The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1892-07-28
date for the Sollcitorship of the Six Cir

candidacy arc we'll known to my friends
residing in that circuit at the time, and
] supposed were fully understood by all
outside the circuit who had any curio
sity or interest in knowing them. iOl
there has never been any motive or dc
sire to conceal them.
SO far as 1 know, my course IN that
regard has never seemed to require cX.
planatlon, for [ have never been aware
of any injurious public comment except
In the summer of 1890, when, aiier the
nomination Of Gov. Tillman, advised
the support of the regular ticket, , bit
ter partisan of the independent move
mcnt OF that year published cOmmun- :
icatiOn citing these f,cts rs Il reas IN
why my advice should not be followed.
AS this communication was anon ymOus =.
and as the matter did not seem to be of
much consequence, L made no reply TO
II; but inasmuCn as the public is enti-
tied to know the public record ni auy
candidate for office | feel that there is
some obligation on me TO give the facts
so that those who were not then resi-
dent i'll the State, and those whose re-
collection does not GO back to those
Gays, may determine whe or not
there is any thing in that ass citation
which tend TO show my uuworttness.
l was elected Soil ;itor of the Sikh
Circuit in 1868, having been nominated
ut a conference OF the lawyers OF the
Circuit. There was at that time no or
ganizcd Democratic party in the State
Counties of the Circuit met in Chester
l.
Shapd, Esq. now OF this city, and Ma
j. T.. Hart Of Y ork and Col. John ID.
WYlie OF Lancaster arc among those no W
living who participated in this inform Al
convention. There was no oppositlou
to me.
1 discharged the duties of the cni &c
with as much ability and fidelity as
could command, and, as L believe, TO
the satisfaction OF the people o! the Cir
cult. AT the expiration Of my term.
there was no Republican lawyer living
i'll that Circuit. There was some Ia. k
OF bringing one there to run against me.
and l have always believed that it was
mainly due to the Influence of MIR. G..
d. Mellon, who had been friend of my
family and myself from my bo, ,hood,
and who en- joyed to an unusual degree
the confidence of some of the leaders ot
the Republican party, as he did up to
the daV of his death, the esteem and af-
tection Of all who knew him, that this
course was not adopted. was put
upon the ticket of the Republican par
ty. l have no doubt that this was part
ly due to the fact that had discharged
the duties of the Ctlice with fairness and
impartiality, but l never doubted that
il The re had been Republican lawyer
III the Circuit J would have been oppos.
ed by hIm, for l had never claimed to
! no Republican and all Of my associa-
tious aud affiliations were with the pco-
pie OF the District who were II turally
Democrats. There was at this time no
organized State Democratic party. AT
the preceding election there had been
an attempt to defeat the regular R.pub-
llcan party by fusion ticket, at the
head OF which was Judge Carpen er and
General Butler. but the effort was no;
successful, and there was no effort on
the part Of the white people That YEAR to
make q contest for the control OF The GOV
ernmcnt.
1t so happened that l was not in the
State ut the time that | was thus nCmi-
mated. Upon my return it was natur-
ally a matter OF serious concern to me
as to what was the proper course To-. me
to pursue. AS have stated, there Was
no Democratic party organization III The
Circuit, and, after consultation with my
friends at home, | addressed circular
letter to the leading lawyers of the Cir
cult. That seemed to me then Lhe pro =
per course. 1t was by their acLion that
L had been put in nomination tour ears
before, and felt that could safely abide
their Judgment. L had letters in reply
from Mcssls. Rion and Call ud, at
Winnsboro, from Mcssrs. Wilson, With
crspoon and Hart, at Yorkviile, from
Messrs. Wylie, COnnor and Allison, at
Lar caster. all OF whom concurrcd in the
opinion that L should neither accept nor
decline the nomination. Tncy were all
acquainted with my record and Opinions.
They expressed the opinion mat my
conduct i'll Gllice had been entirely hatls-
factory to the people OF the Circuit
that l was justly entitled to and would
receive their support it there had been
a Democratic party organization, anu
That l would best serve the people of
tiie circuit by thus securing IA re cleo
tlon. Ine3e letters are still in nv
possession, and were shown to nv
friends two years ago when the unony.
nous attack. above referred to. was
III 'de upon me, and when l considered
The proprlely of publishing them.
Wonld be glad to publish them to the
world, as they are the best evidence OF
the esteem in which | was held at the
time by some of the best men Of the
State; ;that had the support aud friend
ship OF such men IS the best proof that
in accepting the Office under the cir.
cumstapces [ was not untrue TO the
people among whom lived.
Ihefe is no period OF my life to which
l can look back with more satisfaction,
Tor there has never been time in
which | had greater opportunities of
uolng Important public service. held
the Ullice until | surrendered it in 1874
upon my removal to CharlestoL. was
never member Of the Republican par
ty. l was not asked for anv pledge to
support it, and never gave it support at
that time or since.
That was repeatedly elected to the
Legislature from the city of Char lesion
aS u Democrat, that 1 was for years a
membcr Of the State Democratic Exc.
CutiyE Committee and was the choice