The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1876-11-30
THE SITUATION.
Little Changes in
South Carolina.
Both Legislatures in
Session.
Horrible tale of DEM
Ocratic Barbarity
i'm Louisiana.
The Florida Board
Hearing Evidence.
SOUTH CAROLINA.

COLUMBIA, NOV. 29.-1n the Senate yeSter-
day the Senators from Edgefeld, Laurens an
Abbevie counties presented themselves, and
were admitted on certificates of the Supreme
Court, but were refused seats. Standing COM
mlttees were appointed, and the credentials of
the above mentioned Senators were taken in
charge by the Committee on Privileges and
Elections, and will be acted on in due time.
The Senate is composed of thirty-three men,
bers; three of these being excluded, left thirty
only. OF that number Is were Republicans
and u Democrats Three of the Republicans
will vote with the Democrats, which makes
dead lock in that body. The three excluded
are all Democrats, who have the best of pros
poets of being admitted.
Yesterdays Proceedings in the Two
Legislatures.
Thersituation to-day is unchanged, with the
exception that the Republican House has been
in session all the morning. but were unable to
Transact business on account of absences,
which leave it without quorum. The Senate
is discussing the concurrent resolution passed
by the House yesterday to 60 into the canvass
for Governor and Lieut. Governor The Demo-
cratic House went into secret session in Caro-
lima Hall after receiving the report of the
committee appointed yesterday to obtain the
returns from the Secretary of State for Gov
ernor and Lieut. Governor The committee
reported that the Secretary had surrendered
the returns to Mr.. Mackey, the Speaker of the
Republican House. The military still garrison
the State House.
The Supreme Court met and adjourned with
out transacting any business, the lawyers being
engaged in making returns to the habeas
corpus case of the board of canvassers in Judge
Bonds U. S. Circuit Court.
The Sergeant-at-arms of the Republican
House is engaged in looking up absentees, but
without success so far.
Later-The only matter of importance which
has transpired since noon is that the missing
member of the Republican Legislature has
been discovered and brought in, which gave
that body their alleged quorum of SO.
The Senate which seems to be recognized by
both Houses, passed resolution appointing
IL NJ Friday as the hour to commence canvass
ing the vote for Governor and Lieut. Governor,
and adjourned till that time. Nothing has
developed from the Democrats
The Republican House seated five colored
contestants to the seats from Barnwell county
for which certificates had previously been Civ
en- to the Democrats by the board of state
canvassers and the Secretary of State. This
was done by vote of 65 to IA, protests being
entered by two members as the Democrats were
not aware of the contests and the seats were
accorded on testimony which was ex parte
In the senate the concurrent resolution pass
ed yesterday by the house, providing for a can
vass Of returns for Governor and 1t. Governor
to-day at p. m, was amended, naming IL M
Friday, to which time Senate adjourned.
Democratic Protest.
The following protest. signed by all the Dem
ocratic senators, was entered upon the records
of the senate:
In accordance with notice given yesterday,
we the undersigned senators of the state of
South Carolina beg leave to place upon record
this our solemn protest against the proceedings
by this body which in any degree recognize the
legality of the body calling itself the house of
representatives of South Carolina, over which
e. w. Matkey claims to preside as speaker,
which met on the 2Sth inst. and claimed to or
ganlze in the hall of representatives
The constitution of South Carolina makes
each house the judge of election returns and
qualifications OF its own members. The Supe-
rior Court of the state has by formal Judgment
decided that the members from the counties of
Edgeheld aud Laurens who received the high
est number of votes were entitled to seats
These members have been refusen admission
to the hall and all participation in the organi.
cation by armed soldiers of the United States
who barred with bayonets the door of the hall
Of representatives and acted as judges of the
election returns and qualifications of its menu
bers
We have seen armed forces of the United
States overriding the plain declaration of the
constitution of the State. We have witnessed
the solemnumockery of a corporal of the guard
reviewing and reversing judgment of the high
est court. We have seen the spectacle humil-
iating in the last degree to every right.minded
American. The halls of legislation was occu-
pied at the hour of Amidnight and held against
the ingress of the law-makng powers and at
time of the pr0foundest peace, when not a
single act of violence furnished the slightest
pretext for usurpation.
We have seen still more humiliatiDg spec
tacle-United States troops placed under i'm
mediate control and receiving orders from
citizen without authority and partizan of
party power. We have seen this citizen as
suming absolute control of the capitol of the
commonwealth and admitting through lines of
armed sentinels Of his own partisons upon his
own edict or written passes from one Jones,
another citizen, who was selected by these
partlsaIs to organize the House of Representa-
lives. We have seen this body of partsans
thus admitted. claiming to organize without
quorum in violation of the law and in defiance
of the Supreme court and under the protection
of United States troops.
We, therefore, enter this, our protest, against
any recognition of said body pretending to be
the blouse of Representatives" of the state of
South Carolina, and for the following reasons:
Said body having organized without a consti-
tutlOnal quorum, there being but So members
present as shown by it's own journal, whereas
majority of the entire representation is requi-
site, to wit, 63 members, as set forth in the
journals of the house during the last eight
years and as confirmed by immemoria practice
In legislative bodies in every American state,
and we do further allege on our own RESPONSE
bility as senators that said body still is without
a constitutional quorum and therefore wanting
in the organic character of the house of repre-
sentatves of South Carolina and ought not to
be recognized as such.
There is no truth as far as can be learned in
the report that two Hayes electors refuse to
take certificates,