The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1876-12-04
The South Carolina Case.

IueIe are inulcatlOnS lndL Ine ueplOraDe
contest in South Carolina is near its end
and that a compromise will be effected be-
tween the conflicting legislatures. For a
speedy settlement of the vexed quest all
good citizens anxiously hope. If compro-
mise be brought about some material points
must be yielded by both sides. unless indeed
it be fashioned after most OF the famous COM
promises in our history in which one section
demanded and the other conceded everything.
There have been wrongs perpetrated in
South Carolina by both Democrats and Re-
publicans. But we believe that the Republi-
cans have chiefly erred in violation of tech
nicalities, while the Democrats have at
tempted grave injustice. 1t must be al
lowed that the Republicans have many
excuses for their action. They passed
through campaign which was character
lied by gross fraud and intimidation on the
part of their opponents. They saw their
men overawed and compelled to vote the
opposition ticket, and when the polls closed
they believed that the state had been wrested
from them by unfair means.
Believing this the canvass of votes begun.
The supreme court, acting in the interest of
the Democrats, interfered with the count and
ordered the returning board to foot up the
returns and report them to the court. The
order was obeyed, and the returns showed on
their face the choice of the Republican cleo
tors aud of Hampton for Governor. Though
the Republicans believed that the order of
the court was an unjust interference with the
returning board, and that the result as de-
clared did not represent the will of the peo-
pie of South Carolina so far as the choice for
Governor was concerned, they were general.
ly disposed to accept the situation; and there
would in all probability have been no further
trouble had not the court again interfered.
In order to secure Democratic Governor
that remarkable body had forbidden the
board to go behind the returns. Having se-
cured that object it now changed its course
and began to consider how it could compel
the board to go behind the returns to effect
the choice of Democratic electors. The
board, learning of the contemplated action,
adjourned before the new order could reach
it, claiming that its business was finished,
and that the time of its legal life had expired.
The claim may be bubble, the board may
have been guilty of constructive contempt.
But it found the supreme court acting on
bubbles and abetting conspiracy to give the
electoral vote of the State to Tiden in def.
ance of the will of the people, and under
these circumstances it boldly dsregarded
technicalities. Its course may not have been
legal but it was more equitable than that
pursued by the court.
Previous to its adjournment the board
threw out the returns from Edgefield and
Laurens counties, and on what appears to be
good grounds. In both counties the Repub-
lican canvassers were driven away and Dem
ocrats were detected in taking Republican
tickets from the ballot boxes and substituting
Democratic tickets in their places. Upon ev-
idence Of fraud and intimidation the board re-
fused to issue certificates of election. The
court without any authority, it is believed
supplied that omission, and thus it came
about that two legislatures, Or two houses
rather. assembled. The Republican house
refused to accept the supreme court certifi-
cate. This is how the case now stands. If
the difficulty is settled by compromise each
party must abate its claims. If the Repub,i-
cans have in anything done wrong we trust
they will remedy it, and we expect the Dem
ocrats to do the same. Meanwhile it is pain
full to see United States troops present at the
deliberations of these bodies. But they were
sent there at the call of the lawful governor
of the state to keep the peace. They are
there to uphold the law and not to break it.
If their presence is disagreeable to Democrats
the Democrats should reflect that they them
selves have made the presence Of troops nee
essary.