New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1876-12-11
A DISPATCH TO THE TRIBUNE FROM SEN
ATOR GORDON.

A DISPATCH TO THE TRIBUNE FROM SEN
ATOR GORDON.
AN ELOQUENT STATEMENT OF THE DEMOCRATIC
SIDE OF THE SOUTH CAROLINA CONTROVERSY.
70 the Editor Of The Tribune.
SIR: / thank you for permission to answer Gov.
Cbamberlain's communication of the 4th inst. 10
THE TRIBUNE, in which he refers to myself. How
"exact and faithful are Gov Chamberlain's state
ments will appear below. take his dispatch IN de-
tail:
First: Our complaint is not so much against the
direct action of army officers against the placing
of the army under the control of Gov. Chamberlain
a candidate and of Dennis, his confederate.
Second: His faithful statement that the Dem
ocrats intended forcibly to possess and hold the
hall ON the night before the Legislature met is abso
luteIy groundless. The truth is, they had full pos
session in caucus and adjourned at 8 or 10 o'clock
that night, leaving no Democrat in or about the
State House. Gov. Chamberlain's United States
troops took possession in two or three hours after
the Democrats adjourned.
Third His faithful statement" that he had not
A State force to carry out his programme is most
suggestive acknowledgment in the face OF the fol-
lowing truths: He has had all Republican judges,
every one in the State, elected by the Republican
Legislature. His Legislature had refused to pro-
vide the Constitution requires for the election OF
justices of the peace by the people, and given him
power to appoint trial justices from his own parti-
sans instead, every one of whom he has appointed
in every district in the State. He claims twenty
thousand majority of Republicans in the State. He
has in the entire militia not white militia COM
pany in the State. Even the rife clubs were all
disbanded He had by law control of the police of
every city, He had by law the State constabulary,
with unlimited power to appoint as assistants and
arm every Republican and every Democrat i'll the
State At the very time he dated his dispatch this
constabulary was in the State House with United
States troops and is now in the State House admit
ting whom and refusing whom it pleases With all
this force Gov Chamberlain cannot keep the peace.
Gov Hampton can do so with no force except the
civil tribunals and public opinion.
Fourth: Mr.. Chamberlain's faithful statement"
that no person holding the certificate of the Secre
tary of State was at any time refused admission to
the State House OF hall will be properly appreciated
when it is known that in company with Jeffries and
Peak, members from Union County holding said GER
tifcates, stood by and heard the corporal of the
guard refuse and state that no man could enter
without a pass from Dennis or Jones, holding no
official position. Jas. l.. Orr, Il. +. Sloan and j. 81
Werner who held certificates from the Secretary OF
State, applied 10 the guard at the door for admit
lance. lue corporal dhk6u Wud1 blts NduOOu' 1hcJ
replied, ave are members Of the Legislature and
want to go to the hall" He Immediately replied,
"You can't come in and slammed the door in their
faces When the first Democratic member succeeded
In entering the hall he found the House without
quorum, already organized, aud Mackey in the
chair These facts will be established by sworn
statements of members and of as good men as are in
the Union
Fiji: AS to the power of Jones, the former clerk,
10 exclude whom he pleased and as to the duty OF
the military to enforce his orders it is sufficient to
say that such rule applied to all the States would
make voting useless and government by the people
q mOckery.
Sirth Gov. Chamberlain appeals to conrts
and lawyers to sustain his extraordinary assertions
that the members from Edgefeld and Laurens coun-
ties had no valid certificates. II he will refer to the
decisions of his Supreme Court both as recently
declared in its Judgment to the cOnsttutionality
Of the Wallace House and former Judgment in 1874
rs to the suiciency of county canvassers, returns
when the State Board refuses to perform its duty he
will be estopped from further appeal. These Edge
field members had not only the certified Judgment
of the court but the county canvassers' returns
which the court nearly three years ago declared suf
Gent Even the Supreme Court of the United
States feels itself bound by the decisions of
the State Supreme Courts in ali matters Of
construction of the State laws In the case of LET
fnwen against Warren December term, 1862, the
United States Supreme Court says: 1.-The construc-
ton given TO statute by the highest judicial tri-
bunal Of such State is regarded as part OF the
statute, and is as binding upon the courts OF the
United States as the text. If the highest judicial
tribunal of State adopt new views as to the proper
construction of such statute and reverses It's former
DECISIONS this court will follow the latest settled
adjudication" 1t is difficult TO conceive OF language
stronger or more pointed. The Supreme Court OF
South Carolina, think, stands exceptionally well
With the United States Supreme Court, none OF lis
DECISIONS believe, ever having been reversed upon
appeal TO the latter court.
But, binding as are the decisions of the court upon
even the Supreme Court of the United States, upon
eaestons involved in the controversy they are not
sonsidered by Gov. Chamberlain as binding upon
nm or his co-conspirators. Gov. Chamberlains
nea Of quorum of the House is the essence OF abb
nsdty If the plain declarations of the State Con-
otntioD and the uniform decisions OF courts are OF
my consequences; and his employment Of force to
make hs own edict superior to these would be
treason in any State where the Constitution and
tourts awaited against the lawless purpose of con-
save Of citizena Art. IL, Sec H. of the State Con-