The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1876-12-01

| sions Of ethea Constitution aud The
decision Of the Supreme Court were brought
to your attention, you distinctly and warm:
ly asserted again and again that your orders
were misunderstood; and that you had not
intended to have sentinels at the door OF the
hall, and that you had not and did not!in-
tend to assume to decide upon the legality
LOT any mans seat or upon his right to en-
tier the hall. You were then reminded by
us that your guard had received instructions
from one Dennis, q citizen and par
tisan Of Governor Chamberlain, to
admit parties upon his own pass or
that Of one Jones, and had through armed
forces excluded all Democrats from the
| hall until the Republican organization was
completed. You assured us again that
such were not your orders. You were told
| by us that, notwithstan ding the perpetra-
ton Of this applicable shame upon our
| free institutions and the rights Of the peo-
pie, the evils could still be remedied with
out any violence or bloodshed by the SIM
pie withdrawal OF your guard from the
doors OF the hall; that the Democrats
could struggle with the Republicans,
and BY majority OF votes decide all
questions In accordance with law and the
usages of legislative bodies. You stated
that no troops should be at the door, and
that under no circumstances would you IN
| terfere except there should occur a serious
disturbance Of the peace. You affirmed
your determination to exercise no super
visory control whatever over the body or
bodies claiming to be the House OF Repre-
sentatives. ALI this occurred on Yesterday.
Last night, in later interview with Sem
ator Gordon, you made the same assurances,
and this morning, after both bodies were
assembled in the hall, you assured General
Hampton that under no circumstances
would you interfere except to keep the
peace.
What now can Justly measure our aston
ishment at the issuance OF such an order as
the one Just sent by your There is no breach
of the peace and no prospect Of its disturb
ance. You had 1t officially brought to your
knowledge that absolute good humor pre-
vailed in that hail. We cannot refrain from
expressing the apprehension that the fact
that number OF leading Republicans are
taking issue with the legality Of the proceed
ings BY the Republican House has changed
your views az to your line Of duty.
It is proper that we should say, in con-
clusion, that we relied upon your honor as
man and your character as a soldier to
maintain your pledged promises OF nom
interference. The Democratic members
from Edgefield and Laurens are entitled to
their seats by the Judgment of the Supreme
Court of this State, and we have advised
them to remain in that hall until removed
bv YOUR troops; that the issue may
be made in this centennial Of Ameri-
can independence whether we have gov
eminent Of law as construed by courts, or
centralized despotism whose only law is
force. Let the American people behold the
spectacle of q brigadIer-general OF the army
seated by the side OF Governor Chamber
lain in q room of the State-House, and
issuing orders to legislative body peacea-
bly, assembled in one Of the original thirteen
Commonwealths of this Union.
Respectfully yours,
rsigned] j. 3. GORDON,
| WADE HAMPTON,
A. G. HASKELL.
These three gentlemen had been in con.
ference with General Ruger yesterday ano
to-day.
THE DEMOCRATS CLAIM THAT THE JUSTICE OF
| THE PEACE SIGNING THE RETURNS IN BAKEF
COUNTY WAS APPOINTED AFTER THE ELEC'
| TON.
TALLAHASSEE, November 30.-At thu
meeting of the Board to-day the Democrats
claimed that, besides the points OF lrregu
larities in the altered Baker county returns
the Justice of the peace who signed the re
turns had been appointed since the election
Second Dispatch.
A REPUBLICAN INSPECTOR AT ARCHER TELL!
HOW he WAS BRIBED TO SWEAR FALSELY TC
THE RETURNS-AN IMPORTANT GAIN TO TIL
!
TALLAHASSEE, November 30.-ln tn'
Alachna county case the testimony created
great excitement. The Democrats offered
proof that the alleged affidavit from Greer
4. Moore purporting to deny certain fact
in another affidavit he had made was datet
and executed on tue Goth instant, while
the affidavit that proposed to retract ant
correct was dated and executed on the 23t
instant They then pronounced the atfda
Wit purporting to be from Floyd Dukes
square forgery They then introduced
Moore and Dukes as witnesses. Moor'
swore specially that all the points in hi
affidavit of the 23d were true; that he hat
stated the facts contained therein openi!
time and again; that he was an inspector
Archer, and only 316 votes were cast Of
counted; that 53j votes were not cast; tina
he signed the election certificate in blank
not thinking there could be any dispute
that he was approached the other day D.
Barnes, the Republican sheriff OF the county
who offered him 500 il he would sign
paper. He signed it and received the money
This paper was the one produced in cour
as counter affidavit.
Floyd Dukes (colored) swore that he wa
inspector at Archer precinct; that only 3lt
votes were cast; that he can't read or write
thathe never signed paper saying 535 vote
were cast. Upon the counter affidavit al
legged to have been signed by him being
read, he swore that he did not sign it; thu
ex-Congressman Walls and Justice Beltol
came to his house to get him to sign 1t, ant
offered him twenty-five dollars il he wouI'
sign it, but that he refused to do so.
The Democrats then called attention to tn
fact that in the affidaYits from several hun
dred negroes swearing they voted at Archie
precinct eleven namesi appear in two places
two names in three places, two names o
men long since dead, and two names OF mel
proven to have voted elsewhere.
The Republicans submitted objections u
two precincts in Columbia county, alegln!
that Democratic inspector industriousl
changed ballots when they were handed
him, and that two negroes had been takel
bu fbroo democrats into q swamp wee