
offer for office if he has not the ability to dis
charge it. / think have as much ability as any
ofmy competitors. But in this contest we should
not show an envious spirit, but all be like
band of brothers. I have no ill feeling for any
| one in the race. AS to the railroad commission,
I am not willing to be taxed to keep these three
men in office. There's Gen. Bonham What
does he know about railroads? The effect of this
railroad commission is to keep up high freights
and consequently high prices. If have to pay
| high freights on my goods have to charge high
prices and consequently my customers have to
pay it at last. 1 favor every measure intended
for the good Of the country. TO the young men
of Rock Hill wish to make an explanation of
matter which they do not understand They ac-
cuse me of going out of my own county into
Chester to electioneer and have been asked to
explain the matter. I did 60 to Chester to attend
| the ratification meeting but not to speak. had
been asked to speak, but thought as it was
meeting in another county than my own, and it
would not be good taste in me to address the
people and interfere with the other speakers;
| but finally on their insisting upon it. did con-
sent to make short speech after all the other
speakers had got through. Just as got up to
speak fight commenced between two young
| men in the crowd, and that prevented me from
| speaking on account Of the hubbub and the
crowd running TO the young men that were
| fighting. I return my compliments to the young
men of Rock Hill. can say to them that while
I am solid here, am also solid in Santuc: l
received a postal card from Santuc the other day,
signed "a Voter" and he said-"Go it, Old Fell
| low Santuc is for you.'
Mr.. Adams was frequently cheered in the
course Of his remarks, and he took his seat amid
a round Of applause. The chairman next intro
duced
DIR. JOHN G. BLACK,
who said that he had had the honor of repre-
sentng the people in the Legislature on former
occasion and asked their endorsement but did
not ask it on the ground ofbeing a farmer. That
| question does not enter into the discussion but
the only question for you to ask is, which one of
the candidates is best qualified to represent you?
A good deal has been said here to-day to the cf-
feet that you should send man to the Senate
who has experimental influence. On this point
argue that no member can exert any influence
further than his own individual vote extends
The idea that a member should influence the
votes Of his fellow legislators is reflection upon
your General Assembly. When l represented
you tried to carry out all the doctrines l advo-
Gated in the canvass. 1 advocated measures of
retrenchment, but in doing so, do not think 1
was nggardly in my views. Under Radicalrule,
license fee of S. was required from every life
insurance company doing business in this State,
which fee perquiste to the Comptroller
General. introduced Il bill providing for this
fee to be covered into the State Treasury, and by
it's passage the sum of 1900 which annually
went in the shape of fees to the comptroller
General was diverted to the State Treasury and
you were relieved of taxation to that extent.
soon discovered that much of the time of the
JJouco ,roc paI II, II nets Of ircOrDO-