The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1911-08-17

''Some time since you were COM
missioned a notary public by me-
under the constitution and law lat
the pleasure of the governor.)
"Your commission is hereby re-
voked and any further act perform
ed by you as such official is illegal
and IN violation of the law
This was the answer made by Cole
L. Blease, governor of South Caro-
lima. in letters written James M.
Alexander, J. H. Merritt and John
A. Horton, notaries public, to affl-
davits taken as to the governors con-
duct at Belton last week. Letters
were sent the secretary of State and
clerk of court of Anderson county
notifying these officials of the remov-
al of Messrs. Alexander, Merritt and
Horton.
Under the law the governor has
the right to remove at pleasure
notary public.
Statement by Governor.
Gov. Blease was asked what had
moved him to revoke these commls-
sions. He said he had not intended
to volunteer any statement, but in
anticipation of such an inquiry had
dictated to his stenographer an ex-
preston on the subject, and had the
copies before him. He said he wished
it understood that his language ap-
piled only to the seditors of the
newspapers that have taken part IN
this business
The statement is as follows:
sI have no further comment TO
make on the Belton matter at this
time. What I stated in my letter to
Mr.. Harris is absolutely correct.
was perfectly sober; was feeling
good; had just left crowd OF my
friends; was on my way home in the
best of spirits and remember very
distinctly what took place. ANY
man or woman who lives in South
Carolina who does not know tnat
am governor is indeed in the lowest
mire of ignorance; hence, when 1
sav TO any one that I am Cole l..
Blease.' it is absolutely useless 10
add that I am governor of South
Carolina, and I did not say 50 Oh
that occasion, if my enemies do swear
to it.
"1 have cancelled the commissions
of the three notaries public taxing
mart in this dirty transaction and
some other people will hear from 1t
later. Every one who has known
me- from my childhood up, both men
and women, will certify to the fact
that I have at all times and on all
occasions been polite and courteous
to everybody, and particularly so 10
ladies; and this is the first time IN
all nv life that I have ever been
charged or accused of showing the
slightest disrespect to any lady, and
am satisfied that my friends do not
believe that was disrespectful on
this occasion. My enemies, OF
course, will say they believe it, even
if they don't, and the liars who are
editing the newspapers OF South
Carolina will endeavor to use it to
injure me, because they will go to
any depth in the filthy bog holes OF
yituperation and abuse to do me
harm. However, the people know
me and I am governor; the pimps
and skunks who use the pens for
newspapers to the contrary notwith-
standing, and I'll be reelected in
spite of their lies. Watch me-"
How They Received the News.
Anderson, Aug. 10. H. Merritt,
superintendent of the Pelzer Manu-
featuring company's mills, Nos. 1, 2
and 3, at Pelzer, said over the tele-
phone tonight that he received the
following letter from GOV. Blease
this afternoon:
stsome time since you were COM
missioned a notary public by me un-
der the constitution and laws and
during the pleasure of the governor.
Your commission is hereby revoked
and any further act on your part as
such an officer will be illegal and in
violation of the law. I have furn-
ished a copy of this letter to the Sec
retary of state and have notified the
clerk of court to cancel your COM
mission"
Had Nothing to Do With 1t.
Mr.. Merritt said that he had moth
ing whatever to do with the incident
at Bolton, that he was not in Bolton
at the time. His connection was
&ho oHdorif nf M