The Sumter watchman. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1855-1881, 1871-02-15
THE WATCHMAN
WEDNESDAY. FEBR'Y 10.
"A. A. GILBERT ----- --eUiiuh
The Sumter WatcAmon has By
far the largest circulation (espe-
c;alzu in the surrounding country
ofany paper published IN Sumter
and acos established IN 1850.
THE CHESTERFIELD CASE.
political scheme

THE CAESTERFAEtD SAS1''
The whole State is exercised on the
subject of the recent great wrong done
to the people of Chesterfield County, in
the act of uuseating their true and le-
gally elected Representatives in the Leg
islature Of the State.
Upon retiring from their Seats the
members in question put forth the an
nezed protest. calm and truthful
statement Of the facts, which, 10 their
cnormity Of wrong, are unsurpassed BY
anything previously done by Sou'h
Carolina Radicalism:
In regard to the action of :he House
of Representatives on yesterday, in de-
privipg US of our seats, We have to say !:
First. We kmo~ that We were elected
BY majority of over 400 legal votes.
Secondly. We kno'0 that over 2oO IL
legal votes were siuheu my
atOld Store ard Gro, which counted FOR
the Republicans. .o,
Third We know that She people ofChes
ter6eld know, and those who have been
90 long contesting our seats know, that
no intimidation or undue influence was
exercised in our favor to secure votes or
keep the other party from receiving
them, in any portion of the County OF
Chesterfield. We expect to tnasc good
the above statements before the public.
We protest in the Dame Of the people Of
Chesterfield, against the unjust and
revolutionary action Of the House OF
Representatives, in sitting the voice
and preventing the will Of her free peo.
ple. expressed at the ballot box.
p' NJ. j. HOUGH,
B. G.. EVANS
This is endorsed by Senator Duvall,
iu the following statement:
| hereby endorse all that is stated
above, aud declare that | do not recog-
nize the newly seated members as the
legal representatives Of the people OF
Chesterfield County.
G. W. DUVALL.
Senator from Chesterfield.
This act of usurpation overleaps every
principle of right and freedom, and
sweeps away, at one fell svOOp, every
vestige of power, constitutional guar
aptee and safe guard, as reposed in the
ballot box. If the House OF Reprcscn-
tatives has the power in this case, it has
the power to send home every Reform
member, and to declare that none but
Radical members shall occupy seats, be
the will of the people what it may.
The facts attending This case are
extraordinary. a majority Of the com
mittee (radical wepbsrs) charged with
the case, after full and searching inves.
,ig4tion, fully establish the fact that
these members received majority OF
the votes cast and were legally elected,
and so reported to the House, recon-
mcnding that the incumbents retain
their seats. 4 small minority of tife
committee report in favor ofseating the
contestants. The majority report is
disregarded, and that of 'sv minority
taken up and adopted.
In order to show the power Of party
sway and corruption to stay conscience
and strangle truth aud justice, we will
state a-fact as connected with this case ;
One Of the committee on the part of the
minority, who signed the falsi6ed re-
port, was called upon by a member to
kao,o the facts, iu order that he might
determine how he should vote, Tree
from all party control, and on the side
oil pru,h and justice. The question was
put direct From the showing made
before the Committee, did or did BOT
the Reform members, Mcssrs HoUGH
aud EVANS, receive majority OF the
votes cast 4? The reply was that theJ
did receive suoh msjcrity. The furtheI
question vss also put: Was thers ia
!timidatioas or uudae iaauence, or lille
gal voting, Etssh could have tended te
:rcats that najOrity IN theis fvur : To
Iilis 8 negative reply vas received
Then, sid tbs saestionar, 10 the name
Iof alI that l. good snd trse asa hosest