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

made and done by ana with your lmy)
consent and knowledge" as is falsel
charged in the 2lst specification Of the
protest. But if acts OF violence were
committed in said county OF Abbeville,
they were committed by some reckless
and lawlcss individual or individuals, OF
their own malice and on their own re-
sponsibiity, against the persons OF other
individuals, for which neither the party
who sustained me in my election nor the
great mass Of the people of Abbeville
county aie in any way responsible. And
l deny that the said thirty-four hundred
voters, or any of them, were kept from
the polls by intimidation, or that there
was any reasonable excuse or sufficient
cause for such intimidation if it existed,
as was demonstrated by the result OF the
election at the several precincts on cleo,
tion day. And l am further informed,
believe and charge that the voters who
abscnted themselves from the polls on
election day did SO either Of their own
accord or under the effect Of influences
addressed to their understandings. such
as are resorted to in popular political
elections everywhere, and deny the suf-
ficiency of the evidence upon which it is
affirmed that the said voters, or any ef
them, would have voted for my compet.
tor, the contestant, if they bad gone to
the polls. 1t is not true, as am Informed,
believe and charge, that fifteen hundred
persons. non-residcnts, or any number
approximating fifteen hundred, came int"
tile county Of. Abbeville Oh election day.
mounted, and armed with deadly wcap-
ons. in the sense in which it is charged in
specifications % and % of the protest
1t is admitted that u number of citizens,
both white and colored, legal voters of
Edgefcd county, one of the counties OF
the 3rd Congressional District, in which
no election was held, came to the election
precincts in Abbevile county, most con-
venient to them, and claimed the righ. to
vote for member Of Congress, and that
they were permitted by the managers at
some of the precincts TO cast their votes,
under the impression that tIAoy were Ie
gally entitled, under the Constitution and
laws, to vote for representative in Con,
gresS in any county of the Congressional
District, "a had always heretofore been
permitted by law in South Carolina, (as
heretofore charged,) which impression il
is insisted was correct. Tho exact num-
Der of said persons do not know and
cannot state, probably one or two hun
dred, nor do l know whether they voted
for myself or my competitor, the contes-
tant Sume OF these persons came, as
am informed and believe. singly or in
pairs, mounted on their mules or horses,
as persons ordinarily go to election
grounds, and portion of them, both
white and colured, doubtless had arms
about their persons, as IS too frequently
the case in these times. am informed.
believe and charge that they are the only
persons, non-residents, who came into the
county of Ahbeville on electien day, and
they came tor the Iaudable purpose of
voting for Il person to represent them in
Congress, the privilege OF dong so in
their own county having been denied
them by the partizans Of contestant, Bnt
it is not true, rs ! am informed, believe
and charge, that they, or any other per-
sons, scattered themselves about over the
county of Abbeville, and took possession
of the polls, ut the several election pre-
ciucls, or any of .hcm; nor is it true that
they rode from precinct to precinct, vo-
ting Tor me, or that they prevented any
voter, white or colored, 10y any unfair or
violent means, from going TO the polls
and dcposting his ballot according TO his
pleasure. And | am further informed.
iclieve and charge that it is not true, as
stated in the specifications Of said pro
test. in relation to The several election
precincts in the county of Abbevile, that
any illegal vote or votes We're cast tor me
by persons who were non residents OF
said county, or other persons, ut any ono OF
mure of said election precincts, other than
by the few persons, legal voters (and it is
not admitted that any Of them voted for
me) OF Edgcfeld county, and also, in an
election for member OF Congress, legal
voters of Abbeville county, as it is insis-
ted, who We're permitted to vote at GER
tain precincts, us before stated nor is it
true that any illegal votes were cast for
me in the county of Abbsvlle; nor is it
true that any number OF colored persons,
legal voters, were driven from the polls,
or prevented by any unfair means, from
voting at any one of tho precincts in said
county; nor is it true that armed bodies
of men took possession Of the polls at any
election precinct on election day, for any
purpose whatever. Butt is true, as am
informed, believe and char gc, that the said
election passed off with the most perfect
quet, good order and fairness, at every
election preciltct in the said county of
Abbcvile, save at the precinct Of White
Iiall, where disturbance did take place,
in which some acts of violence were COM
mlted, and in which certain colorcd per-
sons, friends of contestant, were the ag-
gressors and are alone responsible for.
6. deny that the charges contained in
specifications Nos Al to 4S, inclusive, of
tho pretest having reference to the clec-