Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1876-12-07


protest, against all proceedings by this body
which In any degree recognizes the legality OF 9
body calling itself the House Of Representatives
of South Carolina, over which E. w. M. Mackey
claims to preside as Speaker, and which met on
the 18th instant and claimed to organize in the
hall Of the House of Representatives.
The Constitution ofEouth Carolina makes each
House the Judge Of the election returns and qual.
ifcations Of its own members. The Supreme
Court of this State has by formal judgment deci-
field and Laurens, who received the highest num-
Der Of votes, were entitled to seats. These mem.
bers have been refused admission to the hall and
all participation In it's organization BY the armed
soldiers Of the United States, who barred, with
bayonets, the door ofthe Hall of Representatives,
and acted as Judges of the election returns and
qualification Of its members.
We have seen the armed forces Of the United
States oyerruing the plain declaration ofthe Con-
stitution Of the State.
We have witnessed the solemn mockery Of the
guard reviewing and reversing the judgments OF
the highest Court in the State.
We have seen the spectacle, humiliating in the
last degree to every right-minded American, of
the halls Of the Legislature occupied at the hour
Of midnight by United States troops, and holding
them against the ingress Of the law making pow
or, and this at time Of the profoundest peace,
and when not single act Of violence furnished
the slightest pretext for the usurpation.
We have seen the still more humiliating specta-
Gle Of United States troops having besHplaced un-
der the immediate control and receiving orders
from citizen without authority, and partisan OF
the present administration. We have seen this
citizen assuming absolute control over the capi-
tol of q Commonwealth, and admitting through
the lines of armed sentinels his own partsans up
on his own edict or written pass, while anotner
citizen selected by his partisans to organize
House of Representatives We have seen this
body Of partisans thus admitted claiming to or
ganize the House, but without a quorum. in vio-
lation of law, in defiance Of the Supreme Court,
and under the protection OF the United States
troops,
We therefore enter this our protest against any
recognition Of the said body pretending to be the
House of Representatives OF the, State Of South
Carolina, and for the following reasons:
First. The said body having organized without
a constitutional quorum, there being but -
members present. as shown by Its own journals,
whereas majority of the entire representation is
requisite to quorum to act-sixty-three MEM
bers-as set forth In the journal Of the Houses
the immemorial practice of legislative bodies in
every American State; and we do further alleges
on our responsibility as senator's, that the SAID
body Is still withouta constitutional quorum, and
House Of Representatives Of South Carolina, and
ought not to be recognized as such. =
Second. That said resolution was adopted by
the Senate before announcements was mace OF an
organization by any House Of Representatives,
Third. That In factand In truth no legal and ef-
was, at that time, made.
Fourth. That the body Of men claiming to be
House Of Representatives, and from which the
announcement of said organization comes, has
not and cannot organize, by reason Of the non-ex-
istence ofa quorum.
Fifth. We further and finally protest against
the said adoption of said resolution for this
that we have since received official notification OF
the organization of the House Of Representatives
now sitting in Carolina Hall, where quorum Of
legally constituted members does exist, and OF
which body Hon. VIM. n. Wallace has been elect
ed Speaker, and John T. Sloan, Sr., Clerk.
G. Cannon, 51:,-- T. B. Jeter,
w. A. Evans, srl >R,. E. Bowen, 'a
A. P. Butler, ]. M-Williams,
8. 8. Crittenden, VIM. L:Rnck,
81. A. Meetze, r. 8. Howard;-
j. w. Livingston, I. D. Witherspoon-
Senator Cochran lind. Rep submitted the
following protest: -,..
AS Senator, do solemnly protest against any
further communication with the House of Repre-
sentatives sitting in the Hall of Representatives,
until be ascertained whether not the said body
Is composed of lawful quorum, as we'll as the
causes preventing the same.
A protest was fled by Y. j. P. Owens
against the admission of Todd aR mocratic
Senator from Laurens. .
The Senate adjourned till FL g, at II NJ.