The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1876-12-07
DUpLIciTY OF GRANT AND RUGER.

date of December 1st. This report will
not bear criticism. 1t does not conceal
the facts attending the great crime COM
mitted by Grant, Chamberlain and Ruger
against the constitution of The United
States, and the rights Of the people of
South Carolina, and it is too thin to hide
the motives which act: atcd and the ends
sought to be accomplished by this nliser-
able triumrirate, acting in concert to
overturn constitutional rights, and to de-
feat the clearly expressed will Of the
people Of the State. 1t is on its face
self-contradictory. The first sentence
ssserts that he tGen. Ruger) had alb
stained from interference with the organ
ization of the House from the first, and
the last sentence admits that soldiers
were posted at the door Of the Represen-
tative Hall, and persons claiming the
right Of entrance under the certificate Of
the Clerk of the Supreme Court were
refused admission. Here, then, is an
admission by the commanding General
of the troops that an atrocious and un-
justi6able wrong was committed by the
troops, but disclalming that he did it.
Grant denines that it was done by his
order or knowledge, and Chamberlain
remains mum. Who did it? The hu-
initiating confession is made by General
Ruger that it was done by person u at
the door Of the House, who had no legal
authority for doing SO. Why did Gen.
R. permit this irresponsible person to
use his troops to enable him to pcrpetrate
crime against law and the legislative
rights of the State. The end attained
by this wrong, shows the object with
which it was done. No sooner was it
ascertaiued that General Hampton had
been fairly and clearly elected Governor
of the State, and that majority of
Democrats had been elected to the Leg
islature, than Grant commenced the
concentration of troops in Columbia,
and before the hour for the meeting OF
the Legislature these troops were sta
toned in the Capitol and Mt the door OF
the Hall. A few days previous to the
time for the meeting of the Legislature
Gen. R. was in Florida, but was ordered
in great haste to Columbia. Gen. R.
knew that without the interference of
troops the will of the people as expressed
at the ballot box would become law,
that Hampton would be inauguratcd
Governor and the Legislature Demo-
cratic. The triumvirate knew that this
would be effected peaceably, and the
troops were used, not to keep the peace,
but to enable the Republicans by disre-
garding the will of the people, and
trampling upon the most sacred rights of
man, to produce conflict and bloodshed.
In this they have been disappointed,
There has been no lawlessness, except
on the part of Grant, Chamberlain and
Ruger. There has been no desire to dis
turb the tranquility of the State or
thwart the will of the people, except by
the Republicans, and they have attemp-
ted to produce conflict by exercising
lawless usurpations, and thereby goading
the people on to desperation and yio-
lence. Chamberlain, by the most un-
blushing falsehood, had the troops in
Columbia placed at his disposal,
Grant wickedly aud cognizant of the
falsehood ordered the troops TO be
placed at his disposal, and General
Ruger permits person at the door of
the Hall-a tool OF Chamberlain-to
use them for the perpetration of lawless-
ness and to defeat the will of the people.
Notwithstanding General Ruger in
this report disclaims all intention of in
terferring with the organization Of the
House, yet, within two days he sent q
member of his staff to announce to
Speaker Wallace that if the Representa-
tives from Edgefeld and Laurens did
not leave the Hall before 12 o'clock on
the next day, he would forcibly eject
them. This he did not do; why, he has
never informed General Wallace or the
country. Such an outrage as this, if
perpetrated, would have ended Grantisn
and Radicalism in the United States.
But why did Gen. R. not execute his
threat? 1t is evident that change in
the policy to be pursued was agreed upon
before t,celuc O'Clock the neat day. Is it
attributable to the scathing rebuke that
Gen. R. received from Gems. Hampton,
Gordon and Haskell, who referred him
to his promises and his proposed viola
ton of them, or to the dread of popular
condemnation? When did regard for
the observance of good faith or the fear
of public sentiment prevent Radical
leaders from accomplishing their purpo-
ses? No, the leaders who control the
action of Gen. R. have done all they
dare do to provoke disturbance, and
they knew that if United States troops
elected those members it would be done
without any disturbance Of the peace,
that there would be no riot, no blood
shed, without which NIL their hopes OF
success must be disappointed; and hence
some other plan must be devised, so
odious and oppressive that the Demo-
Gratis will be driven to violent resistance.
The plan as finally developed was that
the State Constabulary force, under the