Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1897-06-23
..RED HILL AGAIN,
Gives the constitutional Argu.
ment-An Unanswerable One.

carefully.and thoughtfully written,
and doubtless would-be convinc-
ing and conclusive communication
of Mr.. j. NJ. Gaines, of Greenwood
county-the Pretender and the
Usurper-as recently published in
the ADVERTISER and Chronicle
but I think the writer, being well
aware of the; ridiculous absurditv
of his pretended right to hold his
seat,in the Senate, has permitted
his zeal to shield himself from the
righteous condemnation of the
outraged people of .Edgelield, to
over-reach itself IN the apparent
confidence he seems to have as to
his right to continue to hold the
office of Senator from Edgefeld,
whilst he frankly admits that he
has. since the 4th of June "become
citizen of Greenwood"
The Constitution of the State of
South Carolina-the organic law
as adopted by the State Constitu-
tional Convention in the fall of
1S95-says:
"No Lorsor shall be eligible to a
seat in the Senate or House of
Representatives, who at the time
of his election, is not duly quail
fed elector under this Constitu-
tion in the county in which he
may be chosen"
Now, how is it possible for Mr..
Gaines, a gentleman of acknow..-
edged ability, or any one else
even a fool-to misconstrue the
above section from the State Con-
stltution, VI less prompted by self
ish ambitious aims and unjust
purposes?
Therefore, Mr.. Editor, if it is
necessary for person, at the time
Of his election, to be aduly quail
fed elector SIN tie coet'ety IN aohich
he mag be chosen," in order to 'be
eligible to seat in the Senate, u
why it is as clear as the noon day
SUI that the moment the Senator
thus elected ceases to be duly
qualified .eleetor IN the county IN
aohlch he soas chosen, right then and
there he becomes ineligible to hold
the. Office longer, and any pretend
ed righsthefeafter to said Office is
an arbitrary and unwarranted
usurpation of the'rights of the peo'
pie: d.
And i, get, i in Il the face of the Con.
stitutional law before him, WITH
full knowledge Of the clear and
distinct. fnteat:of'. said laW-yet be
the gentleman. WHO has, become q
citizen, of Greenwood" and Wishe:
itq7b recognfzed,as ''fhe Senator
from Il dgefisld,9s has the, effronterJ
Ito tt boil assefr that 50 far as TIL
letter of law is concerned, / have
| tho right to- held. out the term o.
four years as jsenator' from Edge
feld.'p; But right there ::%:,the! still
small voice within .husshave as
serted itself, and the Greenwood
gentleman.meeklH adds: "But, tc
do so would. not at all accord with
my own ideas Of pfopriety." O.
course not, because law or no law
1t is not right for. hineTto. ho7a. an
Eagefszd office so long as he remain
a non.residsht of the county, .. Ant
no one knows this better than%1fr
]. NJ. Gaines, of Greenwood county
Tn one breath the Greenwood Pie
tender and Usurper says that he
Gan alien) has right to hold al
Edgefeld office four years-ant
then ip..the next, admits that t.
do SO would not accord with hi
ideas of propriety.
Mr.. Gaines has considerable tt
say in reference to what he sait
and done during the last campaign
And now says that at that time h
did not expect Greenwood count.
to be put; into operation as earl.
as it has BEEN" Yes, ana we kpoH
that both he and Mr.. Yeldell as
sured the people that it woul'
take two years or longer for tn
complete: establishment Of Green
wood county, and Mr.. Gaines ais
then said that as soon as Green
wood was duly organized he woul'
hand in his resignation. First de
luding the. people (unwittingl.
perhaps) into the belief that.
would take two years to accom-
plish what has been done in abou
six months-and now, (althoug
he promised to resign when Green
. wood county assumed countyhood
the Pretender and Usurper de
H.. - oIo rn al h; roro,,, ,u,