The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1869-02-04
ANDERSON, S. c., January 2lst, 1869.

The undersigned, member elect, at the
election held on the third clay OF November
A. y. 1868, from the 3rd Congressional
District of South Carolina to the Forty.
First Congress of the United States OF
America, respectfully submits to the
House of Rep, esentatives the following
4. answer to the very extraordinary. paper
purporting to be u protest OF his s'ia e'ec-
ton, which has been served on HIM oy
Solomon L. Hogc, his competitor, viz:
/. Iadmit that the charges made against
me in the specifications l, 2. 3, 4, ., ., Z,
8 and OF said protest, with the excep-
tion of the latter clause of specification 8,
are substantially true. L was memocf
OF the Legislature of South Carolina IN
1888 and 1889, and again in ie4o, 1917
and. 1850. i WAS elected Solicitor OF the
Western Circuit of South Carolina ny the
Legislature ON or about the eth day OF
December, 1850, and reelected at the END
of every four years up to and inclusive OF
December, 1866, aud continued to dis
charge the duties OF said Office, without
intesmssion, up to the 18th OF December
last, 1868. At my several elections as
member of The Legislature, and at my
election as Solicitor in 1851, 1904 and
1858, | took an oath to support the Con-
st,tntion of the United States OF America,
and of the State OF South Carolina. AT
my reelection as Solicitor in December,
1862, did take an oath to support The
Constitution OF what was then known as
the Confederate States of America, and OF
2he State of South Carolina; and at my
ne election TO the same Office in Deccm-
ber. 1866. again took an oath to support
the Constitution of the United States, and
OF my own Slate-having previously, IN
1855, took the oath OF allegiance and am
nesty rendered to the people OF tho South
by the President, regarding 1t, whether
enormously or not, alike the duty and M
tcrest of every citizen to yield true faith
aud allegiance to the government to
which he is subjected, and TO which alone
he can luok for protection for the time
being also admit that WAS q mt mber
of the Secession Convention OF tins State
in 1860, and voted tor and advocated the
measures of said Convention. But af'
firm that my political predictions have
always been cmincnlly conservative. L
WAS an ardent friend of the American
Union under the Consultation, and acccp-
ted the policy OF secession with great re-
lnctancc, after almost every other citizen
OF the State had given in his adhesion to
the measure. aud being Onco in, sap
ported the issues involved with all tue ell
lhnsiasm OF my nature, and during the
greatly TO be regretted aud TO mo uneX-
pectcd war chat ensued, gave I'LL the sym
lathy. aid and encouragement in my pow
cr short of actually bearing arms, which
as Il civilian, and 0n account OF any aye
and habits of-ite, [ never did to the Con-
tede,ate cause, admit that was incli-
gible 10 office, State or Federal under the
l4th amendment of the Constitution Of
the United States at the date OF my cleo
tion TO Congress; thai my political dlsa-
biIities have not yet been removed oy
Congress, and that portion OF the clcc-
tors of the Congressional District doubt
less knew, when they cast their votes for
me, that was at the time ineligible. But
i affirm that almost the entire adult white
male population of the Congressional Dis
trict concurred IN the opinion, that as our
population had acquiesced in the situation
peaceably, loyally and in good faith, and
the State had been restored to the Union
under the Congressional plan of recon
s1ruction, with it's entire adult male pop
uIation, without regard 10 race, color or
former condition, admitted to the ballot
box, that the disabilities Of the person
elected to represent them in Congress
would be removed, and that he would be
permitted 10 take his scat, aud respect
fully suggest that such will be the action
ot the American Congress. But it is not
true, as D. charged in the latter clause OF
the Slh specification, that am still "op-
posed to tho United States government,
and to tho reconstruction acts Of Con
gress." in the sense in which the charge is
made. affirm that my allegiance to the
United States government has long since
been restored with perfect fidelity, and
that am ardently attached to the entity
and perpetui;y of that government under
The Constitution and laws made in accor-
dance Herewith. admit that was op.
posed, i'm principle, to the reconstruction
acts of Congress, regarding them from
my standpoint Us harsh and unnecessary
measures, but accepted them az tnali-
ty on the subject of reconstruction, until
changed by the peaceablc instrumental
ties of the balot-box or the courts, and
was in favor of our people uniting in an
effort, in accordance with their require
ments, to restore our State to its status in
the Union at the earliest practicable mo-
ment. And l now regard the purposes
of their enactment as fully accomplished,
50 far as the State of South Carolina is
concerned, and that the Constitution and
laws of the State, framed and enacted un-
der the authority given by them, are tho
Constitution aud laws, until altered or
amended according to the forms OF law !;
and such have been my publicly expressed