The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson, S.C.) 1914-1917, 1915-02-05

the duties devolved upon me. with you
In any matter becoming our duty to
discuss or to take action upon.
BY the constitution OF this State,
Article Nv. Section "a. 1t is declared
that there shall be elected by the
qualified voters of the State .
an Attorney General (and other off,
GERS therein mentioned) .
who shall hold their respective Offices
for a term Of years and until their
several successors have been chosen
and qualified; and whose duties and
colnpensations shall be prescribed by
law"
1t is again. by Article V, Section IS,
declared: There shall he all Attorney
General fOr the State, who shall per-
form such duties as may be prescribed
by law. He shall be elected by the
qualified electors of the State for the
term OF two years, and shall receive
for. his services such compensation as
shall be fixed by law"
By the Code of the Laws of 1912.
Vol. l. Section 71O, the Legislature,
In pursuance Of the terms OF the Con-
stitut:on, enacted: "Thc Attorney
General shall receive a salary at the
rate of nineteen hundred dollars per
annum and the Assistant ATTORNEY
General. who shall be appointed by
the Attorney General, shall receive q
salary OF thirteen hundred and fifty
dollars per annum." (since Increased
The powers and duties Of the At
torney General are further provided
for IN subsequent sections, to which
reference is asked to enable you to
have a clear comprehension of the
powers, duties and limitations of the
office now hold and especial attcn
ton is invited to Section TIT: "He
(Attorney GeneraD shall, when re-
quircd by the Secretary of State,
Treasurer. Adjutant and Inspector
General, Comptroller General, Rail-
road Commissioner, or other State Of
nicer, consult and advise with them,
respectively, on questions OF law, re-
lating to their official business"
:. An examination of all of the Statu-
tes and law relating to my office will
show, (aside from the duties devolyed
upon the Attorney General a, ex.of-
nciO member Of certain boards. which
he can exercise not by assistants but
personality that 1t was never in con-
temptation nor within the purview of
the Constitution or of any of the Acts
OF the General Assembly to make the
office of Attorney General as legal ad
visor OF the different departments, a
political one in the sense OF having the
opinions, which 1t 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 legal opinion. It would be clear.
ly IN anominaly OF law and good sense
TO attempt to bias or prejudice the
view of the law in It's construction
or the statute by the attorney general
because OF the political party or party
faction to which the Governor or any
officer of the State IflRy for the time
being belong. must, therefore, insist.
and as long as am Attorney General
Will insist. ,,upon giving my opinions
as to what ], ,,conceiverto be the law.
whether 1t H.. In sympathy with this,
that or any other party or partisan. I
would be unworthy OF the position
sud 50 won;i cny other men, who
considers himself In the position of
having 10 render, opinions and advice
to officers OF the State except as he
conscientiously believes the law to
be. irrespective OF ali political poll
cies 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
flee OF Governor upon a platform In
opposition to the policies which have
prevailed in the Office OF Governor for
the last four years. This was q matter
OF which I had no concern and have
nevdr entertained any. TIL. advice
given from this office, whether by
myself or assistant, bears no color OF
faction or of party. My personal pref
erences, as to who should hold office
In South Carolina, has never influen-
ced or swayed the construction of any
Statute. or constitutional provision
which has been submitted to me, nor
has the prescribed duties made by
Statute been view by me. when asked
&C to their meaning and as to what ac-
tion should he taken under the, even
been rendered in view OF any policy
which was thought best by the Exc
cutive Officer.
II Is further known to me that your
views, or at least your expressions,
have been in accord with your prede-
cessor's In office, to whom you allude,
and that your election may be con-
struedyas an endorsement OF this by
the majority OF the people voting at
the primaries. and that you will bs
held responsible Tor 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 proper
iy indulge in THE idea. must call
your attention to. the fact. that, hav-
Ing served two years as Attorney
General. that /, was elcted to my Of
fce BY Q majority of the votes of the
quallaed electors Of the people, prob
ally By as many as you received. and
I Indulge the presumption that the
conduct Of my office. for the two years
In, which. have held It, has been en-
dorsed by; the majority of the peo-