The daily gazette., 1876-12-13
sOUTH CAROLINA's sENAToR SHIP.

SENATOR RonERTsoN's LETTER OF DE-
CLINATIoN.
A Columbia despatch to the New York
Heraid contains the following -
"Quite an important event took place
today in the announcement that United
States Senator r. j. Robertson had re-
fused to become u candinate for reelection
before the General Assembly composed
of the Senate and Mackcy House. The
Senutor, in letter in reply to one asking
him to he Il candidate for reelection,
gives his views on the situation here as
tollows:--
"CoLuMBIA, S. C., Dec. Q, 1S76.-Dear
Sir:-Iour request in behalf of yoursdli
and others of my friends for an express
sion of my views and wishes as to allow
ing my name to be used as candidate
for reelection to the United States Sen
ate mt the election intended to be held on
Tuesday next, in which it is expected
that the Senate will cooperate with the
body known as the Mackey House, CON
veycd by your letter of this date, has
been duly received. ! can see no way in
which, consistently with the views of
duty, l could permit myself to stand as a
candidate for reelection by that body.
1t has been decided by our Court of last
resort that the body claiming to partici-
pate in that election rs the House of
Representatives is not n constitutional
and legal body, and that it can perform
no act that can be recognized by the
Courts. ! am bound, by consistency
with all my past official action, and my
recent opinions and convictions, to hold
that ii is the province of my own state,
having the same rights as the most IA
vored States in the Union, to determine
for herself the question of the constitu-
tion and legal character of her public Of
ficers. | know no other way OF reaching
final conclusion on such % subject but
that through the determinations of the
courts. As citizen, bel sv ng that all
security for life and property rests in
obeying and supporting the judicial au
thority of the State, am constrained To
yield to the final decision of this question
by the courts. | should not be worthy to
represent my State in the United States
Senate if | uid not, respect the constitu-
tiOnal rights of The State and give to them
my full efforts for their maintenance, or
if | fail to yield obedience to the consti-
tutional powers appointed by the State
for the determination of such questions;
nor could ! hope that | should be slis-
tanned by the United States Senate should
| Weld myself to measures looking to the
disfranchisemcnt of my State or resisting
her constitutional authorities. That
body has always acted with eminent dig
nifty and Justice and, could | overcome
all other objections, / could not possibly
present myself before that body seeking
its recognition while plotting against the
integrity and honor OF the State dear to
me by birth and lifelong associations,
and pecoliarlo so under the relations that
l sustain to her as her representative in
the highest national body, bound to ex-
ert myself for her protection and al
vancement. Regarding this body, in
tending to proceed to elect United
States Senator, on Tuesday next, as con
stitutionally defective for want of the co
operation of the constitutional House OF
representatives, | am constrained to
withhold my name as n candidate before
it. "'Ncrv respectfully yours,
"tF. j. RoBERTsoN,
United States Senator
The bLlloting for Il Senator com
mences tomorrow, the most prominent
| candidates being G. G. Bowen, United
| States District Attorney Corbin, Il. Il
| Elliott and +. l.. CardoZa, the latter two
colored. The Wallace House will not
| ballot as the Demacrats'c claim the Glen
eral Assembly has not yet commenced its
session