The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1869-01-30
CHI A r L E S T o N .
SATURDAY MORNING. JANUARY 80, 1869.
Mr.. Corbin's Speech in the State Senate
on his Bill to Confirm and make Valid
tho Charleston Elections.

- ~~~N
on his Bill to Confirm and make Valid
tho Charleston Elections.
The speech; of Mr.. Corbin upon his bill
"to confirm and declare valid the recent
eelection of Mayor and Aldermen of the
"City of Charleston" was published in THE
NEWS of yesterday, and demands reply.
It will not be forgotten that MIR. CorDin is
one of the senators from Charleston, and
also one of the counsel for Mr.. Pillsbary
and the Board of Aldermen who claim that
they were duly elected Mayor and Aldermen
on the tenth November last.
Mr. Corbin says: 81 have no objection to
"the reference of this bill to the Judiciary,
cor any proper committee, but it is very
sssimple bill, and would like it considered
sat once"
This is very much the argument of ''come
"into my parlor," said the spider TO the
fly; and, after stating that an election was
held in Charleston, Mr.. Corbin says: "As
st;a wnu known, in that certain per-
"sons were elected, and certain persons,
ssafter the election was ascertainsd, got up
SO protest" es
1t is well known, and Mr.. Corbin best
knows, that no legal or valid election was
held for Mayor and Aldermen, and that
ncertain persons 1ere not elected. 1t is
also well known, and Mr. Corbin best knows
that the tribunal appointed by the Legisla-
ture to hear the case of the legality of the
conduct of the managers, and to decide
| whether the persons ballotted for were, or
were not, ''duly elected" have decided, an
| nounced and declared, that Pillsbury and
his ticket were not eIected-that is, chosen
according to law.
SAYS Mr.. Corbin: ssThat election had
epsssea off quietly in the City of Charles
tom" 1t is veil known, and Mr.. Corbin
best knows that that election, 30 far from
passing off quietly, was the occasion Of the
most disgraceful scenes of intimidation and
violence which have ever marked an cleo
ton in the City of Charleston. scenes which
shocked the bystanders and made the Re-
publican leaders blush for their party. See
the comments of the Republican paper after
the election.
Says Mr.. Corbin: .'A registration had
sheen made, and the election was fairly
conducted" Mr.. Corbin beg. kscws that
the 'due registration" prescribed - the
third section of the Election act, as pre-
requisite to legal 7oting, had in no single
instance been complied With, and that no
single vote deposited 10 the ballot boxes
was "legal vote cnder the act. To es-
cape from this difficulty, Mr.. Corbin and the
associate counsel of r,l's' ury were driven
to contend that the act was unconstitutional,
in requiring voters to be sworn before regis
tration. This question has never been judi
cially determined, and the constitutionality
of the act stands until ruled otherwise But,
taking the ~.quirement of the registration
oath to be unconstitutional, the counsel of
Pillsbury were hopclessly impaled on the
other horn of the dilemma, viz: That an un-
constitutional requirement was imposed on
the election which, of itself, was enough to
invalidate it in toto.
Saws Mr.. Corbin: "And the election was
.fsirly conducted" 1t is we'll known, and
MIR. Corbin best knows, that it was most Tn
fairly conducted.
Says Mr.. Corbin: ''The truth was, the
Getty Council got completely into the hands
ssof the Philistines and took their advice, and
accordingly declared the election void"
And, therefore, this New Hampshire Sam
son attempts to rush through the Legisla-
ture an act to frighten these "PhilisGnes," ="
and to bully the Board of Aldermen, by
threat of er post facto penalties, into vio-
lating the law and the rights of the commu-
nifty.
Says MIR. Corbin: "A peremptory mand0-
'mus was issued, commanding them to go
con and declare the election, which they
"fnally did, just as set forth in this bill !"
1t has been shown, repeatedly, that the re-
citsl of the bill does not truly state the 'de-
"clsration" made by the Board of Alder
men; that "declaration" made, under the
writ Of mandamus, is qualified by the
previous return of the board, in which they
expressly say that Pillsbury and his ticket
were not duly elected; and that the declar-
alton is, in terms, merely declaration Of