Edmund William McGregor Mackey was the most active native South Carolinian Young Republican in history to serve in public office for our state. Because of his youth and the fact he continually was seeking election to public office, he was often regarded as a scalawag, but he was determined to advance the Republican Party's position within the Palmetto State. He served as delegate to the 1868 South Carolina Constitutional Convention, Sheriff of Charleston County, Alderman (City Council Member) of the City of Charleston, member and Speaker of the State House of Representatives, delegate to the Republican National Convention, member of US Congress representing SC-2 and SC-7, and Chairman of the South Carolina Republican Party from 1880 until his death in 1884 at the age of 37.