The news and herald. [volume] (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1876-1881, 1876-11-30
Tho Situation in Columbia.

oN, oho slGtlutlOu Ill COlumDlG was aS
follows The Supreme Court had
issued n peremptory mandanaus to
tho Board of State Canvasscrs, or
derlng them to issue certificates to
those candidates-eNcept for govern
or and Hcutenant-Govornor--appear
ing on the face Of the returns to be
elected.-This gave the Democrats
majority of four in the House Of
Representatives, and the Radicals a
majority of three in tho Senate. On
Wednesday morning, while the Su-
preme court had before it tho entire
natter, and while Corbin, the coun-
sol for tho Board, was asking for
time, the Board met, declared all
tho Radical candidates for State
officers elected, md ordered certih-
catos of election to be given to all
the membcrs elect of the Legislature,
except those from EtfyeGeld vnd
L0"rcns. They corrected the mis-
takes i'll the commissioners returns,
with regard to Dunn and Tolbert,
but left untouched those with re-
spcct to Conner and Noise. Having
done thc3o things, the Board, about
noon on Wednesday, the 22nd
inst, adjourned sine die ! This was
III direct disobodiencc to tho positive
mandate of the Supreme Court,
anu that tribunal was not slow to
assert it's dignity. Tho view taken
by tho Court Of this proceeding may
be Judged from the following strong
language used by Associate Justice
Willard, while tho Court had under
consideration tho contempt com
m;tted -
"Here we have just made solemn
decision in which II. e; Hayno is Il
party as a member of the board of
State canvassers and rs secretary of
State. If the order in that case, an
order directed to him rs well rs to
the others on tho board, had been
obcyel, this question would not have
arisen. AS the case now stands, an
incident has occurred rare in the his
tory Of civilized society. Men clothed
with civil authority of limitcl char
acter, subject to the courts of the
law havo placed themselves in def
ance of the highest court of the
State OF South Carolina, and arc now
jeopardizing the security of Justice
and the security Of peace They
are in al attitude Of defiance not
only against abstract law, but against
its embodiment in this court. They
have brought political death for a
moment upon tho State and upon
the nation. They hold in their
hands iirebrand, AMI they have
applied it to tho whole structure in
winch they are standing, dcfying
the power of this Court. We are
now erNely consi lcriny another
mandate 10 anct' er Of this board. l
ctnnot believe that when these gen
tlemen come to consider, when they
como tonight to ask the favor AMI
protection of their God, when thov
recall the sanctity of their oaths of
Office, l do not believe t,.ey will
longer resist the power Of this court.
This court is clothed with majesty.
We do not speak tho voice Of men.
We speak in Judgment, and judy-
mentis the voice of God. Evory legal
power will be exhausted by the
Court to compel from them
what their CONSCIENCE docs not yield,
and what loyalty and Justice there is
in the community will be cxerted to
compel by force what conscience
docs not yield. What arc
we doing? What reason have VIC
for believing that this order will be
obeycd any more than the other
What reason have we to believe that
this defiance Will coasc? We should
take into consideration the bearings
Of this question. The action of the
board, in my opinion, will do more
to call up generous spirit in the
people, and forgctful of partisan
ship to cause them to unite upon tho
high ground Of Justice and Truth,
than anything that has been dono in
the history Of the country since it's
first organization. Has this Court
any reason to believe that it's pro-
cess will be respected ?"
The action of tho Court was in
full accord with the noble sentiments
uttered by Judge Willard. Judge
Wright, who had on some points
differed with his associates, WAS
highly encensed at the outrageous
contempt He joined heartily in
the Judgment imposed on tho offend
ers' The Court ordered that each
of the Canvassing Board pay fine
of $500, and be confined in the
Richland county Jail until the furth-
nt. ~ nxI< ,,fl