The New York herald., 1876-11-29
At Columbia Yesterday.


with the extraordinary proceedings at Co
lumba does not lie at the door OF Wade
Hampton and his supporters. We doubt
if the citizens of New York or Massa-
chusetts would have gone through
similar trial with equal credit. II,
in a contested election, when both parties
claimed the Legislature of this State,
federal troops had been stationed at
Albany; if the soldiers had taken pos
session of the State House at midnight
preceding the day when the Legislature
is required to meet ; if they had barred the
entrance of members claimed to have been
elected by one political party; if they had
thus given the organization Of the Legisla-
ture to party which had to strain
the law to give 1T the false
appearance of a quorum, we doubt II the
citizens of New York would have been as
patient, as forbcaring, rs self-controlled as
the citizens of South Carolina showed
themselves to be yesterday when federal
bayonets hcdged the passage to the legisla-
tive hall against persons who had at least
colorablc claim to take part in the proceed
ings.
The bearing Of South Carolina citizens in
the great trial to which they were subjected
yesterday was admirable. There has never
been more critical and dangerous con-
juncture in the history of Ameri-
can politics. The whole country
had its attention fixed on the proceedings
at Columbia, and there was q great strain
of anxiety and apprehension lest scenes of
violence and bloodshed should set the
whole country on fire and inaugurate
new civil war. Public passions are in SO
inhammable state that a mere spark might
have kindled confagration of which the
consequences would have been appalling.
Happily no spark fell into the dry tinder,
and we felicitate the country that the point
Of danger is passed.
The credit of preserving the peace at
Columbia yesterday is due to General Wade
Hampton, the democratic candidate for
Governor. He had only to lift a
finger, he had only to signify the
slightest assent, and the State House
would have been rescued from the federal
soldiers and his supporters could have
controlled the organization of the Legisla-
ture. The federal troops were only three
hundred, and there were at least eight
thousand democrats present in Columbia
accustomed to the use of arms, with arms
probably upon their persons, who could
have crumpled and annihilated the small
federal force had they given way to their in
dignation and their sense of wrong. 1t is
fortunate that they have leader so strong
SO sagacious, SO self-poised and so thor
oughly trusted as Wade Hampton. He per-
fectly understands the situation, and, if we
may Judge by his conduct yesterday,
he will make no mistakes. There
was danger at one critical moment
that tho excited citizens might press
their way into the State House in spite of
the federal soldiers, but General Hampton
came forward and made speech to the in
censed multitude which calmed their pas
sions and caused them peaceably to disperse.
His supporters have too much confidence in
him to do anything against his wishes, and
he understands the situation too well to per-
NIT any resort to violence. He is too clear
sighted and cautious to give the republicans
such nm advantage, and we are encouraged
to hope that this difficulty will be settled by
peaceful methods.
1t is clear enough that the use made Of the
federal troops yesterday was without
any constitutional warrant At the very
utmost there is nothing which they
could legally do beyond the preser-
vation of the local peace. But they
undertook to decide what members are en-
titled to seats in State Legislature. They
assumed to overrule the judgment Of the
Supreme Court Of the State and to decide
that claimants to seats should not appear
to present their claims. There is no federal
law which authorizes this kind of interfer-
ence. The constitution and laws of South
Carolina make the Legislature itself the
sole judge of the election of its own
members and their titles to seats. But the
federal troops took the question out of their
hands and decided in advance that demo-
cratic members should not only be excluded
from seats, but that they should not
even be allowed to enter the legislative
hall to present the evidence of their
title. There could not be
moro wanton, monstrous and indefensible
violation of law than this assumption by
the federal army Of right to decide who had
and who had not been elected to State
Legislature. This is not merely the opinion
of the HERALD--it is the opinion of
the ablest republican lawyers. If we
had space for quotations We could show
that it was the opinion of Mr.. Evarts,
Judge Selden, and the most re-
spected members Of the Bar Of this
State when similar outrage
on law and decency was perpetrated in
Louisiana in January, 1875. The whole
snanch of Mr. Eyarts ut the Cooner InStituie