The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1897-08-18

lHC DuPlCluC oSoulU VI euO>s OuAo0o
States, and within the last few years
has the new authority of the United
States Courts of Appeal. Within the
memory of men not yet old the high
sherifs in New England appeared on
State occasions with cooked hats and
swords, but it is only in South Caro-
lima now that the sheriff dons an OFF,
cial garment and carries a sword of
office whenever he goes forth to make
an arrest. To the culprit this seems
like taking a royal coated pill.
In the office Of the Secretary Of State
I saw the mace. It was presented to
the colony by the King of England as
an emblem of royal authority. 1t
bears the royal arms and the crown,
and is a massive and valuable piece of
workmanship. Andrew Jackson was
q native of South Carolina, and in his
last will he bequeathed to the State a
silver service to be presented to the
native of South Carolina who in the
next wal should be selected as the
bravest soldier of the State. The
next war was with Mexico, and when
the question of selection of the re-
cipient of this token came up it wa
found impossible to agree as to which
son Of South Carolina had most dis
tinguished himself for bravery. As
a result the bequest was replaced in
the State vault, with the understand
ing that it should 60 to the last sur
yivor of the Mexican war, in which
it was thought all the South Carroll
mans who participated had equally
distinguished themselves for courage.
This clause of the will Of Andrew
Jackson is a part Of the archives Of
the State, and is shown to visitors as
a very proud heirloom attended with
a very proud record of the general
bravery Of the sons Of the old State.
Among other historical relics care
fully preserved and held in high ev-
erenco are the great seals used at diff
ferent times in the history Of the peo-
pie of the State. There is the great
seal used by the Lords Projectors in
the 18th century, the great seal used
by the colony during the time the
royal mace was held as the emblem Of
the Kings sovereign power, and last
the great seal of the State Of South
Carolina to which some time was
attributed a sovereign significance
hardly claimed at that time by any
other State, and now used for the
ordinary current business Of the
State, and which in the latest times
has given sanction to strange expert
ments in government. | saw also the
sword of Marion, the Revolutionary
hero of the State, who has been cele-
brated by William Cullen Bryant in
his "Song of Marion's men
Our band is few, but true and tried,
Our leader frank and bold;
The British soldier trembles
When Marion's name is told.
Among the interesting records l
saw was the manuscript Of the last
speech Of John G. Calhoun, which was
read in the United States Senate when
he was too feeble to deliver it in per-
son. I saw, too, a letter from Lafay-
cite, addressed to the men of the
Southern army, meaning the Southern
army of the Revolution, and a letter
from Light Horse Harry Lee to Lord
William Campbell, then Royal Cover
nor of the colony.
As one comes out from the State
House he is confronted by three
monuments commemorating the mill
tary achievements Of the soldiers Of
South Carolina. The first refers to
the American Revolution, the second,
which is in the shape Of q palmetto
tree, relates to the Mexican war,
while the third is a Confederate mon
ument erected by the women Of the
State.
The experience of South Carolina is
filled with more singular vicissitudes
than that of any other State, and on
every hand in Columbia and in the
State House are records and memen-
toes of unusual occurrences and cir
cumstances.
KATE PHELEN HAMPTON.