The Newberry herald. [volume] (Newberry, S.C.) 1865-1884, 1869-03-17
IFron the Charleston News.
.sAEWilling Witness.

- JFrcrn the Charleston News.
~ AEWilling Witness.
The LIBEL OF THE GOVERNOR OF
!, SOUTH CAROLINA UPON THE PEo.
.tpLE OF SogTH CERoLINA.
we. make some extracts from
the sworn testimony of Governor
.ScottIin the Third Congressional
District contested, election case
in reply to a question by S. J.
Hoge, Governor Scott says:
I am Governor R. e. Scott, Gov
ernor of the State-was so in July,
August, September, October and
November, 1S68-inaugurated 9th
July, 1863, and have been Cover
nor up to the present time. Du-
ring that time the political con.
dition of Newberry, Abbeville.
Anderson and Edgefeld was one
of great excitement. The laws
could not be enforced, and were
not enforced in these counties
The obstruction of law came from
the fact that political organiza-
tions set at defiance the officers. OF
the; law. The organizations were
the Republican and the Democrat
ie parties. The Democratic Or
eanization was arrayed against
She law. Ireceived the, informa-
ton as Governor that the Demo
cratic party was organized for the
purpose of preventing the officers
SgSAelaw from enforcing the law
against any of their partizans, and
for the purpose of controlling the
elections to take place on the Sd
efGN Nopember, in the interest Of
tbattparty alone. These political
organizations armed themselves
in order te carry out the objects
and purposes of their organization.
I was informed by men who
claimed to beloug to Democratic
clabs fhaS they were providing
themselves with sixteen shooters
and Winchester rifles, with the de-
clared purpose of first controlling
the election by keeping the ne
groes away from the polls and if
resistance was made they would
shoot the negroes down, and there
by prevent the more timid from
attending at all. they did with
rny knowledge bring into the State
the Winchester rifles in accordance
with, these declarations. There
wassno election for Congress in
Rdgs6efd; County, Third Congress
io1I District. The reason why
is this: The law made it my duty
50 appoint three commissioners Of
election in each county; two OF
these 8 FIRST appointed were white
men and one s colored man, of
that county. The white men OBJ
.iecteds TO serve because that par
tiealar colored man was a mem Der
osths board: [ accordingly ap-
pointed three other commissioners,
one, of whom was a Mr.. Root, a
member of the present House of
Renresentati7es. He replied to
me that it was impossible for the
hoard TO serve because il required
all of his time to save his life.
That he had been shot at twice in
his own residence, had escaped
from his housea under cover OF
darknsss, and was then writing to
me frem his, place of coneealment
in the swamp. 1t was too late
then to appoint any ether COM
missiouers Of election, as the law
reauiredsa notieeaoa twenty days
before an nelection could be held
The general condi itien iof political
affairs in that county, as far as the
Republican, party is, concerned, ,7aS
regards thsir safety, Fl can sonly
stats MY opinion, based upon re
ports Of : citizens living in The
county. Mr.- Pope objected to
the opinion based upon such IN,
formation.) 1 think there was
scarcely a mail receiyedin the Ex'
ecutive Department during the
months of September, October and
November, 1868, that I3did not
get one aor more letters, reporting
the murder Of citizens Of the coun'
ty, and claimed in. these letters te
be murdered in consequence io1
their political opinion, or other
outrsges committed on them, and
begging Of me to send q military
forcsito the county to give pro.
lection against, lawless men
Qa-What was the condition in
AbbevHle as to outrages also, ot
NsWberry b.. ~. -~
A.-The same, as in Edgeield
In,aAbbeville county / have re
ports on file of nineteen murders
Those murders were also commit
ted before the November elections
judging from: the former election
IN Enril and, making due allow