The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1876-12-07
PlCKENS @. H., S. g.:
Thursday Dee. q, 1876.
Editorial Correspondence.
COLUMBIA, S. G., Nov. 80, 1S1


To-, Dear Sentinel Since last wrote,
events havo trnnspircd ut tho Capitol
Of South Carolina, which ought TO
bring tho blush of shame to tho check
Of ovory true American of every po-
litical shade. The laws and Consti-
? sutton Of the State havo been tramp
lcd under foot by the orders of IL Mi
li!nry Dictator at Washington, and
tho mandates Of tho Supreme Court
of tho State got at defiance. Free
dom of which we aro wont to boaet
has boon swept away; tho voice Of the
people, as fairly and legally expressed
at tho ballot box has hcen disrcgardcd
Jsnd y set Of aliens and thieves have
attempted to set themselves up as the
representatives Of tho people, in order
tosplace themselves in position to con
.tinue stealing their hard earninna. On
arriving here on Saturday evening,
the Democratic members elected TO
the Legislature, met in caucus, when
their plans, as to their future oppera>
tions were matured. II WAS resolved
that We ahould go in body ut the
appointed time, to tho Capitol of tho
State, and armed with the certificates
OF tho Supreme Court of the State,
quietly tako our seats in the Hall Of
the House Of Rerrcsontativcs, and in
tho proper way, proceed to organize
tho lowor House of the General As-
sembly of South Carolina. About
midnight before We were to meet, and
by order OF Chamberlain, the United
States troops were marched up and
placed in possession Of tho Capitol
We had determined to stand or fall
on the decision OF tho Supreme Court,
and to throw ourselves on tho same
footing with the delegates from IIaur>
ems and EdgcfieId. Delegations
marched together, and that from
Edgo6cld was placed in front, fol-
lowed by that of Iaurens. On ar
irving at tho State House, we were
halted by armed soldiery, and informed
thatwe could not pass without tho
ecrtihc"to of tho Secretary of State.
or pass from A. o. Jones, Clerk of
tho former House of Representatives
Fifty six Of us had the certificate
OF the Secretary of State, but drcl ned
to exhibit them, unloss the legally
sIocted members from EdgcfcId and
Baurens were permitted to enter with
tis and participate in tho organization
OF the House, which they had u con-
Stitutional right TO do under the sane
tion of tho Supreme Court of the
State. After some parlcying, we were
permitted TO enter the front door, but
on arriving at tho door Of the Hall,
wo wore met by another guard of
soldiers, who informed us that wo
could not pass. Parloying again on
sued, and we woro detuined with tho
evident purpose Of permitting the Re
publicNns, tifty-nine in numbor, who
weTe in tho Hall, to Organize and &C.
cure o majority in the House, 20 that
they might be able TO out vote us and
exclude tho members from Edgefieid
and Laurens. The Constitution of
lie State provides that tho House
shall DO composed Of 124 members, u
majority OF whom shall constitute O.
quorum. Tho Radicals, of course, had
no qnorum, and their organization is
iilsgal, but they did not caro- for this,
sothey accomplished their ohjvct. The
Democrats not being permitted to
enter, withdrew in dignified manner
10 the Carolina Hall, and ut 5 O'clock
that night, proceeded to organize, by
the election Of Gen. w. 81. Wallace,