The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1871-02-06

The Bank of the State - Important
Revelations-A Summary of Legisla-
tive Business.
[FRoM OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT
COLUMBIA, February 8.
TEE CHESTERFIELD CONTESTED ELECTION.
Phe most important business transacted in
the House to-day was the adoption of the mi
nority report on privileges and elections,
thereby ousting the Reform delegates from
Chesterfield, Messrs. Hougn and Evans, and
seating Messrs Littleieid and Singleton, Re-
puolicans The majority report is favorable,
and cites, that after considering the documen-
tary testimony submitted by contestants conn.,
sci to sustain his position, viz: ''that the coun-
ty canyassers had noright to make supple
mentary report. they came TO the CONCLUSION:
"That :the returns would not have been COM
pleted unless the supplementary report IS
counted; and, further, that the return OF the
whole number of votes cast In the county
could not beiknown If the supplementary re-
port is excluded; tor, In the opinion OF your
commIttee. the will of the voters OF the county
could not be ascertained unless they counted
all the votes cast in the county; and lilat there
was no intimidation used, and, II there was, lt
could not have been to such'aa extent as 10
alter the votes polled."
The minority report submitted by Messrs.
Jeryey, Whipper, Lee and Levy, states tnat
they believed the affidavlts 'dstinctly set forth
and substantiated the ground set forth In the
protest of the contestants. They allege that
there was intimidation used, and we are OF tne
opinion that there was Intimidation: II mere
was no intimidation used why should the
managers of that precinct nave suo-
mitted their report under protest, besides
af1davits setting forth that there have been
intimidation, and'that votes were taken out OF
the hands of the voters and others put ID,
and telling them they must vote mat ana no
other? The managers having submitted the
box with the votes to the county board OF can
ysssers. they deem It their duty not to exclude
that precinct with the others, but submitted
supplementary report. Now, We contend that
the supplementary report is not known IN tne
law. While the law says, they shall make
such statements thereof as the nature OF the
election shall require we do not understand
it to mean that they shall submit supple
men.ary report, If the managers say that there
was intimidation used at such precinct. II
appears to us that the mere fact that the man
ayers Of election have submitted athdaVltS TO
the effect that there was intimidation used, IS
sufficient cause to exclude the supplementary
report, for they certainly would not nave
taken aff;davits to the effect, unless there was
fieye that the supplementary report Is un-
known to the law. L the contestees are so
much in the majority, IS they contend they are,
ami rs will appear by tue records, why should
they have intimidated voters for they could
have carriedAthe election any way" .s,
When the matter was brought upfor consld-
Grafton, Mr.. Andell, one OF the committee,
reoue. ted permission to place his name on the
majority report In favor OF the Reform mem
bers. The chair ruled the request out OF Or
der, and IN. this was sustained by The House;
thereupon Mr.. Whipper offered the following
resolution:
Whereas, The regular returns Of managers
and commissioners OF election ior Cnestefnelu
Country, which constitute the statement con-
templated and provided for by law, fully esta-
hlish the right or the contestants to the seats
now occupied by the eontestees, and whereas,
the supplementary statement upon which the
sitting members base their right to said seats
is entirely unknown to the law; therefore,
be 1t
Resozued, By the House of Representatives,
that B. C. Evans and II. ]. Hough, sitting
members from the County Of Chesterfield, are
not legally entitled to said seats.
Resolued, further, That William Little6eld
and S. P. Singleton (contestants) be seatsdin
their stead, they having established their legal
rights thereto.
most personal and partisan character, the res
olutlon was adopted by q vote of 6fty-three 10
TWENTY-FIVE Mr.. Jamison then moved that
the persons entitled to seats be at once seated,
which, after some sparrlng, was also adopted.
VIM. .Litchfeld, being on the floor. was
sworn and seated: tits probably needless to
ary considerations with the large majority Of
the Republican members on the floor, and
that they ousted the Reform delegates purely
on party principle. The following protest
was, by request, entered on the Journal:
We, The undersigned voted mo" on the
resolution offered by Mt. Whipper to vaeate
the seats OF Messrs. Hough and Evans, and
20 seat the contestants.
lat. Because the matter was submitted to
the State board OF canvassers by thacsunty
canvassers for its action, and decided In favor
of Messrs. Hongh ana Evans.
I'd. The committee on privileges and cleo
tions Of this House was equally divided in its
reports, thereby giving us no satisfaction as
to who were entitled TO seats under he cir
cumstances.
We would have agreed readily to resolution
or some measure declaring the seats Of Messrs.
Hough and Evans vacant, and the order
ing Of q new election, inasmuch as we believe
the election was proven illegally carried out.
- (Signed) LAwRENoE CAIN,
p. R. RIVERS,
DAVID HARRIS.
IN TIE sPARTANBURG CONTEST.
The present lncumbents, said to be some Of
the most influential citizens Of the county. and
elected according to their certificates, from
the board Of managers, by majority of eight
hundred, will probably be ousled In similar
manner, should the matter be brought before
the House. Ifso, trouble may be looked lor
in that county.
HoUsE-THE IMPEACHMENT ATTORNEY.
Mr.. Whipper to-day introduced the follow
ing resolution, which, after spicy debate,
participated in by Messrs. Wilkes and Whipper
on one side favoring the claims, and Messrs.
Crittenden, MObley, Elliott and others against
it, was indefinitely postponed:
RESOLVED, That the clerk of the House of
Representatives be, and he Is hereby author
lied, to draw certificates for the sum Of two
thousand dollars in favor OF II. G. Worthington,
and for the sum of fifteen hundred dollars in
favor OF r. B. Elliott, the same being the
amounts allowed BY the board Of managers for
their professional services in the matter of
Impeachment Of r.EO. P. Vernon.
THE SINKING FUND.
Pursuant to concurrent resolution, Messrs.
Wimbush; Arnim and Wilson, on the part Of
Senate, and Messrs. Jones, Keith, Andell, Ad-
amson and Reedish, on the part OF the House,