The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1915-02-10

and Inspector general, COMPTROLLER
general, railroad commissioner or
other state officer, consult and advise
with them. respectively. on questions
of law relating to their official busi-
ness
An examination of all of the statutes
and law relating to nv office will
show (aside from the duties devolved
upon the attorney general as ex-
ofhcio member of certain boards,
which he can exercise not by assist
ants but personality that 1t was
never in contemplation nor within
the purview of the constitution or OF
any OF the acts of the general assem-
Oily to make the office of attorney
general as legal adviser of the differ
ent departments political one in the
sense OF having the opinions which it
is the duty Of the attorney general to
render, biased by what you may term,
or have termed. your policies" or
that OF any officer of the State to
whom it is my duty to give a legal
opinion. 1t would be clearly an
anomaly of law and good sense to
attempt to bias or prejudice the view
OF the law in its construction of the
statutes by the attorney general be-
cause Of the political party or party
faction to which the governor or any
officer of the State may for the time
being belong. 1 must. therefore, in
sist. and as long as am attorney GEN
eral will insist, upon giving my opin-
ions as to what i conceive to be the
law. whether 1t is sympathetic with
this, that or any other party or par
tisan. / would be unworthy of the
position, and so would any other man,
who considers himself in the position
or having to render opinions and ad-
vice to officers Of the State except as
he conscientiously believes the law to
be, irrespective of all political policies
or other views.
]
! 1t Is quite true that you have taken
occasion TO state to me, heretofore.
that you had been elected to the Of
nee OF governor upon a platform in
opposition to the policies which have
prevailed in the Office of governor for
the last four year. This was a matter
OF which 1 had no concern and have
never entertained any. The advice
given from this office. whether by my
self or assistant. bears no color of fac
ton or OF party. My personal prefer
ence as to who should hold office in
south Carolina has never influenced
or swayed the construction of any
statute or constitutional provision
which has been submitted to me. nor
have the prescribed duties made by
statute been viewed by me. when
asked as TO their meaning, and as TO
what action should be taken under
them ever been rendered in view of
any policy which was thought best by
the executive officer.
1t is further known to me that your
views, OF at least your expressions,
have not been in accord with your
predecessor in office. To whom you
allude, and that your election may
be construed as an Endorsement of
this by the majority Of the people
voting at the primaries, and that YOU
will be held responsible for CARRYING
out such views, whatever they may
be. do not profess to have made
any careful study OF your platform
or of your speeches. While you may
thus properly indulge i'm the idea,
must call to your attention the fact
that, having served two years as at
torney general, that / was elected to
my office by majority of the votes
of the qualified electors OF the peo-
pie. probably by as many as you re-
ceived and | indulge the presump-
ton that the conduct of my office.
for the two years in which / have
held ii. has been indorsed by the
majority of the people of South Car
olina, and that they will hold me re-
sponsible for the proper conduct of
my office. 1 am their servant. / GER
tainly am not the servant OF the gov
ernor OF the state, whoever he may
/ be.
| For nearly so years the assistant
In the office Of the attorney general
one time designated as clerk--now
as assistant attorney general has
been considered personal and conf
dental appointment-the attorney
general being entirely responsible for
everything occurring i'm his office
The legal personal and other qualifi-
cations of such assistant is matter
entirely that has heretofore. under