The Governor certainly has clear ideas of what ought to be done, and seems determined to have them carried into execution. A fine opportunity was afforded his Excellency to make a political speech and ventilate his views on outrages, "banditti," Sheridan and Grant; but, with commendable good taste, he makes not the slightest allusion to these exciting topics. He addresses himself to the domestic economy of South Carolina, which he knows needs attention, and can furnish sufficient material for the patriotism and mental activity of the Legislature.-Camden Journal.

I think now it is generally conceded that Chamberlain will be a governor of the whole people, as to general justice and right, though he will confine his appointments chiefly to Republicans, where competent ones can be found. I have no objection to this, as it is natural and reasonable. Whenever, however, any unwise law or fraudu lent measure seeks his approval, I think it will receive his official condemnation. His ability enables him to know the right, and his ambition and interest alike, apart from his moral sense of duty, prompt him to carry it out. The wisdom of his last message as to confining appropriations to the sum levied for the purpose, if heeded, will go farther to correct past evils than any thing else. In two years we hope and believe that his administration will be such as to render the white people of the State the strongest supporters of Governor Chamberlain. Our people only want a wise, just, and economical government, and this, I believe, he will endeavor to inaugurate.Cor. of Keowee Courier.

CHAPTER VI

Message Regarding the Appointment of Trial Justices-Trouble in Edgefield County Settled by Disbanding the Colored Militia-Letter to the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Finance Presenting a Scheme for Retrenchment in Appropriations-Veto of an Act Validating Certain Payments by the Treasurer of Edgefield County-The Union Herald and the News and Courier—A Significant Article,

IN

N his Inaugural Address Governor Chamberlain had called the attention of the Legislature to the neglect to make provision for the election by the people, of Justices of the Peace and Constables, as authorized by the Constitution, and had sharply arraigned the evils of the existing system of Trial Justices, declaring that "the incumbents of these offices are to a great extent deficient in the qualities which make a useful magistrate," and pledging himself, while the system continued, "to use the power of appointment in such a way as to give to the people Trial Justices who will know the law, and will use their powers to preserve the rights and protect the interests of all." That the duty would be" onerous and difficult," he expressly recognized; but he added, "I shall endeavor to discharge it without fear or favor." The Legislature paid no heed to his recommendation that the scheme. sanctioned by the Constitution should be put in execution, and it soon became his duty to make certain nominations of Trial Justices. In what spirit he performed this duty and with what spirit he was met, appear in the following official papers :

SENATE CHAMBER, COLUMBIA, January 25, 1875

To the Editor of the Daily Union-Herald:

SIR-I am directed by the Senate to furnish to the press copies of the following communications.

Very respectfully,

J. WOODRUFF,

Clerk of the Senate.

EXECUTIVE CHAMBER, COLUMBIA, January 26, 1875

Hon. R. H. Gleaves, President of the Senate:

SIR-I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your communication of the 25th inst., informing me that the Senate desires the removal of the usual secrecy observed with Executive communications in the case of any Message to the Senate, relative to the appointments of Trial Justices.

I cordially assent to such removal, and I beg leave to add that I have seen with great regret the erroneous statements made respecting this matter, and I feel that the publication of the Message will be the surest mode of doing full justice to the Senate as well as myself.

Nothing is more important to the public interests, or more desired by me, personally and officially, than the preservation of mutual confidence and respect between the Senate and the Executive. I am happy to believe that such are the sentiments of every member of the Senate. Very respectfully,

D. H. CHAMBERLAIN,

Governor.

EXECUTIVE CHAMBER,

COLUMBIA, S. C., January 20, 1875.

To the Senate (in Executive Session) :

GENTLEMEN-I have addressed you a Message in executive session, in order that I may lay before you my views respecting the appointment of Trial Justices.

From all the information within my command, I am fully satisfied that there is no one feature of our administration of the State Government at the present time which demands change and reform more than the Trial Justices. The only reform practicable, so far as I can see, is the removal of unworthy Trial Justices, and the substitution of worthy men in their places. My determination in this respect has been fully announced in public. It is not to consent to the appointment of any man as Trial Justice whom I do not upon my conscience believe to be honest and capable. This I owe to myself, to my office, and to the people.

