The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-12-02
The Spectacle at Columbia.

The Spectacle at Columbia.
II would be jocular. if it were not dis
graceful tia situation in South Carolina.
Such a ~ ctncle rs that which has been
exhibited in the Columbia legislature aud
which Is described IN our dispatches to-
day, has never been plrIllclrd in the
Centennial Republic, aud il will long be
momhcred IL one OF the feature of the
closing days OF GRANTS Administrations
j. would he easy enough to indulge III lu-
ihcrOus sketches of the scenes; but the
serious aspects that lie behind are hei-
ter hltad t. impress the public
mud. Tie Democrats who had taken
possession of the House on Thursday morn
jug. AMI he'd u AL day. determined TO re-
tam thcr places throEgh the night,
Us protest against the Interference
Il Federal troops, and the CHAMBER
AIN section of the body-oomposed al
,ho,l wholly of colorcd members as the
other wa- OF White Northumberland felt
compelled. by the necessities II the occa-
tion, to retain their places in the same
hall of the state Ilou-e. The Speakers of
D. TIA sections sat side 10y side, each of them
presiding over the members who recog-
iiIcd his authority; till at % clock the
tHAMBEULA1N Speaker got so drowsy that
hc resigned his half of the CHAIR, 50 to
SOAK. 10 a substitute ana went home
g. bed
The members of 10th parties and
every color ten asleep ia their chairs,
only to le stirred up. now aud then 10y
the harangnc OF some wukoful member.
Shortly before the break OF lay, their
tWmbcis gave way under q series of ora
toiical explosions, which finally reached
their close when silence like poultice
came TO heat the blows of sound" and
the sleepy members slept once more.
slept til hIea klast time. Most OF them
ale a. they had slept. in their seats; and
il might have been supposed that when
they ST to work they would have been IN
very bad temper But it was not so. A
better feeling prevailed: ana several Dem
ocrat-, followed by several Republicans,
piopo-,d conference committee in
winch the Senate ana both sections of
the lIou.c should bc represented, a. a
means of settling the Il ficuliy. At the
hour ot noon both Houses were called to
ulurr 10y their two speakers. who called
At tbs tInt both bodies were on the
, lt fol th' Federal soldiers. whom Gen.
H. rR had promised then To send 10 On
l'''' '"o i'ih"'al 90 the Democratic dele
P"''''' i"ih htfeucld ani Laurens; but
nc a'''I'i- apo arcd not, 10 The di-couih-
thffoi thr Republicans aud The sal isfaction
'"' - IA clhi@' All the afternoon, ull
nv sun '' % evening were dlspolIed by the
~ "."" "i"l'i'n"t.d tht nail tue soldiers
were looked for, out Vet they came not g.
',"e '''u'n' lh"t "ri' krGLR
'' 90 "' i"''h's rom Washington
''"'"'"~ as '"l'S"i'p'e'ed order
'''9 '"9' re h"i lelegiaph-
7"L"N ~ "l' account OF his
%, ''N" ""s Hes''iuHy ad before
we N""'"''' am 'h"usl we nave not yet
"'"''h'" Transcript "l las instructions,
we Nn'" 'ha' tl'N oli not sustain linn III
pup ~ u 'Jt' tns the Edaehed and
'au'o" "e'e auois a noon.
Inc % again news reached the House that
'i' '"l"'ls were coming: bur tins time
AZ" turned ont To hc unIounded. In the
~ AN 'hl'H Drihn'idlc member had tried
I" "' something toward settlement
%" ''s resolution To tne effect
''' we Rouse WON'T not interfere
81" NV "'"' 90 'u' we loi PRESIDENTIAL
''''"''' ""' inc Republicans refused to
''l '"p h'"'''H' AeAih the approach