Cheraw chronicle. [volume] (Cheraw, S.C.) 1896-2005, 1912-08-22
Records Presented by One Who knows
On Breach Between Gov. Blease ana
the Members of the House and Sen
ate-Points Out How Clash with
Chief Executives Started with Message

On February 7th, 1911, after being
in office twenty-one days, Governor
.Blease having become embroiled with
the Supreme Court, because it desig-
mated Duncan. Ray to hold Richland
court, when the Governor wanted his
Nfriend" ]. F. j. Caldwell of Newberry
appointed, sent a message to the leg
islature (page sos of the JournalJ
.saking the legislature to pass on the
question (page sos House Journal.)
He uses this language (page 5lO:) Il
hope that you will refer this matte
Ito the Judiciary Committee of your
respective bodies and that they will
take the matter under consideration
and decide it, not upon what their
political views are toward the Chief
Executive of the State, or what their
personal feelings are toward the Su-
preme Court OF the State, but upon
the law, and give such decision as
the court will sustain Up to that
time there had been no break between
the legislature and the Governor.
Tn House Immediately follwed his
suggestion and Irefered ittotheJudi-
ociary Committee. 1t decided adversely
to the Governors contention. and its
report is found on page 4SO OF the
journal, and is a most courteous and
respectful statement of the law and
was received by the House and print
ed | the Journal. 1t was concurred in
by every member of the committee,
many of whom had bee nsupporters
of the governor during his campaign.
1T was also sustained by the Court,
State v. Davis, SO S. c., 2Q4. So 1t
-conformed to the requirements of the
Governor. 1t was not political or per-
.sonai, but legal and was such that the
Qeg6rts would Sustain. tfepWTras
prepared by a sub committee cHpise-
ing of H. X. Osborne, F. B. Gary and
w. F. Stevenson. Its conclusion also
was adopted by the Senate Committee
lpage 599), ]. R. Earle alone dissent
Ing
On the 18th day of February a in
terview was given out by the Governor
.as follows: 1.-The Judiciary Committee
of the House violated the very section
of the constitution ad statute by haV-
ing on their subcommittee brother
of a justice of the Supreme Court.
The other tow members are kown of
all men to be two of my bitterest enc
mics, and 9f course from them l could
expect nothing.
Report Was Adopted.
The entire committee adopted the
report, and it's members were: T. b.
Frasier, A. Vader Horst, A. G. Brice,
l.. NJ. GasQue, A. c. Tobias, Jr., B. H.
Brown. w. L. Daniel, J. S. Bowman,
Gary, Geo. s. Mower, -. j. Singleton,
]. F. Williams, r. F. Mellow, y. b.
Wingard, H. X. Osborne, p. r. YOU
mans, ]. Z. Davis, w. H. Earle, J. NJ.
Daiel and J. j. Evans, many OF whom
had voted for him, but voted to adopt
the rigLt. This was a reflection on
the integrity of the men OH the sub
committee. and on the whole COM
mittee. to whom he had asked that the
question be submitted. 1t was
charge that they had allowed personal
feeling to decide a legal question, ana
was an insult to the subcommittee;
.ad the interview was signed by him.
Not satisfied with insulting the conf
mittee that had done rs he requested,
decided il according TO law. he sent
= message to the house (page o?o) III
which the following occurs: gentle
men. the report. of pour house Judi
ciarv committee on my message. NO.
II. is not at all surprising. as you Will
note in said message ! said. ! nope
that the committee ould act upon
rhe matter. not according TO their po-
Gtical views toward the Chief EXecu-
tive. or their personal feelings toward
the Supreme Court Now
a.1ornnn am serious about this