I am now endeavoring to discharge this duty, and I regret to find that there are, in many instances, irreconcilable differences, as to the proper men to be appointed between the Executive and those who represent the several counties in the General Assembly. I am anxious at all times to agree with those of my own political party in these appointments, but I can never purchase this harmony by disregarding my own judgment, founded upon the best information which I can obtain. I am not tenacious of any selections which I may make, if others equally competent and honest are presented to me, but I feel it due to the Senate and to myself to explicitly say that I cannot be expected to nominate men whom I do not believe to be duly qualified,

even after the rejection by the Senate of those whom I may have first nominated. I think public duty will require me to make only such nominations as commend themselves to my judgment as fit to be made under all possible circumstances.

In regard to political qualifications, I recognize the rule that the dominant party is entitled to the greater part of these appointments; provided always that that party can furnish men well qualified for such offices. I do not think that this rule requires me to refuse to appoint a political opponent as Trial Justice when, upon the whole, I judge that the good order and general welfare of a community will be better promoted by appointing occasionally one of the party now in the minority in this State.

On Saturday last I sent to the Senate a list of nominations as Trial Justices for Aiken County. All but one of those nominations were made upon the recommendation of the delegation from that county. The one exception was a most worthy, liberal-minded, and competent citizen, universally respected in his community, but belonging to the Conservative party. I have been notified of his rejection by the Senate. This I regard as a grave mistake, and a mistake which tends in a large degree to paralyze my efforts to rescue the administration of the law by our Trial Justices from the degradation into which it has fallen. If there were any charges of incompetency, bitterness of political or color prejudices, to be urged against the gentleman referred to, I would not have nominated him, but the only possible ground for his rejection was his political opposition to the dominant party.

I transmit herewith a list of nominations for Trial Justices in Chester County. These nominations are not wholly selected from the Republican party, because I have not been able to find men of that party in all the several localities who have seemed to me to be qualified. I present them to the Senate as the best result of my most careful inquiries, and I trust I shall be pardoned for expressing the hope that none of them will be rejected, except upon the ground that they are not qualified to fill these offices, or that others equally well qualified can be recommended to me in their places.

I am always ready upon suitable grounds to recall any nomination made by me, but I most earnestly urge Senators to consider these nominations from the high plane of the public welfare, and not to reject nominations made of worthy men merely because their political opinions are not in accord with those of a majority of the Senate, especially when their places cannot be supplied by equally competent men from the dominant political party. Very respectfully, D. H. CHAMBERLAIN,

Governor.

Just at this time occurred an outbreak of race antagonism in Edgefield County of the kind that had been frequent hitherto. Commonly they had been suppressed by assuming that the

colored people were being wickedly persecuted without cause, and calling upon the National Executive for troops to put down "domestic insurrection." The State militia, an irresponsible and undisciplined force, organized by Governor Scott more as a partisan weapon than a means of preserving the peace of the State, was under arms in the county, and already one or two lives had been lost in collisions between the militia and the white citizens, who, on their part, were organizing rifle clubs. The situation was serious. Governor Chamberlain resolved to deal with this trouble regardless of parties or races, and by estab lishing justice to restore peace and security, if possible, without an appeal to the President. To that end he took immediate steps to ascertain the real occasion of the trouble. He sent Judge Thomas J. Mackay, an able white Republican and a native of the State, to Edgefield County to make an investigation. Judge Mackay reported that the county authorities had been guilty of gross abuses and exactions which the people resisted, and, further, that the difficulties were aggravated by the lawless behavior of the colored militia, the officers being in the habit of calling out their men under arms to enforce arbitrary proceedings of petty officials and even to settle personal difficulties. He recommended that the militia be disarmed. Whereupon the Governor issued the following proclamation.

STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA,
EXECUTIVE CHAMBER.

Whereas, information has reached me that grave disorders exist in the County of Edgefield, rendering insecure the lives and property of its citizens, and threatening still further to disturb the public peace of said county; and whereas, it appears that the arms of the State are now in the hands of the individual members of the State militia in said county, without authority of law or the orders of the Commanderin-Chief, and are used in a manner not consistent with the proper maintenance of the public peace; and whereas, it appears that other armed military organizations exist in said county, not authorized by the general militia law of the State, nor sanctioned by the Commander-inChief, which said military organizations are alleged to be an obstacle at the present time to the restoration of good order in said county; and whereas, it is further alleged that the said county is suffering from incompetent and dishonest county officials :

Now, therefore, I, Daniel H. Chamberlain, as Governor of the State