Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1876-12-08

lOuI OemOCTdtS anu TWO hepuDllCans
participated.
The Republican House on the Goth
seated. five colored contestants to the
seats for Barnwell County, for which
certificates had previously been given
to the Democrats by the Board of State
Canvassers and the Secretary of State.
This was done by vote of 45 to IA, pro-
tests being entered by two members, as
the Democrats were not aware of the
contests, and the seats were accorded on
testimony which was eE pdrte. In the
Senate a concurrent resolution to can
vass the returns on the 1st was adopted.
A protest against the recognition of the
Republican House of Representatives,
signed by all the Democratic Senator'S,
was entered upon the records of the
Senate.
The Democratic House went into Sc
cret session in Carolina Hail. after re-
ceiving the report of committee ap-
| pointed to obtain the returns from the
| Secretary of State for Governor and
Lieutenant. Governor The Democrats
reported that the Secretary had sur
rendered the returns to Mackey, Speaker
Ol Jne ftepuDllCan house.
On the morning of the Both ult. the
Democratic House took peaceable pos
session of the State Legislature hall, at
their regular hour of convening, eleven
o'clock. The Republican House entered
the hall at noon, their regular hour of
meeting. Both Speakers were on the
stand. Wallace, Democrat, was in the
chair, and Mackey, Republican, occupied
the Clerks desk. Republican members
Hamilton and Meyers denounced the &C.
tion of the Republican House as illegal
and unconstitutional. Everything was
peaceable and good temper prevailed
No person was allowed in the hall except
members. Negotiations were commenced
for compromise. In the afternoon Gen.
Ruger notified Speaker Wallace that at
noon on the 1st the Democratic members
from Edgefield County would not be per-
mitted on the floor of the House. Upon
receipt of this order a letter signed by
Gen. Hampton, Senator Gordon and Has
kell, who had been in conference with
Gen. Ruger, was sent to him, charging
him with violation of his word, in that
he had pledged himself to non-interven-
ton, and saying that by their advice the
members from Edgefield County would
remain in the hall until removed by the
troops.
Both bodies occupied the House dur
ing the night of the both ult. A propo-
sition was signed by the two Speakers to
adjourn the respective Houses to meet
simultaneously at noon, with the status
of each unchanged, provided Gen. Ruger
would agree, but he refused on the
ground that he must obey orders if he
received them from Washington. At
six o'clock in the evening of the 1st u
dispatch said everything remained I'M
changed. Both parties were expecting
Federal interference, but Gen. Ruger
had done nothing toward excluding the
Edgetield and Laurens members from
the floor.
Gen. Ruger on the 1st sent the follow.
ing dispatch to Washington:
COLUMBIA, s. C.. Dec. l.
GEN W. T. SHERMAN, or Secretary Of War, Wash
ington, ID. c.:
l have carefully abstained from interference
with the organization of the House. From the
first, the application of the Governor, and my
own belief for the necessity therefor for the pres
ervation OF the peace, placed troops in the State
House, but not in the rooms OF assembly OF either
of the houses, on the day Of meeting. 1t came
about that for time soldiers were placed on
either side Of the door of entrance TO the hall Of
the House of Representatives under the following
circumstances: person at the door OF the House,
and who claimed authority to examine the certih-
Gates Of those claiming TO be members prior to
their admission to the hall but who, think, had
no legal authority for so doing applied 10 the ON
in command of the troops placed in the corridor
for the preservation Of the peace for assist
ance, on the ground that he was pressed upon, and
could not perform his duty. Soldiers were placed
Ms stated. AS soon as was fully Informed Of the
circumstances | ordered the soldiers Withdrawn,
! "a had informed Cham bpr
should conine my action to the preservation OF
the peace, and should do nothing with refetence
to keeping the doors of the rooms of the meeting
Of the houses or the rooms themselves, unless II
became necessary because OF Il breach of the
peace which the civil officers Of the houses should
be unable to restore. No act was done by the
soldiers except that Of presence, as stated, but
whilst they were so present. persons claiming
the right Of entrance under certificates from the
clerk Of the Supreme Court were refused sdmis-
sion. THOMAS II. RUGER,
Commanding Department.
There was no change in the situation
up to the evening of the Sd. Both
bodies still remained in session in Repre-
sentatives' Hall. Two Republican mem
bers (colored), Myers and Hamilton, de-
serted the Republican side on the I'd
and were sworn in by the Democratic
Speaker. The Republicans seated four
new members from Abbeville County.
Mackey, in the House on the evening of
the I'd, told Wallace he intended to re-
move the Edgefeld men with the State
Constables. Wallace said the House was
the only cOnservator of its own order,
and could not legally be interfered with
by the Constables or any outside force,
and he would resist them with all
the power at his command and not
yield except to the United States troops
under command of Gen. Ruger. 1t was
reported on the evening of the Sd that
preparations were being made by the
State constabulary or militia to remove
the Democratic Speaker from the chair
and eject the Democratic members of
the Edgefeld and Laurens Counties dele
cations whom the Republicans claim
were not legally elected. The report
stated that they would be sustained by
United States troops. The Democrats
were reported preparing for the worst.
After the two Houses were called too order
on the 4th Speaker Wallace announced
that, as there were 100 special Constables
in the State House to eject the Demo
cratic members, and as he feared such
an attempt would be resisted, and blood
shed would ensue, he adjourned his
IlOuS6 W OaIollud HAL. NC DcuOSIdts
thereupon withdrew to that hall and i'm
mediately went into secret session.
What action was taken was unknown
The session of the Republican House
was also secret. The Senate, by vote
of 16 to IA, voted to adjourn just be-
fore two p. m, the hour set for counting
the vote for Governor. The Republican
House ON the 4th had membership OF
fifty-six holding certificates from the
Board of Canvassers and the Democrats
had sixty, requiring only three to make
a quorum.
An American gentleman once went
to call upon Wordsworth, lost his way in
the vain attempt to discover Rydal
Mount, took a wrong turn, and wenI
three or four miles beyond. Meeting an