The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1876-12-14

the clerks desk. wallace was subsequently
tSat by messenger from Gen. Ruger
members from Edgefield would not be
permitted on the floor of the House. A
letter was thereupon sent to Gen. Ru.
gr,, signed by Messrs. T. B. Gordon,
wade Hampton and A. G. H ,skel express
ing astooishment at this interference ON his
which was being conducted in good
hatured manner, and calling his attention to
the fact that he had previously assured them
that no troops should thereafter be at the
door of the He, Sc. and that under no cir
cums'ances would he interfere except there
| should Ge serious disturbance of the
peuce. They close their letter as follows:
The Democratic members from Edge
field and Laurens are en- tiled to their seats
by the Judgment of the Supreme Court of
the State, and We have advised them to re-
main in that hall until removed by
made in this Centennial year Of Ameri.
can independence. whether we have
a Government of laws as construed
by the courts, or centralized despotism
whose only law is force. Let the American
people behold the spectacle of Brigadier-
General Of the army seated by the side of
Gov Chamberlain, in room of the State
House, and issuing his orders TO a Legisla-
tive body peacefully assembled in one Of The
| original thirteen Commonwealth of this
Union"
The situation on the LIST was unchanged.
Both bodies had occupied the House of
Representatives hall since the day before
Numerous propositions for a compromise
availed nothing. The United States troops
did not in erfere with the proceedings Gen
Kruger sent dispatch to Gen Sherman ex-
planning the action # the troops on the soth
ult saying that as soon as he had been in
formed OF the placing of the soldiers at the
entrance OF the House of Representatives
t. protect the action of person engaged,
without legal authority, in examining the
| certificates of those claiming to be members
OF the House. he had ordered the soldiers
Withdrawn, as he had previously in ormed
| g ". Chamberlain he should contne his ac-
ton to the preservation of the peace.
The rival Houses were still in session on
the I'd. Two Republican members (colored)
Myers and Hamilton-deserted the Repub-
lican side and were sworn in by the Demo-
cratic Speaker. In the evening the Repub.
licans seated four new members from All
beyvillc County; no protests or contests
were heard; the Democratic members, with
certificates of election from the Board
motion was mad. in the Supreme
Court in behalf of Wallace, Speaker of the
Democratic House, for mandauus on
Mackey, Speaker Of the Republican House,
to compel him to deliver the returns for
Cover or in is possession to Wal ace. us
the legal Speaker OF the legal House; also
motion for quo warranto on the Hayes
Electors; both cases would be heard on the
4tl.
At noon on the 4th, Mr.. Wallace, the Dem
ocratic Speaker, announced that he had been
Informed officially that large Constabula-
ry force, fully armed, had been organized to
eject the Edgefeld and Laurens delegates
from the floor, and that, if resisted, the mill
ry would be called in. To avoid bloodshed,
he recommended that they adjourn il.
peace The motion was put and carried by
Democrats. Speaker Mackey, Republi-
can, then read a preamble and res
olution in which it was recitcd that
the House of Representatives assembled
on the 18th of November, and there being
quorum of duly-elected members present,
proceeded to elect their officers; that on the
3Oth OF November tie hall was taken posses
sion of by Ger ain men, who usurped the
speakers and Clerks prerogatives and i'm
peded The public business, and were inter-
rupting the business and delaying the author
ity # the House of Representatives of
South Carolina. The resolu ion called on
the Governor to take measures to protect
the House against the unlawful intrusion,
intimida ion, and violence of the body of
men who, by their unlawful conduct and
presence in the House, were preventing
the assembling in joint convention OF
the Legislature, as provided by the Con-
stitution. The resolutions passed. The
another hall. The Republican body then
went into secret session. The Senate
adjourned without going into joint con-
vcntion and the election of Governor
was not declared. The Republican Presi-
dental Electors were served with rule to
appear n the Supreme Cou on the 5th and
show by what authority they proposed to
act. The Supreme Court heard arguments
during the entire day on the application for
mandamus requiring the Secretary of State
to deliver the returns for Governor and
Lieutenant Governor to Speaker Wallace,
aud adjourned at 7:30 y. m. until the 5th.
FLORIDA
Several af1idavits were presented by the
Democrats before the Board of Canvassers
on the Goth ult. in support of their claim
of fraud in Archer precinct in Alachua Coun-
ty. The returns show 53S votes cast, while
the aftidavits are that only 319 ballots we're
deposited in that precinct. The Republic
cans introduced counter affidavits for four
of the parties-Moore and Dukes 1.-TWO in
spectors), and Bolton and Webster 1.-TWO
members of the County Canvassing Board)-
who had given the Democratic af1idavits to
the effect that such former affidavits were
made under duress, fear or appre-
tension, and were false. The Democrats
introduced third affidavit from Bolton
stating that if he gave any second affidavit
he was not responsible or In his true mini
when he did so. He reatfirmed, in his third
affid wit, the assertions made in his first.
Other affidavit from cltize! of GAINESVILLE
were presented to the effect that Bolton was
drunk duri, g the whole day on which the
second affidavit was delivered. Relative to
Baker County the Democrats pro.
the Court certifying that the return
| which gives the Democrats ninety five
majority was the true and only return from
the County Of Baker; that it was the only
one that he had been called on to certify to,
or tina was filed in his Office; that he had no
been made than the one by which the
true return was made up, and that
| he had yer been notified that such cans
vass was going to be held, or asked to par
| ticipate in it, as the law required he should
be; That no return had been handed to him
Secretary OF State, as the law required he
| should do. Fur her certified copies of each
| OF the precinct returns in the county were
presented, signed by the Inspectors, which
| footed up min. ty-fve Democratic majority
On the Both ult. Moore and Dukes wer.
| introduced by the Democrats. Moore swore
that all points in his affidavit of the 23d
were true; that he had stated the facts
therein contained openly time and agan;
that he was inspector at Archer, and
| only 316 votes were cast or counted;
that 535 votes were not cast; that he
| signed the election c. rtificate in blank,
| not thinking there coula be any dispute;
that he was approached the Cher day
by Barnes, Republican, Sheriff of the
| county, who offered him 800 if he would
sign paper. He asked if he had to swear
| to it. He was told he would not. He then
signed it, and received the money. T, is
paper was the one produced by the Court as
| a counter affidavit. Floyd Dukes, colored,
swore that he was Inspector at Archer Pre-
cinct; that only 316 votes were cast;
that he can't read or write, and
that he never signed a paper say
ing 5S5 votes were cast. Upon the counter
affidavit alleged to have been signed by him
being read, he swore he did not sign it; that
ex-Copgressman Wales and Justice Bolton
came to his house to get him to sign it, and
offered him S25 if he would sign it, but he
refused to do SO. The Democrats then charged
that in affidavits from several hundred ne
| groes swearing that they voted at Archer