The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1876-12-07

from "Boofort." This last speakers
name was Robinson, and he didn't want
no "confrunce," no way you could fix it.
He was "straightout for Chamberlun,
fus', las, in de mornin', in de ebenin' an
all night, an all de time"
A dozen or more of such speeches of G
similar character were made by the Radi-
calls, the Democrats generally quietly
biding their time, all hands eating their
suppers in the hall, and seeming resolved
to set it out.
General Ruger gave General Wallace
notice that unless the hall was cleared OF
all parties other than members who held
the certificates of the Board of Canvassers
by u o'clock tomorrow, he should, with
troops, drive them out. He also directs
that the Democratic delegates elected
from Edgefeld and Lanrens vacate their
seats.
A colored member moved to adjourn
or for Mackcy to order supper for his side
of the House.
Gen. Ruger made proposition for
both Houses to adjourn until tomorrow.
Speaker Wallace asked if all the Dem
ocratic members would be allowed to
enter on re-assembling.
Gen. Ruger said no, that Edge6eld and
Laurcns would be excluded.
Thereupon the two Houses resolved to
try to out set each other, and two cart
loads of supper were sent down to the
Democrats, who took their meals in tho
| hall, so that if they were excluded it
should be done at the point of the bayo-
net.
The following letter was sent to Gen.
Ruger in reply to his notice to Speaker
Wallace:
COLUMBIA, 8. c., Nov. 80.
To General T. III. Rugcr, Commanding
United States Troops in South Caro-
ino:
DEAR S1n-Wc have just heard
through Maj. McGinnis, of your Staff,
that your order communicated to Mr..
Wallace, Speaker of the House of Repre-
sentatives, that at IL o'clock tomorrow,
the members elect from Edge6eld would
not bc allowed upon the floor of the
House. To say that we are surprised at
such all order after the explanations and
pledges made by you 10 each one of us.
is to Use very mild language, when the
outrage of Tuesday last was committed,
by the placing of armed sentinels at the
door of the House of Representatives,
who decided upon theadniiSsion of men,.
hers to their seats aud when the pro.
visions of the Constitution, and the dc.
'. cision ofthe Supreme Court were brought
to your attention, you distinctly, and
warmly asserted. again and again, that
your orders were misunderstood, and that
you had not intended to have sentincls
at the doors of the Hall, and that you
had not, and did not intend to assume to
decide upon the legality of any mans
seat, or upon his right to enter the
Hall.
You were then reminded by US, that
your guard received instructions from
one Dennis, citizen and partisan of
Gov. Chamberlain, to admit parties upon
his own pass, or that of one Jones, and
had, through armed force. excluded all
delegates from the hall until the Repub-
lican organization was completed. You
assured US again that such were not your
orders. You were told by us that not
withstanding the perpetration of this
irrepressible shame upon our institutions,
and the rights Of the people. the evils
could still he remedied without any vio.
ence or bloodshed, by the simple with.
drawal of your guard from the doors Of
the hall, in order that the Democratic
members may have fair struggle with
the Republicans, and by fair majority
of the votes. decide all questions in &C.
corlance with the law, and the usages of
the legislative bodies. You stated that
no troops shall be at the door, and that
under no circumstances would you inter.
fere, except there should occur serious
disturbance of the peace. You affirm
your determination to exercise no super
visory control whatever over the body or
bodies claiming to be the House of Rep
resentatives. All this occurred on yes
terday. Last night, in later interview
with Senator Gordon, you made the same
assertion, and this p. m, after both bod
ies were assembled in the hall, you as.
sured Gen. Hampton that under no cir
cumstances would you interfere except
to keep the peace. What now can justi.
fy our astonishment at the issuance of
such an order as the one just sent by your
There is no breach of the peace, and no
prospect of serious disturbances. You
had it officially brought to your know!-
edge that general good humor prevails
in that hall. We cannot refrain from
expressing the apprehension of the fact,
that n number of leading Republicans
are taking issue with the legality of the
proceedings by the Republicans.
The house has changed your line Of
duty. 1t is presumed that we should
say, in conclusion, that We rely upon
your position as a man. and your charac.
ter as a soldier, to maintain your pledge
of non.interference. The Democratic
members from Edgefield and Laurens are
entitled to their seats by the judgment
of the Supreme 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 in this, the Gen.
iennial year, of American Independence,
whether we have government of law, IS
construed by the Courts, or a 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. Cham
berlain in room of the State House,
and issuing his orders to a Legislative
body, peacefully assembled in one of the
original thirteen Commemorative of this
Union.
Respectfully yours,
JOHN B. GORDON,
UADE HAMPTON