The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1876-11-30
THE CANVASS IN SOUTH CAROLINA.

The action of the State Board of Can
vassers of South Carolina Is very much
to be commended. The Supreme Court
of that State consists in part OF Moses
and Whipper, two men OF tainted CHAR
acter and malodorous antecedents. GOV.
Chamberlain, supported by the Demo-
Gratis and the better class OF Republicans,
has uniformly opposed these men and
has excited their bitter animos1ty.-
What other influences were brought to
bear can only be conjectured but it
seems quite clear that they have acted
throughout in the interest OF the Demo-
Gratis.
The laws of South Carolina make 1t
the duty of the State Canvassers to hear
and decide all questions that may be
raised affecting the fairness or validity
of the election in any county, and to
throw out the returns from precincts
where they shall find that a fair election
was prevented by fraud or violence
Nevertheless the Supreme Court issued
an order to them to proceed with the
canvass in q ministerial capacity only,
20 aggregate all the returns that they
received, and then to submit them to the
further orders of the court. The effect
of this would have been to make the Su-
preme Court the State Canvasslng Board
and to reduce the State Canvassers Gre
ated by law and the constitution, to the
grade of clerks.
Nevertheless, the latter complied with
the order. They submitted the facts
and figures required by the court, and
appended areport declaring it to be their
opinion that certain irregularities should
be corrected, and that the returns from
Laurens and Edgefeld Counties should
be excluded on account of fraud and
intimidation. On Wednesday morning,
the Court made an order on the Board
to issue certificates to all the persons
who appeared to have received the high
est number of votes for members OF the
Legislature, counting all the returns.
including those of Edgfeld and Laurens
Counties also to show cause why they
should not correct the statement OF the
County Canvassers as to the vote tor
electors by certain precinct returns.
This wholly unlawful order was flag
rantly drawn in the interest OF the Dem
ocrats. Its effects would have been to
give certificates to Democratic major
ity in the Legislature, to Hampton as
governor, and probably to one OF two
| Iflden electors /; for If the Supreme
Court had once secured Jurisdiction IN
the premises, it is obvious that 1t should
have stopped at nothing. But 1t soon
| transpired that the State Canvassers had
held session prior to this action by the
| Supreme Court, had thrown out the re-
turns from Laurens and Edgefeld coun-
! ties, and had issued certificates to the
Republican electors, to Chamberlain and
the other Republican State officers elect,
| 10 no al Q0t 1
| ture except from the two counties named.
This action defeated an Infamous con-
spiracy to overthrow the lawof the State,
| to substitute the Supreme Court for the
| lawful Canvassing Board, to put the
State government into the hands OF Dem
Gratis, and to secure one or two Tllden
electors from South Carolina, thus CIV
ing him q majority.
Iu disobeying, or rather forestalllng
the order of the court, the Canvassers
| have, of course, rendered themselves
liable to be proceeded against for con-
| tempt, but this they can avoid by lea
wing the State or perhaps United
States court would interpose for their
protection. In any event their course
will vindicate itself to the judgment of
all tair minded men. 1t leaves the Dem
ocrats of South Carolina absolutely pow
erless to consummate any of their
schemes of villainy. The Republican
electors will be certified to by Gov.
Chamberlain as the laws of the United
States require, will cast their votes for
HAYES and Wheeler, and their votes will
be counted. Gov. Chamberlain and the
other Republican State-otficers elect will
be inaugurated and installed on the day
designated. The members elect OF the
Legislature, majority of whom are Re-
publicans, will assemble, and if the cam
didates in Edgefield and Laurens Coun-
ties attempt to take their seats, theywill
be elected. Thus the election OF Re-
publican to the United States Senate is
assured.
In short, the Democrats captured the
Supreme court of South Carolina, con
sisting of men whom they have been de-
nouncing for years-and with no little
iustice-as venal and corrupt scoundrels
and were then unable to- make any use
of their acquisition.