The news and herald. [volume] (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1876-1881, 1876-12-07
A Letter to Gen. Ruger.
COLUMBIA, S. c., November 81

A Letter to Gen. Ruger.
COLUMBIA, S. c., November 30.
General +. II. R,tger, commanding
Umited States Troops i,s 4South
Car0iina: .'..... .....
DEAR S1R-We have just heard
through Major McGuinnis, of you,
staff, your orders communicated tc
Mr.. Wallace, Speaker Of the House
of Representatives, that at Il
o'clock tomorrow tho members
olcct from Edgehold and Laurens
would not be allowed upon the
floor. TO say that wo are surprised
ut such IN order after tho cxplana,
tions and Pledges made by you to
each one of us, is to use very mild
language. When the Outrage OF
Tuesday was committed by the
placing of aimed sentincls at the
door of the hall of the House OF
Representatives, who decided upon
tho admission OF mcmEels to thoi,
seats, and when tho decisions of the
Supreme Court were brought to
your attention, you distinctly and
warmly asserted again and again
that your orders were misunder-
stood; that you had not intended
to Mlvo sentinels ut the door Of the
hall, and that you had not anI did
not intend to assume to decide upon
the legality of any mans seat or
upon his right to enter the hall.
You we've then reminded by us that
yJu guard receivedh, ,, instructions
from one Dennis, a citizen and par
tisan Of Governor Chamberlain, to
admit parties upon his own pass or
that Of one Jones, and had, through
armed forces, excluded all Dome
Gratis from the hall until the Repub-
lican organization was completed.
You assured us again that such
werc not your orders. You were
told by us that, Notwithstanding the
preparation of this inexpreBsible
shame upon our free institutions
and the rights of the people, the
evils could be still remedied without
any violence or bloodshed by tho
simple withdrawal of your guard
from the doors of that hall that
the Democratic members could still
enter, and .,.hy parliamentary
wrestle with ,Me Republicans and q
majority of votes decide all ques-
tionsiin accordance with law and tho
usages of Legislative bodies. You
stated that no troops should be at
the door, and that under no circuln-
stances would you Interfere except
there should occur serious dis
turbancc of the peace. You affirmed
your determination to exercise no
supervisory control whatever over
the body or bodies claiming to be
the House of Representatives. All
tms occurred On yesterday. In n
later interview last night with Sena-
tor Gordon you made the same
asseverations. and this morning,
after both bodies were assembled in
the hall, you assured General
Hampton that under no circum-
stances would you interfere, except
to keep the perce. What now can
justly measure our astonishment at
the issuance OF such an order as the
one just sent by you? There is no
breach of the pence, and noprospect
of its disturbance. You had it
officially brought to your knowledge
that absolute good humor prevails
in that hall. We cannot refrain
f,om expressing the apprehension
that the fact that number of Load
ing Republicans are taking issue
with the legality of the proceedings
by the Republican House has
changed your views rs to your line
Of duty. #.
1t is proper that wo should say,
in conclusion, that We relied upon
your honor as q man and your
character as IL soldier to maintain
your pledged position of non-inter-
vention. The Democratic members
from Edyefeld and Laurens AFRO
entitled to scats by the Judgment of
the Supreme Court of this State,
and we have advised them to remain
in that hall until removed by your
troops, that the issue may be made
in this centennial year Of American
independence whether we have q
government Of law rs construed by
courts, or centralized despotism,
whose only law is force. Let the
American people behold the spocta
Gle of q brigadier general of the
army seated by the side Of Governor
Chamberlain in room of the State
House, and issuing his orders to a
Legislative body peacefully assem-
bled in one OF the original thirteen
commonwealth of this Union.
Very respectfully, yoms,
WADE HAMPTON,
j. B. Common,
.a A, G. HASKELL, T.