The New York herald., 1876-12-09
THE CONGRESSIONAL INVESTIGATING COMMITTEE
Its Visit 10 the State Houss---A Emly Reception BY
the Dusky DO0rkesPeB.
FLORIDA'S STATE VOTE.
Two Legislatures to Meet in Louisiana-Bo
Parties Expect Federal Recognition.
SOUTH CAROLINA.

SOUTH CAkOLlNA.
oENERAL RUGERs oRDERs-HE IS TO PRE-
SERVE THE PEAcE-HE sUsTAINs CHAMBER
LAIN so LONG AS HE Is RECOGNIZED by THE
PRESIDENT AS GovERNoR-LEaAL PROCEED
INGs TO sTARvE CHAMBERLAIN oUr--vIsIT
OF THE CONGRESSIONAL COMMITTEE
icy TELxaRApH TO THE HERALD
COLUMBIA, s. c., Dec. s, 1870.
The democratic House the centre OF interest
here to-day. Tho first thing this body did to
order its committee, appointed yesterday, to call
upon General Ruger That committee accordingly
presented itself to the General, at ms rooms
in tho Columbia Hotel, and announced
It's mission as follows-"we are q CON-
mttee OF tho House OF Representatives, directed
to wait you. the commanding officer OF the troops
in Columbia. You troops In the State
House. Will you bo kind enough TO inform by
whose authority these troops in tho State Hosuc
and for what purpose they arc thereY We wish
TO avoid tho least appearance OF violence,
but, House being the legal House. we
wish to occupy tho hall o the House
OF Representatives Are your troops instructed 10
sist tho peaceful entrance OF House into the hall
You know there Is force OF State constabulay thcre
deputy doorkccpcrs Of the House; they are guard
ing an illegal House, your troops authorized to
support tncm they resist tn0 entrance INTO the nan
oil our membsrsS"
These questions wsro reduced TO writing and sub
mitted TO the General at his request, aud be said:
GENERAL RUGERs REPLY
~ prefer my Official reply TO those questions shall
bc in writing, and shall reply at my earliest
venience am willing, however. to state, verbally
general answer, which think will the whole
ground; and shall speak plainly am, Of course.
tho commander Of the troops In Columbia and they act
under my orders Ny ordors to them come from the
President OF tho United States, and l net ~
understand those orders. Governor Chamberlain np-
ped the President for troops preserve the peaco
against violence and insurrection. President Grant
recognized Chamberlain as Governor OF South Caro-.
lima and ordered troops to be placed his disposal
The troops they placed to preserve the
psaco and TO prevent interference with tho House
which Governor Chamberlain recognizes as loyal"
The CHARnAS-But General, VIC claim We arc the
legal House, and what we wish 10 know Is that II
attempted the hall Of the House, which our
rightful place, whether the troops would interfere
with us9
General RUGER-I will say plainly that tho troops,
while they would not interfere or prevent your
trance directly would be under orders to pre-
sorvc the peace, and tho republican
House Is recognized by Governor Chamber
lain as the legal House, and Chamberlain
recognized by the President as Governor Of South
Carolina If the officers doorkecpers Of that House
resist your entrance, the officer In command Of
the troops would be compelled TO come between you
them and support them IN their resistance against
your entrance 10 the hall
CHAMBERLAIN TO BB SUSTAINED.
This is my position, while do not pretend to decide
which tho legal Houce who has tho right
in the House OF Representatives. ye: long Cham
bcrain is by the President Governor and
so long rs hc recognizes the republican House.
my orders understand them viii be 10 preserve
that House against intrusion interruption. have
been severely criticised for my actions but you can
see very clearly how nm situated While 1 dislike
very much hack respectable body of citizens
from tho halls OF the State House, yet rndcr
ders and must obey them as understand them.
PEACE POLICY op THE DEMOCRATS.
MxxBER-we very glad General. you have
spoken so canddIy. We know right and ieol
certain that Will bo established in our rights very
shortly. We wish to avoid all violence ana preserve
to the end tho peace policy which have all the
while followed. General Grant intimatcd that no
would recognize Mother House until they had sixty
three members with certificates OF tho State Board OF
Canvassers; THIS number we have and also havo
eight other members who hold certificates from our
highest court. and having organized the House to
the requirements Of tho President certainly
are the only legal House.
General RUGgR-l have received no such official
information, but Of course my action is regulated to-
ward the houses according TO tho oxcnt OF rccog
nition they receive from the President. DO not un-
derstand that intend TO support either House. Ny
position Is only to prcservc from interruption that
body which Is recognized tho legal House OF Repre-
scntatves
CHAMBERLAIN RESPONSIBLE
The General added THE troops havo been very
much blamed for thor action In this matter; but
would say that II the people OF South Carolina have
been dcbarrcd any OF their rights IS not the ault Of
the soldiers, but Of Governor Chamberlain, under
whose orders they are-that Is, tho orders como
through Chamberlain. recognized by the President as
Governor of South Carolina" /"
After some iurtner general conversation the CON-
mtee retired, with the assurance from General Ruger
that he would submit formal reply writing as
early as possible.
TuR ACTUAL MILITARY coxMANDER.
This conversation and the statement OF General
Rugcr given above disclosos tho that the troops
the State house have bocn the actual
Chamberlain and his supporters since their entrance
TO that building at midnight the 2sth Of November.
1t explains how tho democratic members ex
cludcd tho 2sth when the Legislature met until the
Mackey House had organized with quorum OF fifty
nine members and how, ever since, all attempts OF
the democrats and whites to assert their rights the
State House have bccn defeated by Chamberlain
through tho agency Of the troops
pRKsrpExr GRANT UNFOLDING CHAMBERLAIN.
Yesterday Governor Chamberlain, at tho last
moment, urged and imporcd by his most intimate
republican friends not to accept tho Inauguration
under circumstances OF such apparent aud nagrant
nlegaliiy They argued that such move would be
fatal 10 hIs iuture political prospects, aud
begged him to reconsider his determination
to DO inaugurAtcd. To these repeated and urgent
appeals the Governor immovablc He sagey
shook his head aud replied. significantly, IL know
what am dong" Tho Inference taken from this
remark OF tho Governor Is that he has fresh aud
recent assurances the President that he will he
supported - the adm,nsration 10 the last, and .hls