The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1868-11-30
CHI A RI E S TON
MONDAY MORNING, NOVEMBER 80, 1868
The Protested Election.

During the progress of the investigation
by the Board of Aldermen. of this city Of
the manner in which the late Municipal
election was conducted, We refrained from
making any comments, either upon the
statements of the witnesses or the argu-
ments of counsel. The published proceed
ings kept the public informed of what was
being done, and it was best that no werd of
condemnation or approval should beuttered
by the press while the case was incomplete
and the result yet undetermined. Now,
however, the long trial has been brought to
close, and we may with propriety rehearse
the causes of the protest and the means by
which it was sustained.
At the time of holding the Municipal
election of November 10, party feeling un-
doubtedly ran high. The friends of the
rival candidates left no stone unturned in
their endeavor to gain the day, and when
the votes were counted the chagrin Of the
one party at being beaten by handful of
votes was equalled by the disappointment
of the other at having been successful by
so trifing o majority. Chagrin and disap-
pointmcnt were useless; but there were
many circumstances connected with the pre-
liminary registration Of voters, as we'll as
with the actual voting, which caused it to
be doubted, by both winners and losers,
whether there had really been regular
and lawful election. These things were
promptly inquired into, the result being the
presentation of protest against the elec-
tion as illegal, irregular and void. This
protest was signed by some fifteen hundred
substantial citizens, who were anxious, not
to secure the election of any man or set of
men. but to vindicate that law of the land
which they firmly believed to have been
grossly, if innocently, violated. 1t was not
a movement in favor of Democrat or Re-
publican; it was the performance of a solemn
public duty.
The machinery provided by the very law
was set in motion. The members of the
City Council were called together, and de-
termined, as the Acting Board Of Alder
men, to proceed OF once, according to law,
with the examination Of the testimony relied
on for the proof Of the grave charges which
had been laid before them. And is properto
remark here that, under the circumstances
no less Objectionable tribunal than the
present Board of Aldermen could have been
selected to decide d case 80 peculiar in
itself, and which was Of so supreme on i'm
portance to every respectable citizen.
The Board of Aldermen, or City Council,
hold Office by authority of an order issued
by General Candy when in command of this
State. Only three members of the old
board, who had been elected by the people,
were retained, the whole of the others, as
we'll as the Mayor, being appointed by Gen
eral Candy. Six colored Aldermen were
appointed, and in the whole Council of
eighteen members, there were but three
Democrats At the time of their appoint
ment, they had no power under existing
laws to act as judges Of contested elections.
This power was entrusted to them by the
oct of 1868, under which the elections of
November 10 were held, and it may be
fairly assumed that it would not have been
conferred upon the Board had not the Leg
islature been confident that they were free
from party animosity and from any undue
sympathy with the Democracy OF the city.
They had no personal interest in the result,
for their places were not places of profit or
emolument, and it was thought that they
would act with fairness and render an i'm
partial decision. The Republicans did not
dream of objecting to the protest beipg
judged by the Board of Aldermen; and the
Democrats, while they expected no favors,
had faith that justice would be done. Able
counsel were not wanting to present and
argue the case on behalf of the protestants,
aud the claimants-those who claimed that
they had been duly and legally elected
were represented by the Attorney General
of the State, the United States District At
torney, and the member of Congress from
this district
The Board Of Aldermen, being properly
organized, began the hearing of the case,
and met day by day, until al the facts
touching the alleged irregulariiy aud ille-
gality of the election had been brought 10
their atte.t;3h. Il was not attempted 10
show that this man or that had been or had
not been elected. Every argument aud
every word of evidence was directed to
proving that no one had been elected, be-
cause the whole election was unlawful and
void.
The Board heard patiently and consid.