Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1876-12-15
Special to the New York Times

special 10 tue new oik INES.
COLUMBIA, Dec. Il. The Democratic members
of the Congressional Committee are carrying
things with high hand here. They positivel,
refuse to let the Republican members of the com
mitee know what they are doing what line of in
ves.gston they intend to pursue. what points they
desire to make, or any thing else which would ena-
be the Republicans 10 meet them. They have
been making such Investigations without any re-
publican being present. and one Of them openly
avowed to-day that this was to be investig alton
| in the interest Of the Democratic party. Gen.
Banks very pertnently replied that the democrats
| had better exclude the republicans from the room.
They have been procuring copies Of the managers
returns. but do not let the republicans see them.
The committee as whole has really done nothing
yet, except to decide that they could rot recog-
pize either Assembly as legal and constitutional
\ House of Representatives. 1t is expected that
| they will commence examining witnesses to- NOR
row as to the manner in which the election was
conducted. This will be the first public proceed
| ing before the committee. The democrats have
| been summoning witnesses from all parts Of the
State for several days, but keeping the fact Sc
| cret from the republican me bers Of the commit
| tee. But the republicans have scores of witnesses
here who came as refugees, and have not dared to
| return since the election for fear of being muir.
dered. When the committee come to investigate
the manner of the election, the democrats will get
all the evidence they want, and more too.
c. f. Mclean. Tilden's former law clerk, has
arrived here with the latest dispatches from the
| Great Reformer.
| While the Hampton Asse mbly and the Moses
court are deny ing that Chamberlain is Governor
of South Carolina the democrats all over the State
who were elected as Sheriffs, County Clerks, Cor
oners, &C., are daily sending here for their com
| missions to be signed by Gov. Chamberlain. Two
of the republican Assembl ymen, who were induced
| BY the democrats to 90 over to Hampton's bogus
Assembly to-day, returned and took their seats in
the legitimate house. 1t is believed that the other
three will follow suit in day or two. The dem
ocrats have relied on capturing enough republican
Senators to give them a majority in the upper
house, in whic case they were to secede and go
over to the Hampton Assembly, thus giving them
the appesrancesOf' Legislature; but their pros
pect of success is getting simmer every day. This
is their only hope, for they stand now, they ad
NIT that it is impossible for them to do any legis.
lative act.
The chief item Of interest to-day is the election
of Hon. Daniel L. Coz bin as United States Sena
tor for six years from the 4th of March next, in
place Of Hon. l.. j. Robertson, whose term then
expires. lie was elected in the Assembly on the
second ballot, his competitors being ex-Congress-
man Elliott, lately elected Attorney General OF
the State; {. {. Bowen of Charleston, and L. A
Palmer, at present y member of the Assembly, In
the Senate there were five ballots, the republicans
distributing their votes during the first four bal
lots among the same candidates voted for in the
Assembly. The Democratic Senators divided
their votes between Gen. Gary, of Edgefeld Nj.
G. Butler, of the same county, and now under in
dctment for his participation in the Ellenton riots
aud Wade Hampton who received one vote. On
the last ballot they all voted for Gary aud the re-
pubicans all centred on Corbn. Tomorrow there
will be joint meeting Of the two houses to com
pare the vote, and Corbn will be declared Sena-
tor. Hsmpton's Assembly, which still goes
through the form of meeting daily in Carolina
Hall, had one ballot for Senator, distributing their
votes among about a dozen candidates among
them Butler, who was the favorite; Gen Gary,
Gen. MCGOWAN, Mr.. Robertson, and Mr.. Porter
of Charleston. Then they adjourned without tax
ing another ballot. Major Corbin, who is to be
the next United States Senator from this State is
a native Of Vermont, about forty eight years OF
age, and graduate Of Dartmouth College of the
Glass of SO. AT the outbreak of the war he raised
company of volunteers at Wells River, where he
was then practising law. lie was unanimously
elected Captain, was severely wounded in one of
the Virginia battles, and was taken prisoner and
confined IN Libby Prison. At the close of the
war he was detailed by Gen. Sicklesto the Freed
mems Bureau at Charleston, and has since resided
in South Carolina. He has served six wears in the
Senate Of this State. and he has four times been
appointed United States District Attorney of
South Carolina, this being his nth year of service
in that office. lie is man of unimpeschable
character, an able lawyer, hard worker and per-
sonaly very popular