The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1906-03-27

exactly fitted for each particular
duty which the Office imposed upon
him.
AS governors private secretary he
won the good will and commendation
Of all whose business brought them
in touch with the chief executives 3
Office during Governor Evans torn,
and he retained to tho hour Of his
death the respect and admiration Of
his chief, whose opportunities for in
innate knowledge Of him extended
through the years Of early manhood.
lie gave to the Office Of magistrate
on air Of dignity and impartial JUS
tice that earned and received the con-
iidcncc of both races and men of all
conditions within the limits Of his ,ju-
risdiction. The demands for ,iuries
to try issues before him became few
er rs the days Of his incumbency in
creased; for the innocent he had no
tcrlprs. from the guilty came no re-
proach Of unfairness or injustice. He
left Spartanburg, after a compara-
lively brief term, with the confidence
Of all its good citizens.
In the position Of secretary of the
state executive committee he showed
extraordinary political sagacity and
the chairman of the committee has
continuously borne testimony to his
invaluable old rendered at times when
hard and skillful handling Of delicate
situations were demanded. In smooth
ing rough ways, in preventing threat
cned arrangements among friends
with developing rival aspirations, in
discouraging contests, in distinguish
ing tho shadow from the substance
when the fire Of factional passion
gave flickering evidence Of breaking
into flame, in converting blind preju-
dice into enlightened friendship, he
proved himself, in the highest and
best sense, a politician much beyond
his years.
When assistant attorney general,
which position was rendered to, and
never sought by him, he developed
unsupported legal ability The official
opinions rendered by him, AS assist
ant, fortunately v permanently preserv-
cd among the states records, have
met the concurrence Of the bar Of the
state and are accepted by the officers
of the commonwealth as a safe guide
and rs settling the questions upon
which they were given. The current
supreme court reports bear abundant
evidence Of his energy, research and
ability rs Il lawyer. The lamcntcd
Chief Justice McIvcr, on meeting tho
then attorney general at the door Of
tho supreme court immediately after
an argument by Mr.. Guntcr, said with
much warm sincerity, Mr.. Bcllinger,
| wish to congratulate you and the
state upon your selection Of assistant
attorney general. He shows wonder
ful capacity for discriminating work
and is Il man Of great promise. He
always has the attention OF the court
and we listen to him with great pleas
urc. - Extraordinary tho man to
earn such opinion, happy to win such
praise.
From the time he assumed the du-
ties Of the Office Of attorney general
until disease dragged him from his
desk, he was faithfully, chccrfully, ad-
mirably doing his work and his duty
to the state, growing daily in moral
force and mental strength. His fel-
low-statc officers had implicit conf.
dence in his legal knowledge and in
(that rare quality his intellectual
honesty, aud acted always unhesita.
tinsly upon his advice, however at va:
rance with their preconceived opin-:
ions: 1t is not partiality that prompts
tho statement that in the death of
U. X Gunter, Jr., the state will suf-
for distincEloss. He was ambitious,
but not selfishly SO: for his state his
heart beat with loving pride; in ev-
oiy impulse he was citizen first ana
a partizan only when consistent with
the highest sense Of citizenship with
quiet dignity clothed an umalterable
purpose along right lines. This state
has never had too many such men at
any one time, and there is always q
place waiting for such one. But it
is as very big-hearted, noble man
that "X. Gunter" will be longest re-
mcmbered by his friends among the
men, the women and the children who
loved him and whose hearts are ach-