The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1885-02-12

Mr.. EDITOR: I being one of the one
thousand who signed the petition sent
from this County TO our Representatives
In regard TO holding au election upon the
question Of license or no license, and also
one of their constituents, beg little
space to add only n few words to what ha-
already been said with reference to the
action Of our Representatives, and the
disposition they saw proper to make OF
it.
| 1t was certainly as reasonable request
as any people could have made Of their
Representatives, or of any body Of men.
Simply asking tho privilege Of holding
an election to settle or determine n local
question. Even if each OF our four
Representatives had doubted the cxptdi-
ency or pr0priety Of the bill, it WAS
certainly Their duty to have granted the
petition; and then when the election
had been called, and they having an
opportunity to vote, could with perfect
consistency have voted against il. The
question was not ~ to whether they
favored prohibition or not. 1t was
whether or not they would carry out the
wishes aud petitions Of their constituents.
Ii all equal number of petitioners had
instructed them not to favor such bill,
then they would have had sufficient
grounds for their actions But we have
heard Of no such petition, and they are,
therefore, left without any reasonable
excuse for the course they have seen
proper to pursue aud ! think their
actions justly deserves the severest crili.
cism at the hands Of their constituents.
In referring to our Representatives, how
ever, as body or rs a whole, we are nec-
essarly compelled to be personal, in
order to exhonerate from censure those
whom we think have given satisfactory
account of their stewardship. l am
inclined to think that the two who first
recognized the right of the people to
demand of them an account have given
satisfactory explanation while that Of
the other two has not been satisfactory.
One of them has never clearly and
positively stated his position, nor offered
anything approxima:!ng a satisfactory
reason for his action. His unsuccessful
attempts to dodge the question, thorough
ly confirms the idea the people entertain
ed of his views, viz: that he was not
in favor of the bill. Perhaps he
very carefully calculated the cost
of getting the bill through aud OF mold
ing an election, and decided he would
Improve the opportunity of teaching the
people OF Anderson County lessons of
economy. In his speech in the Court
House in November last, he stated his
reason for pc,c. having introduced
6lll--that 1t cost too much; aud it ap-
pears that the strictest economy has
characterized his actions this ion.
also. During his absence from home,
and ever since his return, he has been
very economical in dealing out TO his
constituents the information they desired
OF him. AS for the other he simply
stated how he stood in the matter"
without assigning any reason for the
faith that was in him." suppose he
thought that for the people to simply
know his views on any subject was sufli-
Gent. While we very cheerfully concede
to him the right to think as he
pleases, we do not concede to him the
right to act Is he chooses while he is q
servant of the people. Perhaps he has
decided that he is a citizen of Georgia.
anyway; he at least seemed to be yery
much interested in the prohibition move
ment in Elbert County, judging from his
conversation on the streets of Elbert last
When South Carolina needed
the services of every white man she
could get to help redeem her from Rad |
icalism, he was citizen of
Georgia; but IA soon as he considered
her safe, and saw an opportunity to
represent Anderson County in the Legis.
latnre, he was citizen of South Carroll.
ma, When the time rolls round to choose |
our Representatives again, and he
should happen to be left out, South
Carolina may have to relinouish
her claims, and consent for him to claim
again mis- citizenship in Georgia.
JUBILo.
E. nm