The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1903-01-16


aiding to defray the expenses of his
college course, and to that extent as
sisting his father, who had large
family depending upon him. After
graduating he commenced the study
of law in his fathers office, and in
December of the same year, by rea
son of his superior endowments and
great diligence, was admitted to
practice in the law courts of the
State, and in the following year was
enrolled as q solicitor in the Courts
of Equity. AS soon as he was called
to the Bar he entered into copart.
nership with his father, who was
then the State solicitor or prosecut-
ing officer on the Eastern circuit.
Shortly after the young practi-
toner commenced his career at the
Bar the health of his father became
80 much impaired that he was un-
fitted to discharge the arduous du-
ties of his Office, and the son, as
his deputy, performed those duties
with satisfaction to the public and
credit to himself until his father
died, and the son was now appointed
solicitor by the governor to fill the
vacancy until the close of the next
session Of the Legislature, the solici-
tor then being elected by the legis-
iature, and not by the people as now.
AT the election Mr.. McIver did
not become candidate for the Of
flee, yielding to one who, by reason
of his larger experience at the Bar,
he modestly supposed was better
fitted for the position. Within a
short time the new incumbent died,
leaving again vacant an unexpired
term, and Mr.. MoIver, still very
young man, was the second time ap.
pointed by Governor Manning to
perform the duties of the Office un-
til the succeeding session of the leg
islature, at which time he was duly
elected at the expiration of the sec.
ond term in 1857, 1861 and 1865,
holding the lucrative Office until
1858, when, under the reconstruction
ACT of Congress-, the entire Govern
ment was reorganized.
AS we have said, the subject of
this sketch has always devoted him
self exclusively to his profession.
Having no taste for political life, he
has never been a candidate for, or q
member of, any Legislative body.
lie was chosen to represent his fell
low citizens, without solicitation on
his part, in the Secession Conven
tion, called by the State in 1850, and
in 1865 hr ,as again chosen to rep
resent them in the Convention called
under what is now known as the re-.
construction policy Of President An
drew Johnson: and to both he was
chosen without desire on his part.
He was not prominent in the public
deliberations of these bodies, but as
a member of their committees he
performed his share of the delicate
and important work entrusted to
them. When the war that resulted
from the Act of Secession was be.
gun, though having neither taste nor
turn for military life, he though it
his duty to defend the principles fol
which his State contended, and un
der conscientious conviction OF
their rightfulness he entered the
army and continued in military ser
vice until the close of the war, a re
minder Of which he today carries
upon his person, having been So
verely wounded in battle twice il
the same day.
| After the close Of this protractet
and frightful conflict he found him
self without high titles as a soldier
without means, with a country i'm
poverished, with business at stand
still, with the courts, the forum o
his ambition and success, closed; th
future dark, uncertain and we'll nigl
hopeless. But he did not despair
He wisely concluded that the onl'
course was to submit, hopefully an,
oheorfully, to the inevitable. He &C
cordingly devoted the summer On,
autumn Of 1866 to q careful revie,
Of the law (his practice having bee
interrupted for four years,) an
| xufhn ho rrt.