The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1903-01-23
Members of the General Assembly
and hiy fellow citizens:

and imy fellow citizens:
Under our form of government,
the voice of the people is supreme,
and we have met together today to
carry out the wishes of the people of
this State, as expressed at the recent
election.
In the providence Of God, it has
fallen to my lot to be called from the
quiet walls of life to assume in this
manner and in this presence the
high and honorable Office of Govern.
or of South Carolina. In doing 80
am almost overwhelmed by sense
of great responsibilities which I have
now assumed: but even beyond this
is my sense of gratitude for the great
honor done me by the people of my
State L am mindful. of the fact
that tho truly great gifts of life ever
involve the most solemn responsible
tiles, and when they come as the ex-
preston of the manhood Of com.
monwealth, involving the selection
of Chief Magistrate of The people
whose heritage is as proud as that of
any people upon this esrth-whose
history is glorious record of patriot
ism, virtue and achievement-well,
indeed, may he upon whom this
honor falls stand silent in contem
plstion Of the sacred responsibilities
which his people have placed upon
him. The honor you have bestowed
upon me le such as would fill the
heart of any man with deepest graft,
tude-a gratitude that should call
forth the most sacred loyalty of a
South Carolinian to South Carroll
mans.
I To meet these Responsibilities, to
execute the various and onerous
duties of my offioe-to give my time,
my thoughts and my every endeavor
to the service of my State-I feel
would indeed be poor recompense
to my people for the trust and conf
dence they have placed in me. I
beg, my friends and my countrymen,
that you will allow my feelings on
this occasion to speaks to you of
heart filled with love for South Caro-
lima and for South Carolinians-let
them speak to you, for me, of Il de-
votlon to the welfare of our State,
which, with your continued trust I'd
help, will endure all things 20 ach sve
this end; let them speak to you Of q
determination to know no higher
ambition than to labor for the best
interests of all the people of South
Carolina
T need not assure you that no
greater pride is mine than lies in the
fact that L was elected to this office
by South Carolina Democrats from
every county and from almost every
precinct of our State. Our fellow
Democrats of South Carolina came
together as brethren, and this can
have but one meaning--a deep and
holy meaning--whioh cannot possibly
augur other than the best, truest and
highest things of our dear old State.
| ask You all, each and every one of
you, to stand by me in the admins
tratioR of the high duties of this
office even as You have manifested
this spirit by your votes. l need
your holy and your confidence now
more than ever before, and l pray
you ell to let our common lahors of
love and devotion as bretheren bury
forever factionalism in South Carroll
ma.
Political condition in our State
are such that we can look to the
future with every degree of conf
dence and encouragement. Racial
problems, which have sorely beset
and hinderad us in the past, have dur
ing the last decade reached snch 40
lutions as will go far towards ad-
vancing the interests of both races.
Our white citizens AREAS they
should be-in undisputed possession
of every department. Of our State,
county and municipal government.