The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1872-02-19
The Lancaster Elections.

the stockholders and by Lis board.
|
The Lancaster Elections.
The Radical members Of the State Senate
may congratulate themselves upon having
committed an act Of usurpation which excel;
In turpitude any piece OF financial rascality
Of which their comrades in the House have
been guilty. We give the facts, which ore
taken exclusively from the report of the
Senate Committee on Privileges and Elec'
tions, submitted to the Senate last week.
AT the election Of senator for Lancaster
4 County In October, 1870, there were two
candidates, viz: Phineas B. Tompkins, o
! Democrat, and F. A. Clinton, a Radical.
1 According to the certificate Of the Commis-
sioners OF Election, Clinton received 1881
votes, and Tompkins received s52 votes,
when Clinton was declared elected, and was
admitted to seat upon the floor OF the SEN
ate. Mr., Tompkins filed q protest against
the election, and, under resolution adopted
by the Senate, was authorized to take testi-
mony to- establish the facts alleged in his
grounds Of protest. Notice OF the time and
place of taking testimony was served upon
Clinton, who was present by his attorney.
The taking Of testimony was closed on Feb.
ruary 81, 1871, the result being that nine
hundred and etghiy.eight voters OF Lancas'
ter County were produced, at the various
times and places, aud made affidavit that
they voted fer Tompkins. Testimony was
also taken to prove that some Of the ballot
boxes hadino lock or any means OF fasten-
ing and that they we're left in this condition
with the managers and forwarded to tie
County Commissioners OF Election
Clinton, the sitting senator, took no testI-
mony in reply, and personally informed the
Ssuate Committee tina. he did not desire to
do so. The committee having examined the
poll lists found that the persons who swore
that they voted for Tompktns did vote atthe
elections, -and report that the case Is reduced
to this point: "By the testimony OF the vo-
''ters, sSS votes az more than a majority Of
"the votes cast in the county for State Sena-
"tor) were given to Phineas B. Tompkine.
"Ou the other hand, the return OF the off,
scers-Managers and Commissioners Of
..Eleetion-shows that he received but 852
'yotes; less than q majority Of the votes
.cast for senator in that county" A thor
ough examination of the law and precedents
satisfied the committee that it was competent
for the Senate to go behind the certificate OF
election, ascertain the facts fully, and decide
upon the whole question. Mr.. Clinton made
no attempt to impeach the character OF q
single witness called on behalf Of the con-
testant, and the committee, therefore, con-
clude that '..the testimony OF the witnesses
'produced by the contestant is TO be receioed
''and treated, in all respects, as trSe, for the
"purposes OF this case" The committee are
driven to another inevitable conclusion, viz:
s'that either the Managers OF Election at the
ssyarious precincts In Lancaster County, or
ssthe commissioners to whom the managers
ssmade returns, some one or more of them,
shaue perpetrated a gross frasd; and that
.sthey have done so to an eztent Sufficient to
'cllange tie achole result Of TIE election for
sSenat0r in that county,"
The majority OF the Committee on Priv-
leges and Elections are Radicals, the chair
man being United States District Attorney
D. T. Corbin. They reported, as we have
shown, that it vas proved by affidavit that q
majority OF the voters cast their votes for
Mr. Tompkins, and they announced that
gross frauds had been committed, sufficient
10 change the whole result OF the election.
They declare it to be certain that "the pres.
''ent incumbent (Clinton) ls not entitled to
''his seat" and, in the face OF these facts,
the committee recommend that the election
be declared void, and the seat OF the senator
from Lancaster County be declared vacant.
They officially announce that Clinton was
not elected and that Tompkins was elected;
and then place the usurping member and
the rightful claimant upon the same footing.
They officially decide that Mr. Tompkins re-
ceived majority Of the votes cast, and then
advise that the matter be referred again to
the people Of Lancaster County ito say who
sis their choice for senator!" The people
have said; they have decided. What war
rant is there for depriving them OF their
rights, and for refusing his seat to the candi-
date whom they have deliberately chosen?
But even the report Of the committee,
shanefully unjust as it was, did not suit the
Radical politicians in the Senate. The re-
port of the committee was called up on Fri
day, in the absence OF Senator Corbin, and
was, on motion OF Senator Hayne, taia on
the table. A motion to reconsider was made,
which motion, also, was laid on the table,
which maneuSre prevents any consideration
of the r,port during The present session.
Senator Corbn filed protest against the
| action OF his colleagues In that protest be