The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1868-07-20

one Of the parties himself now contending for
| their SEATS. Will the House admit such at1da-
Wits, taken before man who is neither nota-
ny public nor magistrate, and who holds no
commission under State or military authority
which authorizes him to administer an oath?
Such was the character of the testimony taken
before General Candy. and if such ls to be re-
| lied upon in the present trial, l protest
against it. Thai afidayits are contrary to law
unless they are introduced with the
consent OF both parties, and taken pe1ore
proper authority, refer the curious 10 sucn
| matters to legal work entitled Phillips on
Evidence.
Mr.. 8 eaker, protest against the protest Of
| these parties, and declare it to be untrue from
beginning to end, as will show to the salts
| faction Of every member of the House, WhateT-
er may be the result OF these proceedings. 1t
undersigned was eighty, and your petitioners
charge that maud and illegahty was practced
| by the managers in this; that the written votes
were taken out and printed votes substituted
the next day. Il is not known what number
| we're changed; but at least two votes were lost
the poll list" This is the certificate OF the
managers at Calhoun. Isit notmonstrous that
o man should come before the Legislature with
! an affidavit swearing to fact which occurred
| at Greenwood, when he was twenty-five miles
away2. 1t goes to support the assertion have
made, that these aft ilayits we're taken upon
the grounds Of heaIsay. Phi5 manager was
| tion nor member thereof. Therefore 1t was
not his duty to count the votes at Greenwood.
| The managers Of sthat box, however, had
1 right to do 80, and they solemnly swear that the
account was correct, and so reported 1t to
General Candy, by whose order we are entltled
to our seats. To receive these, ex pafSe a1l-
! daYits, therefore, would be to charge perjury
upon these managers of election. 1t ls FUR
ther alleged in the protest that many had been
| registered in Anderson County who, according
to the Reconstruction acts Of Congress-, are dis
| franchised. Now, sir. it is undertaken not only
register in Anderson District, but one hun,
dred and sixty-three citizens OF character ana
responsibility. Are you ready? Can you lend
yourselves TO the perpetration OF this enor-
nifty? Justice forbids It, There is no law,
human or divine, which will enable you TO
stigmatizes and render infamous one hundrea
and sixty-three Of the best citizens or Anderson
District. You cannot-you dare not do it, un-
less you dare do anything. -,
A voce-Sotto ooce. Well, dam you, we'll
show you mighty soon.
Mr., Speaker, I here assert that if these ah-
dayits are Withdrawn, it will bo the last you
aill hear of this protest. They will not put
witnesses upon the stand and submit them to
ON ordinary examination. 1t ID for this reason
that ask, in justice to myself and colleagues,
that We may have permission to examine per-
sons and papers. l am aware OF the expense
to the state Of such proceeding, and as one
Of the tax.pa ers, would be willing to leave
this matter in the hands of q commission, or OF
the Committee on Privileges and Elections IT
self, If they will go to Anderson and take eyi-
dence. Fully Ave hundred citizens must be
sworn in order to reach the ends Of Justice III
this matter, and would Like the committee, to
see in person the character aud caste of Sne
witnesses who wauld be introduced in our fayor
to testify to the truth.
AS to the affidlvits We have not seen them,
but we claim copy Of each Que, and must
have q copy II thus House proposes to 90 us
justice.
Mr.. Speaker, have covered the ground of
this case, and do not propose to say another
word on this subject. We ask no favor. we
will accept none. We simply demand justice.
We are becoming nh expensive delegation TO
dred doll RS to discuss this question, ana We
desire that the matter shall be decided one
way orthe other speedily.
MIR. Joseph Crews, of Laurens, in anewer to
the foregoing speech, said it was evident this
matter could only be settleI by afidavlts. The
State could not adorlto summon. rs WIT
ness, ev.ry man in Anderson District. For
ole, he felt confident, knowing that there were
many men registered who ought mol to be
registered, that the geptlomen co1,,ending for
these seats could produce enough evidence to
show that one hundred and sixty persons
voted for the gentlemen upon the hoor who
we're not entitled to vote. de referred to on
instance in his own district whero man voted
who had been corouer for sixteen or twenty
years. Many Of The registers had beon guilty
Of the basest frauds in the last elections. and
hundreds had been kept away from the polls
because intim dated by threats.
The Speaker. The gentleman will confne
himself to the subject.
A voice in the rear-Joe, why don't you tell
the truth2
MIR. Crews continuing, said that. no
person proposed to take their seats frora these
gentlemen illegally, but he had no doubt that
the present occupants had received large
number OF illegal votes, and if so, they ought
to be turned out.
Mr. Moore inquired state why you
declare these votes to b. illegal.
Mr. Crews. / get it from hearsay and from
what have seen on paper. know thero has
been close contest in Ander on, and 1t world
not have been half as close if justice had been
done. I THINK We can producs afidayits to
satisfy tho House that these gross frauds
were perpetrated.
Mr. Hyde, of Greenville, DeLarge (colored)
and Ransier (colored) continued tho discus
sion, oil opposing the reception OF oral eV1-
dence and using similar arguments with REFER
6uC6 u S4pou6o, buS vi "nN
the uncertainty Of evidence taken by COM
mission sent to Anderson. In concluding his
remarks A. j. Ransier submitted the following:
Ordered, That the Committee on Privileges
and Elections be aud are hereby instructed to
proceed with the tr1al Of the Anderson contest
ed election case, in such manner as is most ex-
pedient in justice to all the pnr les contestant,
and with an eye to the best interests OF the
State-determlning for themselves ell ques.
tions that may be raised by eithor party in the !
OF the trial, subject to the ultimate |
decision OF the Ho1se when the case is re-
ported"
w. J. Whlpper moved to amend by adding |
the words "and that the said committee be in- |
structed to decide the case on the afidaylts |
The amendment was agreed to, and the order |
then adopted.
On motion OF R. O.. De Large, Rev. e. P.
Adams (colored) was authorized to use the /
hall of the House OH Sunday morning for rei-
gious services.
The Speaker gave notice that members were
invited tn attend.
w. J. Whipper presented the petition Of |
John F. PJrteus, praying for the removal OF
his political disabilities. Referred to the Com
mittee on Petitions.
The next special order boing tho joint resolu-
ton Of the Senate appointing j. ". Denny
State Printer,
r. o. Del iarge moved that it be adopted.
nir. Ferriter, from Sumter, inquired whether
other estimates mad not been submitted which |
were much lowerp II 80, the work shou d un-
do;btediy be assigned accordingly. Further,
what guarantees wero given about the estab-
liShmeut of daily paper aS the organ OF the |