The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1869-03-09
Il WILLING WITNESS.
The Libel OF tho Governor OF South Caro-
lima upon the People OF south Caro-
lima.

| Wo make some extrvcts from the sworn tes-
| timony OF Governor Scott in the Third Con-
gressional District contested election case.
| In reply to question by s. l.. Hoge, Cover
| nor Scott says:
! I am Governor r. Scott. Governor of tho
state-was so In July, August, September, October
| and November. 1S68-inaugurated 9th July, 1868.
and have been Governor UP to the present time.
Abbeville, Anderson and Edgeneld was cne Of great
excitement, The laws could not be enforced and
ton Of law came frona the fact that political organi
cations set at defiance the officers or the law. The
parties. The Democratic Organization W 8 a., ayed
againHt the law. received the information as Gov
T trnor that the Democratic party was organized for
the purpose of preventing the officers of the law from
enforcing the law against any OF their partsans aud
for the purpose Of Controlling tho elections to take
place on the Sd November. in the interest Of that
party alene. These political Organizations armed
themselves In order to carry out the objects and
men who claimed to belong to Democratic Clubs that
they with sixteen shooters
and Wineh ser rifles, with the declared purpose OF
first controlling the election by keeping the negroes
away from the polls and II resistance was made
they would shoot the negroes down. and thereby pre-
did with my knowledge bring into the State
the Winchester rifles in accord ance with these
gress in Edgeneld County, Third Congressional
District. The reason why is this : The Law made
It my duty to appoint three commissioners Of
election in each county, two of these first appoint
ed were white men aud one colored man, Of that
county The white men objected to serve because
that particular colorei man was member Of the
board. Iaecoriingly appointed three other commits.
sioners, one Of whom was q Mr. Root, member OF
the present house Of Representatives. He replied
to me that 1t was impossible for the board to serve
because 1t required all OF his time to save his
life: That he had been shot at twice in his own
OF darkness, and was then writing to me from
his place Of coRcealment In the swamp. 1t was
too late .a then to appont any other connssion
oftwenty days before an election could be held The
general condition of political affairs In that county as
ac as the Republican party was concerned regards
their safety can only stare my opinion based upon
reports Of citizens living in the county. (Mr Pope
ton) thiuk there was scarcely q mail received in
the Executive Department duoing the months or
September. October and November. 1868, that did
citizens Of the county, and claimed in these letters
to be murdered in consequence OF thelv political
begging Of me 10 send military force to the county
to give protection against iawless men.
Q-What was the condition in Abbeville as to out
ra9es; also, of N ewbeTryp
A.-The same as in Edgefeld. In Abbeville Coun.
ty have report, onale OF nineteen murders Those
murders were also committed before the November
elections. Judging from the former election in
rn and making due allowances for natural
Sa and m that might legnately have
statements OF men FROM the county Of both political
it is my opinion that the Republicans would
W I
mean by Repupl can, Hoges majority Tor Congress.
AZ to Newberry County. In fair election can only
Judge Of It flom the Same Information had as to
been from ton to twelve hundred, same as II the
Legislature. The violence in Newberry was not to
the same extent in Ahbeviiie as to mu der. hut
the same intolerance existed as to coored man
voting. here were two cases Of murder In New.
berry-Lse Nance and man by the NAME Of johnson
iect. - ---'N- :" 1eSo'-
Examination byJ. D. Pope. ESD, for.J. r.
Reed {: , mV
Q.-How many white mon Of any party in South
Carolina supported you for Governor, do you
Al have no means Of knowing. 1t was q matter
OF IL diHerenee to me whether 1 was voted for by
tant to the result. so long there tatr eiec.
ton, ana the voters had the right to exercise the
privilege guaranteed to them by the laws of the
country.
Q.-That may ba true, but was it not the fact that
you were elected by colored voters almost entirely
humber of white and colored votes cast for me- but
knov as matter of necessity that received near
~ oil the ooored votes cast in the State, they
Republican can ndidates. FI
Q-1uring the canvass for Congress were YOU at
any time or times. and how often. In the Third Con-
gressional Distric' out OF the County of Richandp
Al was never out Of the City Colum bia to visit
any poron OF the Third Congressional District dur.
Q-were you In any OF these cou tiles before the
canvass2 ~
Q-Rave you been anceif q"
Al have not. Mytduues hare have rendered it
almost Impossible to leave the capital
others2
:. A.-Yes: My information is derived from informs.
ton OF citizens living In these counties, from civil
officers of the state government and military off,
GERS who were ON duty in these counties.
Q-YOu cay that the resistance to the laws WAS en-
Hrey by Democratic organizations. Who gave you
this information Democrats or Republioans2
A.-boih Many men OF the Democratic parry
)He0 these Democratic OrUaNi III nns
the purpose Of resisting The law and setting at de-
hance the authority Of the state government
Q.-Pray name some Of these Democrats WHO
gave you this ir6ornation2 s
AL am not at liberty to name them, as they en-
that they cave the information whereby the par les
might be brought TO justice. their own lives and
Q-You sag tIat Democrats tod You that sixteen
shooters were imported to keep the negroes from
the polls. Name some who told you this
A.-Membars OF the Democratic elmo told me this
It dont folle that they are Democrats because they
belonged to Densocratic clubs. 4 number Of Re-
pnbl,cans joined Democratic clubs in order TO dts
cover what object they had in importing these de-
structive weapons. do net for precautionary rea.
sons feel justified In giving their names to the
o--would yon believe she tes'imo " Of any man
VINO became member oi Democratic club for the
purpose OF communicating to outsiders what he
there saw and heard2
A.-when surrounding circumstances and results
Q-Yon spoke 0fwhite men being armed. no you
not know that there W re armed bands OF negroes IN
EuBouol0 ADOeViAos anu were yOu not applied to
frequently to prevent their use OF these arms? And
what did you do to prevent it2
Al do net know that there were such armed
bands In these oountss, nor 40 now recolect Of
any report Of euch armed bands being made to me
from Absextlle 1t may. however, have been made,
as there was general Elarnor of armed hands Of ne
groe9. ''4' NJ 7'TFrT - -
do you know that the importation of arms
into the state was hronght about by tIi fact that
every Negro xnEn IN the State was the ewner Of Are
arm, and the white man aIssost entirely tlnsrmedf
A.-On the contrary knew to the reverse OF that
VOW would scarcely meet a white man who did not
have one revolver IL not IA ore, and double barrel
shot gun. II y true thas nanny OF the coiored men
We're armed d xatk shot guns and OLD musketse bat
net more than lar minority OF Gheln had even
theae arms. wish to say thss &c the white Of
the state the credit with saor tntelhgonce and
knowledge OF the negro character than to believe
that IL was necessary IN any emergency to provide
themselves With the destructive weapons In o time
OF prOfouT peace,
y. You tbink then end testify that the sixteen
,shooters were imported to kill negroes?
ri believe frem evidence that dare not regard
IS wcrthless that At was the beliOf OF q party or
iasge number Of msn In the State khat ssy and