The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1899-06-07
GOVERNOR ELLERBE DEAD.

GOVERNOR ELLERBE DEAD.
The hand of death was laid upon
South Cardinals chief executive last
Friday night at his home in Marion
county.
Governor Ellerbe had been sick a
long time and his friends throughout
the State were prepared for the end.
It was the writer's privilege to have
had an intimate acquaintance with
him, and those who enjoyed a SINH
lar privilege knew him and loved him.
Governor Ellerbe had tie interests
o. The State at heart and his whole
soul was thrown into his duties. He
never took position without cons.d-
Grafton, and once his mind was made
ND he was as immovable as rock.
During his entire public career he
displayed independence and, having
the courage of his convictions, he
acted according to the dictates OF bis
conscience and judgment; by doing
so he was often misunderstood but
more often misconstrued. Not since
South Carolina became State was
there an Executive who occupied
such an embarrassing position.
The State had gone through a
heated political revolution, followed
by sensational and exciting admin
istration, during which there were
riots and bloodshed, and which made
the sore cut by the revolution Of 1890
cape open wider and cause the irrita-
ton to become more intense. The
people were divided, households were
torn asunder and brothers we're enc
mics. This state of affairs existed
until the people realized that some
thing must be done to allay the feel
ing and bring about peace. William
Il. Ellerbe of Marion was called for
ward and commissioned for the task.
No sooner had he commenced his
work OF paciication than up went the
howl from the politicians of both fac
tions; the extreme Conservatives felt
that the branch of peace had upon it
an Office for each one Of their faction,
and the extreme Reformers felt that
the Governor was too liberal towards
those who were classed as political
enemies; the Reformers claimed, ''to
the victors belong the spoils," and
the Conservatives claimed that the
minority had right to recognition
and division Of the Offices. Cover
nor EIerbe paid no heed to either
side, and made his appointments in
accordance with his oath of ofice-to
be Governor Of the whole people.
His first term was a success as far as
it went. but it did not finish the work
laid out by his policy, and notwith-
standing the opposition of the bulk
of the politicians, and faction that
had sprung into existence which pur-
ported TO have for its motive moral
principle, and this faction receiving
the aid Of another element opposed
to the "moral principle" movement
and to Governor Elerbe, he was re-
elected. The saying, uneasy is the
head that wears crown" was true in
Governor Ellerbe's case; to add to
his burden, came along the visitations
of Providence and removed by death
quite number Of o&ce-holders; this
necessitated the use of his appointing
power and wherever a vacancy oc-
Cured, applications were many and
each applicant was warmly endorsed.
The appointment would be made,
and where he made one man happy
the one receiving the commission
the disappointed applicants enlisted
in the ranks Of the enemy. 1t was
the same way when the Spanish
American war broke out; the aspi-
rants for shoulder straps were to be
counted by the score, and as they
would lose the coveted prize, over the
line they stepped to ally themselves
with the other clamoring discontents.
We say his entire gubernatorial career
was beset with embarrassing obsts-
cles, but he bravely faced them all and
acted without regard to consequences,
other than the approval of his
Maker, for whom he had devout
regard and whose appreciation he
earnestly sought.
Governor Ellerbe was an honest
man, and if at any time during his
career he made mistake it was an
error Of judgment and not made pur-
posely or with crafty intent. He was
misrepresented by his political oppo-
nents, for political effect, but those
who knew him were not shaken in
their confidence in him, and when
the preiu6ices brought about by po-