The New York herald., 1876-10-10
south Carolina Politics.

have an excuse for calling on the federal
tunately this is "A trick which has been played
so often in Louisiana. in Mississippi in Ala
bama and elsewhere in the South, that it is
now understood in the North, and if the
| Northern republican leaders are base enough
to play into Chamberlain's hands, to allow
him TO use them for his purposes, in the
hope that his victory will help them-if they
do this, they will between now and Novem-
ber cause revulsion in public sentiment
against them oil through the Northern
States. This is not Mexico The war ceased
eleven years ago and all sensible men in
the North believe that it is now time to let
the Southern States manage their own affairs,
and believe this because they see that wher
ever federal interference has ceased peace
| has come at once.
| Governor Chamberlain issues proclama-
, ton ordering armed bands to disperse. The
| correspondent of republican newspaper re-
! lates that he has made this proclamation on
| the report of United States marshals, whom,
| it seems, lie sent to make Investigations for
in Chamberlains confidence, adds that the
Governor means, if his proclamation is not
obeyed, to call on President Grant for
troops. Why? Suppose for moment that
there are armed combinations in the State
actually resisting and defying the laws
though this is denied by three Judges of the
Supreme Court all republicans. But sup
~ har rloiy,
used his own powers to disperse such COM
! binatons? Evidently he has not. Appar-
emily he does not mean to. He has issued
his proclamation, we are told on republican
authority, from his headquarters, Columbia,
''with the intention, if the organizations do
not disband at once, of proclaiming the
State to be in condition Of domestic vio-
lencc, and informing President Grant of that
fact and calling upon him for military aid" :"
We warn the republican leaders that Mr..
Chamberlain is drawing them toward pit
fall which may prove fatal to them. He is
evidently an unscrupulous man all his
recent actions have shown that he does not
want to keep the State in peace, but that he
means to have turmoil. When the excite
ment incident to the election had gone to a
certain pitch the Governor, whose most i'm
portant duty as conservator Of the peace was
to remain in the State, coolly left it for a
tour in New England. On his return he
stopped in Washington, and from
there issued reports, since proved
false, Of violence done to negroes in South
Carolina and Of dreadful condition
of lawlessness. Meantime there is evidence
that negroes in different parts of the State
have banded together for lawless purposes !;
but the Governor takes no notice of this.
And now his assertion that there are in some
parts of the State armed organizations defy
ing and obstructing the laws is at once and
fatty contradicted by number of republi-
cans, among them three Judges of the Su-
preme Court Of the State. One of these
remarks :--"I have seen no violence. On
the contrary, SO far as I have had intercourse
with gentlemen of your party, have OBJ
served less disposition to excited statement
and personal bitterness than during any Of
the previous political campaigns Of this
State. l sincerely hope that the fears of
rnany, that the lawless portion of the COM
munity will be permitted to disturb the
peace and injure the good name Of the State,
are groundless. am satisfied that it is the
| intention Of the leading members of your
party to prevent such state Of things, and
l believe they have the ability to do So"
| Another, Judge Mackey, also well known as
republican, relates some facts which
should show Northern republicans what is
the animus OF Chamberlain, and how he is
conducting the election. He shows that the
| Governor. himself candidate for re-elec-
tion, has managed to obtain "a beard of
State canvassers of election and returning
board, the majority of whose members are
candidates on Chamberlain's ticket, and
ninety-six commissioners of election in the
several counties, seventy of whom are Cham
berlain's declared partisans, while of the
last number some forty are county treasurers
and auditors or trial justices, holding lucra-
tive Offices by his appointment and remov-
able from Office at his pleasure, or arc
known to him as declared candidates for
Office indorsing his ticket, who unseat
themselves if they make declaration of the
election which seats the candidates opposed
| to Chamberlain and his ticket"
Here is evidence enough to justify the as
sertion of Judge Mackey that Chamberlain
is really engaged in a conspiracy against the
State. Is it not q monstrous and dangerous
stretch of power to SO constitute the elec.o-
raj returning board and the body of COM
missoncrs Of election that the majority Of
these persons are in fact TO decide upon their
own cases? But, in addition to all this,
the Governor, candidate for reelection, now
proposes to call on the federal power for
troops to help him carry out his scheme. 1t
| is very difficult for any one to believe that