The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1869-03-13
Governor scott,s Testimony.

should be the "Queen of the Antilles"
Governor scott's Testimony.
We make some extracts from the sworn
testimony of Governor Scott in the Third
Congressional District contested election
case.
In reply to question by S. L. Hoge, Go
vernon Scott says:
am Governor r. X. Scott, Governor of
the State-was so in July, August, Septem-
Der, October and November, 1s6s-inaugu-
rated 9th July, 1868, and have been Go
vernon. up to the present time During
that time the political condition of New
berry, Abbeville, Anderson and Edgefeld
was one of great excitement. The laws
could not be enforced, and were not en-
forced in these Counties. The obstruction
OF law came from the fact that political or
CARNATIONS set at defiance the officers of
the law. The organizations were the Re-
publican and Democratic parties. The De-
mocratic organization was arrayed against
the law. received information as Go.
vernon that the Democratic party was or
ganlzed for the purpose of preventing the
officers of the law flom enforcing the law
against any of their partisans, and for the
purpose of controlling the elections to take
place on the Sd November, in the interest
CARNATIONS armed themselves in order to
carry, out the objects and purposes of their
organization. was informed by men who
claimed to belong to Democratic clubs that
they were providing themselves with six
teen-shooters and Winchester rifles. with
the declared purpose of first controlling the
election by keeping the negroes away from
the polls, and il resistance was mnde thew
would shoot the negroes down, and thereby
"a roNr
all. They did, with my knowledge, bring
into the State the Winchester rifles in &C.
cordance with these declarations. There
was no election for Congress in Edeetield
Comfy, Third Congressional District. The
reason why is this: The law made it nv
duty to appoint three Commissioners of
Election IN each County; two of these I
hrst appointed were white men and one
coiored man, OF that County. The white
lar colored man was a member of the board.
accordingly appointed three other Com
mlssloners one of whom was Mr.. Root. q
member of the present House of Repre-
sentahves. He replied to me that it was
impossible Tor the board to serve. because
IL required all OF his time to save his life.
Ihat he had been shot at twice in his own
residence, had escaped from his house un-
der cover Of darkness, and was then writino
to me from his place of concealment in the
swamp: 1t was too late then to appoint
any other Commissioners of Election. rs
the law required notice of twenty davs
before an election could be held. The
general condition of political affairs in that
County, as far as the Republican party was
concerned, as regards their safety, / can
only state my opinion, based upon reports
OF cltizens living in the County. (NIr.
Pope objected to the opinion based upon
such informntion.) L think there was scarce
~ mail received in the Executive Depart
ment, during the months of September.
october and November, 1868, that did
not get one or more letters, reporting the
murder of citizens of the County, and
claimed in these letters to be murdered in
consequence Of their political opinion, or
pther outrages committed on them. and
negglng OF me to send military force to
less men. 'e"A'' '""
Q.-What was the condition in Abbcville
as TO ontrages? also, of Newberry?
IA A.~Ihe same as in Edgefield. In Able
vile County have reports on file of nine.
teen murders Those murders were also
committed before the November eIact;ons
Judging from the former election in Anr;I
and making due allowances for natural
changes and influences that might Ieo;ti.
mately have been brought to bear and lido
ing, furthermore, by the statements Of mon