Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1915-02-05
FRIDAY, S, 1915.

electors of the people, probably by al
many as you received, and l indulge
the presumption that the conduct o.
my office, for the two years in whicf
| have held II, has been Endorsed BY
the majority Of the people of Soutf
Carolina, and that they will hold me
responsible for the proper conduct Of
my office. I am their servant / GER
lainly am not the servant Of the gov
ernor of the state, whoever he may be
For nearly fifty years the assistant
in the office Of the attorney general
one time designated as clerk-now az
assistant attorney general, has beer
considered a personal and confidential
appointment-the attorney general
being entirely responsible for every
thing occurring in his office. The le'
gal, personal and other qualifications
Of such assistant Is a matter entirely
that has heretofore, under all conol-
tons and changes, been considered &c
be the peculiar affair Of the attorney
general in making his selection.
Mr.. Dominick has been my assistant
for nearly the entire period that
have been attorney general. The peo'
pie in electing me, as I have a right te
presume, Endorsed him also as an OF.
fetal in my office and certainly J
neaTQ InTOu6lOu hC ShSiiS
no objection made to him.
You now practically request me to
surrender the right and the duty OF
selecting such assistant, given me by
the general assembly, and to restrict
1t to such person as may be In "Iui
sympathy with my (your) policies.
Admitting for a moment this claim
of yours, no office in any department
judicial. legislative or otherwise. In
whom the legislature have vested the
right of appointment OF assistants
could hold office save by your grace
and by your command. For
the secretary of state, comptroller and
the state treasurer and state I
which could be mentioned.
AS stated above, the express term Oh
the statute provides that / shall rem.
der advice to the different ofhcers OF
the state and take appropriate action
in the premises. / should MOI nave
considered 1t too much OF an en-
~croachment on my rights II. on &C.
count Of personal feelings which you
NAV have towards Mr.. Dominica, you
had requested that all communicatlons
between you and myself should pe
taken up by me individually, and tina,
Mr. Dominick should not be prougn'
into contact with your office, but the
RnI TSllcSllOh oPSA
seems to me, would show you that the
terms of your letter are doing MT
Dominick a personal injury and max
ing yourself the manager of my once
/ do not recall any statute whlcn
fixes a definite period or term OF OF
fee of the assistant, but leaves the
attorney general in position, II there
be proper objection made or II ne
so desires, to ask at any time TOT tne
resignation of his assistant, nor Wouio
I hesitate a moment, II proper charges
were lodged by you or any other OF
ficer that would justify my asking Iol
his resignation, to do so, and nave
some one else appointed. but upon
such a statement-that he Is not III
sympathy with your policies l car
not and will not undertake to act. IL
is too indefinite, too unfair and unJus'
for me to treat any one, let alone q
man who has been faithful In his work
and who, I am glad to say, has me-
with the approval and good opinion
Of the judiciary Of the state n VINO
petent or who would fall below the aV-
erage Of his predecessors.
Besides, the solicitors Of the state
are a part Of my department and ACT
under my instructions, and, l belleve
in some cases under yours directly
They are elected by the people of their
several circuits. l do not say, or un-
dertake to say, that these gentlemen
would not fulfill the duties or thelI
offices and respond to any call tnal
you might make upon them or act IN
full cooperation with me. Inc POM
of your attack, however, seems only
to be directed against an assistant IN
nv Office, who has nc initiative what
ever and who Is solely responsible to
me, whose duties can be circumscrloec
or limited by me or whose enure o.
office can be terminated at any time
by me. I am sure, upon rehectlon
hat you will find no precedent Tor the
demand you make upon me. historical
ly or politically.
With regard to the threat that you
make of bringing the matter TO the
attention Of the legislature-why, YOU
must take whatever course you see nj
about the matter; but l must Suggest
to you that this method of expression
and tone Of communication is MOI
pleasant and is not characteristic Oh
proper official communications.
have endeavored, as stated, to d.
vest myself Of any feeling on this sub.
ject in making reply to you. l still
desire to serve in the best way l car
the people who have done me h hon.
OF 10 eject U1S " Tic OlliSO oh @SeOtNS
general. / shall not at any ones sug-
gestion lay down those duties volun-
tarily, but will endeavor to maintain
the rights of my office and to perform
it's duties.
Please distinctly understand that
am, as such attorney general, ready
to confer with you and to communi-
cate with you upon any question re-
lating to my office and the perform
ance of its duties as the law defines.
have only n request to make Of
you, which l have no doubt you will
gladly grant, should you communicate
with the general assembly upon the
subject matter Of your letter, be KIND
enough to incorporate a copy of your
letter to me and my reply thereto.
am, Very respectfully,
(Signed) Thomas H. Peoples,
Attorney General.
January %.