The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1868-08-12
The Anderson DELEGATION.

--oS &AhSAOASSA AO4SSC%O4O1As
The following report was submitted
by the Committee on Privileges and
Elections to the House Of Representa-
tives on Tuesday last, in the matter of
tho Anderson delegation. 1t was made
the special order for Thursday
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVE,
Columbia, August 3, 1868.
The Committee on Privileges and Elec-
tions, to whom was referred the protest
of John f. Cochran and N. j. Newell,
for themselves and one James Webb,
citizens of Anderson County, in the
State of South Carolina, contesting tho
seats of John B. Moore, B. Frank Sloan
and John Wilson, sitting members from
said County, beg leave to report that
they have had the same and accompany
ing papers under consideration, together
with mass of written testimony sub
mitted by the contestants, and papers
from military headquarters, Second Mill
tary District, communicated through his
Excelency the Governor.
The protestants claim the seats of the
sitting mem mbers, upon the ground of
fraud, bribery and intimidation Of voters,
by threats of violence and dschargefrom
employment, &C., under the influence of
which numbers Of qualified voters were
kept from the polls, during the election in
said County for State officers and men,.
bers of this General assembly, held on
the l4th, 18th and 10th. days of April,
last, and who, it is alleged, would have
voted for them and under said Influences:
others voted against their desire and in
tention; and the illegal voting of persons
deemed to have been disqualified from
voting at said election, under Acts OF
Congress.
Your committee, after careful investi-
CATION, which was somewhat protracted,
having afforded the contesting parties the
time asked for, in order to collect testi-
mony in their behalf. and after maturely
considering the evidence before them,
being a large number of affidavits submit
ted by both parties, your committee
deeming it unnecessary to send tor per
sons, and hearing counsel on both sides,
have unanimously decided:
lst. That the evidence before them does
not prove that sufficient number Of ille-'-
cal votes were cast at any particular box
or boxes, during said election, for any one:
or more of the persons who are returned
as having received the highest number OF
votes, viz The contestees, John B. Moore,
Is. Frank Sloan, and John Wilson. Ii it
were so, and, after deducting said illegal
votes from the majority candidates, the
contestants were left a greater number OF
legal votes than the contestees, then they
would be entitled to their seats as the le-
eally elected Representatives from saidc
County. This view of your committee is
sustained by decision IN numerous cases.
decided in our own Legislature heretofore
and we think in many States ofthe Union;
indeed, in no other way, and for no other
r asons could party rightfully obtain the
seats of those who were returned AS having
been elected
3D. Your committee have also unani-
mously decided that fraud, bribery and
threats of all kinds were used, both by
employers and other parties, and illegal
conduct of managers, abundant proof OF
which is contained in the papers herewith
returned to the House, to an extent which
satisfies your committee that the full. and
free exercise of the suffrage by a large
portion of qualified electors, during the.
election hereinbefore mentioned, were not
enjoyed.
Your committee being satisfied of this.
beyond the shadow of doubt, and believ-
ING that if these things were not SO; IT the
electors in this County during said election,
in the exercise of right secured to them
bv the supreme law Of the land and of this
State, were untrammeled, the results
would, perhaps, have been other than
that reported; therefore, your committee
recommend the adoption of the following
resolutions:
Resolusd, That the seats of the sitting
members from Anderson County be, and
are hereby, declared vacant
R6solred, That writ Of election issue
for three Representatives for Anderson
County.
Respectfully submitted
A. j. RANSIEIs, Chairman.
No DASGER.-A hard-shell preacher,
worthy man, lately wound up flaming
sermon with magnificent efusion, BY