The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1876-12-08
TINE CONTESTED STATES.
SOUTH CAROLINA.


Legislature of South Carolina, including the
Democratic members elected from Edgefeld
and Laurens counties, under promise frcm
Gen. Ruger that he would not interfere, to ok
peace able possession Of the Legislative hall
Gen. Wallace, the Speaker, took his place at
the Speakers desk. Shortly afterwards,
Mackey, Speaker of the bayonct House. came
| in and ordered Wallace TO vacate The lat
ter replied that he had been duly elected
| by majority of the House and intended to
perform his duties. Mackey then ordered
/ his sergeant-ata 10 remove Wallace and
the latter in turn ordered his sergeant-at-
arms TO remove Mackey. A collision SEEM
ed imminent, but neither side desired to
take the initiative in violent proceedings.
Mackey accordingly took a seat alongside
of Wallace, and The spectacle was presented
of two Speakers presiding over two legisla
lures in the same room. Both sides trans
acted business at the same time, so far as
speech'making and the passage of sundry
resolutions was concerned.
A message was sent to Gen. Wallace by
Gen. Kruger that the next day the Democratic
members from Edgefeld and Laurens would
not be admitted A vigorous protest was
made and Gen. Kruger was informed that the
members in question, being duly elected, and
holding certificates from the Supreme Court
would retain their places until elected by
force.
The Democrats unable 10 obtain any as
surance from Gen, Ruger that in case they
| adjourned they would be permitted to assem-
Bile upon the status they then held, would not
leave the hall, but held the fort" eating and
sleeping at their posts. Gen. Ruger's threat
to eject the Edgefleld and Laurens members,
was not carried out creating belief that
! subsequent instructions from Washington
had given him an excuse TO Z" go slow"
| Matters continued in the same state until
| Monday morning, when General Wallace
| learned that one hundred colored roughs,
who had been sworn in as constables, would
with the aid Of Gen. Rugers soldiers, attempt
| TO remove the members from Edgelcld and
| Laurens. To avoid boodshed he thereupon
advised the Democratic members and the
| Republicans who had come over to them,
| to quietly yacate the hall. This was accord
ingly done. and the body assembled in Caro-
| lima Hall. The constitutional Legislature
was composed of 60 members, holding cert.fi-
Gates from the Board of Canvassers, and the
eight members from the two disputed coun-
ties-Gs in all. The bayonet Legislature was
thus left with only SO members, holding GER
tifcates of election, while the Constitution
declares that G3 arc necessary TO a quorum.
President Grant has declared that he would
not recognize any body not having the con.
stitutional quorum of CO, holding certificates
| from the canvassing board.
On Tuesday two more Republicans went
over to the Democrats, making the Demo
cratic membership of the House holding can
vasscls' certificates So, and 70 including the
s delegates from Edgefleld and Laurens.
The Senate and the bayonet House met in
Joint session on Tuesday, and throwing out
the votes for Hampton in Edgeield and Lau-
rens counties, declared Chamberlain elected
by 3044 majority.
This action was fastened, it is stated, by
the fear that the Supreme Court would decide
that the Mackey House Of Representatives
was illegally organized.
General Hampton, i'll speech, declared
that he had been fairly elected Governor OF
South Carolina and intended to be Governor
The Democrats applied to the Supreme
Court for an Injunction to prevent Mackey
the so called speaker of the bayonct House
from counting the votes for Governor. The
Injunction was granted, and the Mackey
Legislature is thus declared, by the highest
judicial power in the State, an illegal body.
Chamberlain has not been inaugurated, and
never will be.
The order of the Supreme Court requires
the State to turn over the returns for Gov
ernor and Lieutenant Governor to Speaker
Wallace, of the constitutional House.
On Wednesday another Republican de-
serted the Chamberlain faction, giving the
legal House 63 members holding certificates
of the Returning Board, which is IA legal ma
jority, and assures, beyond doubt, the in
auguration of Governor Hampton.
The Democratic electors met Oh Wtdnes-
day and cast their votes for Tilden and Hen
bricks
LOUISIANA.
The Louisiana Returning Board carried
out the programme marked for it from the
beginning by throwing out Democratic ma
| jorities sufficient TO give the Hayes electors
from 5000 to 1000 majority. They have
also given the entire Republican State ticket
$500 majority, and q large majority in the
Legislature. Their counsel seek TO Justify
the throwing out of Democratic votes on
charges of intimidation and irregnariiv
FLORIDA.
The Florida Returning Board, like its
compeers in South Carolina and Louisiana,
by the counting out system, declared on
Wednesday a majority Of $50 for the Hayes
electors.
They have also counted in i" The Rcpub-
lican Governor, Lieutenant Governor and
two members of Congress.
A BooMERANG.-The Republican mana
gers in New Orleans in undertaking TO prove
| TINT Tho lorrp mn inrity FIR Tildnn ond H.,