The Morristown gazette. [volume] (Morristown, Tenn.) 1867-1920, 1876-12-06
SOUTH CAROLINA.
An Astounding Order from Cen
Kruger, and a whitening letter
from Gordon, Hampton and
Haskell.


Haskell.
COLUMBIA, Nov. 80. Up. N.-The
situation is but little changed at the
State house. Good humor prevails
on both sides. Some efforts at q
compromise have been made, which
may result satisfactorily.
y About 8 o'clock p. N. Gen. Ruger
sent his staff officer to the Speakers
stand and notified the Democratic
Speaker, Mr.. Wallace, that, at twelve
o'clock tomorrow, the Democratic
members from Edgefield will not be
permitted on the floor of tie House.
Upon the receipt of that order the
following letter was indignantly
sent: -
COLUMBIA. S. c., Nov. 3O.-To
Gen. T. III. Ringer, commanding United
States troops tn South Carolind-
Dear Sir: We have just heard.
through Maj. McGinnis of your taft.
your order communicated to Mr..
Wallace, Speaker of the House of
Representatives. that at IL o'clock
tomorrow the members elect from
Edgefeld would not be allowed upon
the floor or the House. To say that
we are surprised at such an order,
after the explanations and pledges
made by you to each one Of us. is to
use very mild language. When the
outrage of Tuesday last was commit
ted by the placing of armed sentinels
at the door of the House of Repre-
sentatives, who decided upon the
admission of members to their seats,
and when the provisions of the Con-
stltution and the decision Of the
Supreme Court were brought to your
attention you distinctly and warmly
asserted, again and again, that your
orders were misunderstood that
YOU had not intended to have senti-
tnefs at the door Of the Hall. You
we're then reminded by rs that your
guard received instructions from one
Dennis, a citizen, and partisan of
Gov. Chamberlain, to admit parties
on his own pass, or that of one Jones,
and through armed forces, excluded
all Democrats from the Hall until
the Republican organization was
completed. You assured us again
that such we're not your orders.
You were told by US that, notwith-
standing the preparation Of this
inexpressibIe shame upon our free
institutions and the rights of the
people, the evils could still be RENE
died without any violence or blood
shed by the withdrawal ofyour guard
from the doors of the Hall that the
Democratic members would, with the
Republicans, and by majority of
votes, decide all questions in accor-
dance with law and the usages oil
Legislative bodies. You stated that
no troops should be at the door,
and that under no circumstances
would you interfere except there
should occur a serious disturbance OF
the peace. You affirmed your deter
mination to exercise no supervisory
control whatever over the body or
bodies claiming to be the House of
Representatives. All this occurred
on yesterday. Last night in a later
interview with Senator Gordon, you
made the same assurances, and this
morning, after both bodies had as
sembled in the Hall, you assured
Gen. Hampton that under no cir
cumstances would you interfere ex-
cept to keep the peace. What now
can Justly measure our establishment
at tue issuance of such an order as
the one just sent by you. There is
no breach of the peace and no pros
pect of its disturbance. You had il
officially brought TO your knowledge
that absolute good humor prevails
in that hall. We cannot refrain from
expressing the apprehension that the
fact that a number of leading Re
publicans are taking issue with the
legality of the proceedings by the
Republican House has changed your
views as to your line Of duty.
1t is proper we should say in con-
clusion that we relied upon your
honor as a man and your character
as a soldier 20 maintain your pledged
position of non-intervention. The
Democratic members from Edgefeld
and Laurens are entitled to their
seats by the judgement of the Su-
preme 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 this
centennial year OF American indie
pendence whether we have a govern
ment of law as construed by the
courts or a centralized despotism
whose only law is force. Let the
American people behold the specta-
Gle of a Brigadier-General of the
army seated beside Gov. Chan ber-
lain in a room of the State-house and
issuing his orders to Legislative
body peacefully assembled in one OF
the original thirteen Commonwealth
of the Union.
j. B. CONDOR,
rSigned7 WADE HAMPTON,
A. C. HASKELL
These three gentlemen had been
in conference with Cen. Ringer yes