Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1899-01-26
!. THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY,.
Inauguration Of Governor and Lieu-
tenant Governor. I, &.,rE

William II. Ellerbe and Lieutenant
Governor NJ. 3. McSweeney were
induoted into office to-day. The
ceremonies attending the change Of
administration were brief, not lasting
over twenty minutes altogether.
There was nothing unexpected or
remarkable about the exercises. 1t
would have been difficult to have
made the ceremony more formal or
brief. Several hundred visitors, at
most, witnessed the swearing in of
the Governor. The young ladies
from the colleges were present in a
body, also number Of Governor
(. Ellerhc's friends in the city. One of
=. the interested spectators was Mrs.
Ellerbe, who was accompanied by
her children and members of the
household.
The procession was not over five
minutes behind tho hour appointed
for the exercises. Sergeant-at-arm
CASTOR, of the Senate, with Sergeant
alarms Stansell, headed the line of
march. Governor Ellerbe, who came
in on tho arm of Senator Mower,
came next. We wore q black frock
coat and black crayat, and looked
quite well. Following came Lieu
tenant Governor McSweeney with
Mr.. Magill, Judge Ernest Gary with
Senator Graydon, the rev. Mr.. w.
II. Richardson with Mr.. Montgom-
cry, Comptroller General Derham
with Superintendent of Education
McMahan, former Adjt. Gen. Watts
y with Adjt. Gen. elect Floyd, former
Attorney General Barber with Attor-
ney General Bellinger and Mr.. Sim
kins with State Treasurer Thinner
man.
AS soon as the State officers, their
escort and the Senators arrived in
the House and were seated, Mr..
Scarborough, PrcsidenI of the Sen
ate, announced the purpose Of the
joint assembly and that Rev. Mr..
Richardson would deliver the prayer.
Mr.. Richardson, of the Washing
ton Street Methodist church, deliv-
cred quite a long and fervent prayer.
1t was then announced that "the
Hon. VIM. II. Ellerbe, Governor
elect, was present and ready to quail.
ify." Governor Ellerbe placed his
hand on the Bible and held it while
Judge Gary read the oath, to which
Governor Eilerbe gave concurrence.
Governor E!lerbe walked to the
front of the Speakers stand and
spoke as follows:
"Follow Citizens: Two years ago
l was called by an almost unprece-
dented majority 70 the highest Office
within your gift. The reasons for
my overwhelr:::: s victory arc not far
to seek. We had just passed through
four years Of the bitterest partisan
warfare that had ever shaken the
State. 1t had arraycd brother
against brother and friend against
friend. 1t had engendercd the Bit
terest feelings between the different
classes Of our population. Town and
country were at war, instead of
working harmoniously together for
common good. The Reform Move
ment brought many substantial gains
to the people,; but, like every other
social revolution, it brought with it
concomitant and inseparable ills of
which | have spoken. The good
remains; the evil in time disappears.
The people, especially the people of
South Carolina, are generous, and in
their hearts the passions of partisan
hate soon die out, self-consumcd.
""Twas thus, after four years of
strife, the people now, in mutual,
well-besceming ranks, marched all
one way, no more opposed against
acquaintance, kindred and allies.
Ignoring party lines, they turned
with characteristic generosity to me
not because Of special worth or fitness
on my part, for | bad done nothing
to merit snch marknd esteem, but
because they who knew me best
believed that as Governor | would
serve no faction, but the whole peo-
pie, and strive to bring in an era of
peace and good fellowship. Thus
was | enabled to launch the ship of
State under favoring brcczes.
Knightly and generous souls came
forward with pledges of cooperation
The press, with scarcely an excep-
ton, promised support and prophc-
sled happy voyage under favorable
skies. With many misgivings I
undertook the task to which | was
called, scarcely daring to trust nv