Abbeville press. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1860-1869, 1869-02-12

the colofed persons specially, wherever
I met them, and endcavored, in simple
language, to en!ighten their under
and convince their judg.
ments, and I never, on any OCCASION,
attempted directly or indirectly, by
word, thought or act, to influence
their votes in any other way. am,
therefore, surprised at the recklessness
of tho charges made in specification
So Of the protest.
9. In answer to the charges con-
timed in specification 81 of tho pro-
test, state that they arc not true, as
therein stated and charged. ] deny
that any combin tion and conspiracy
was ever formed by persons residing
in any part of the State Of South
Carol na. for the purpose of effccting
the objects, or any Of them: as charged.
in the said specification, or for o.ny
other purpose. 1t is true that po'.tica!
organizations of the respective parties
wcre formed. The Rcpublicaa party
was organized into Union or Loyal
Leagues, ard the Demo cratic party
formed, il most parts of the State, Il
counter organization under the name
of Democratic Clubs, and it is these
latter, ] presume, that arc mcdustly
styled combinations and consp!racies
But if so, charge that, if pot in name.
they were in fact just such conspiracics
as were formed by the respective
parties in every State, and perhaps Ill
every county i'll the United States
Their sole Object was to promote, by
all legitimate and proper means. the
3 ,ccess of tn cir parties. admit that
some Of these organizations did pass
resolutions that they would not give
employment to, or Ie"mit to reside on
their lands, pcrs ons who affiliated with
and sustained by their votes the oppo-
sito party. But l deny that any such
organizations. or other persons, ever
resolved or proclaimed, as is charged,
.lat such persons would be driver
with violence from said State, and
prevented from remaining and living
lin tho same" l was never present Il.
any place where any solutions, 70
the effect first named, were passed,
and no such resolve was entered into
by the association at Anderson, OF
which I was member. And I dc y
that any port on Of the people Of the
3rd Congressional District were com
pelled 10 conform to the wishes and
opinions Of the aforesaid organiza,
tions, whether such wishes were ex-
pressed in the form Of resolutions OF
otherwise. I deny that bodies OF
armed men were formed in and
patroIied the 3rd Congressional Dis
trict, OR any part of it, by day or by
night, for any length Of time, for any
of the purposes, or committing any o.
the. outragcs charged in said specifica
ton. I deny that any portion of The
people Of the 3rd Congressional Dis
trict were intimidated and overawed
so that they were prevented iron
voting for tho candidates of thei
choice, and I deny that ten thousand
or any smaller number of electors, VIII
had determined to cast their votes fo
co, t,stant, were prevented from doin!
so by any of the means charged, o
other unlawful means or that an.
voter who was absent from the polls
or failed to vote, if present, for an.
cause, would have voted for contestant
10. IN answer to specification SIS {
said rrotes:, I deny that it is true tha
all or any of the fraudulent and illegs
votes cas-: in said Congressional Di
trict, if any such were cast, were ca:
for me, and charge that all such vote
wero cast for contestant; andI accep
f,r what it is worth, the notice I
contestant that he will demand con
parison of the ballots, registration an
poll-books.
II. In answer to specification 56
tho Protest, state that contestant
either laboring under a very great d
lusion himself, or is trying to decei1
other persons by the statements of tn
specification. charge that contesta1
can go into the counties of Newberr
Abbeville and Anderson for the pu
pose Of taking testimony in this co
test, or for any other lawful purpos
with as much safety as he could {
into any part Of any other State in t!
Union; and his allegation to the co
trary is made, not only to give II
appearance Of sincerity to his nume
GUS unfounded charges against Il
Managers of Elections and people
said counties, but to evade the Act
Congress prescribing the mode
taking testimony in contested ele
tions. .s'
IL. In answer TO the charges &C
49, oxl