The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1876-12-21

Ger had been resisted in the proper
discharge of his functions, we shave
witnessed spectacle abhorent to ev.
cry patriotic heart, and fatal to Res
publican Neutrality-suspicious. troops
used to promote the success of POI
litical party. Undismayed, though
shocked, by this gross violation OF the
constitution of the country, our peo-
pie, with determination that no force
could subdue, no fraud could defeat,
kept steadiIy and peacefully in the
path Of duty, resolved to assert their
rights as American freemen at tho
ballot box, that great Court of final
resort, before which must be tried the
grave qusstio' of the supremacy of
the Constitution and the stability of
our c0nstituency--o of our institutions,
What tho edict of the peop.e of South
Carolina has been, you need not be ut
all told. 1t has resounded throughout
the State, and it comes back TO us
from every land where liberty is ven>
Grated declaring in t. nes that cannot
be mislaken-that standing on tho
conStitutinn Of our country. we pro.
pose to obey its laws to perfection as
far IN III us Il,s it's peace and honor,
and TO carry out, in good faith the
pledge made by us for reform and
honest government; we intend to
prove to the world the sincerity of our
declarations that the sole motive
which inspired the grind contest we
have 30 successfully made was not the
paltry ambition for party supremacy;
but the sacred hope of redeeming our
State But It was sought to wrest the
fruits Of this victory by a gigantic
fraud and base conspiracy when the
members elect Of tho Genoral Assem-
bly, repaired to their places to take
seats wnon the soIdirry of tho Feder-
al go7ornmCnt confronted them and
their certificates OF election were ex.
amined and passed upon by IL corpor-
al OF the guard 1t was amid these
appalling scenes that ,he members of
the General Assembly were called on
to assume their duties as the repre-.
scntalives OF free State, and that
State one Of the original 13, which
won our independence and framed
our constitution. Debarrcd tho free
exercise OF their rights by the pres
enco of an armed force, Il legal quorum
OF the lower House after placing on
record protest, quietly withdrew
from tho Capitol and proceeded to or>
gpnize that branch of the General As
sembly, you t,ave seen a minority of
this House usurp the powers of the
whole body; you have seen the majors
ity obstructed from their Hall by
threats of force; you have sesn per-
sons having no shadow of claim as
members, admitted t. seats AS repre>
sentatv,s s, by the vote of men, who
themselves were acting in direct vio>
lation of the Constitution, and you
have seon tho last crowning act of in
fanny, by which IL candidate tor the
Office of Governor, defeated by the
popular vote, had himself declared cl-
ected by hiS co-consplrators.
|. is due 'r NV pnsi'i IL as he ChIct
Magistrate IT the commonwealth, t."
pla or rec 'rd ny SOLEMN and i'll
hignant protest agains acts, which |
c ns, er as sUbversive uf civ il liberty
and Destructive oi our form # gov
ernment.
A -reaI task is bef"re the couser.
va''ve part, If This Stare. They ell
.:er q III this Con es' with II platform
q" Ut"ad, q" str ny, 50 liberal, tha'
very honest citizen could stand upon
i They rec'gnIzad and accr, teu
HE Hmendine 'Is OF tre constitution in
q d fa'tn They pledged rhemsel> g,
." wnk efrn,, and tn es abl sh 700
2""e' nmcn'. They ,'r"ml-ed to keer
mp IN etfec i've sy stem OF public ed
ucH'i II, and the, declared soIenlnl,
""' ali cljize"s f Sou.h Carolina, Of
oo'h races, IT Doth ar eS, should be
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