The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1877-04-02
Washington Correspondent Boston Advertiser
March 31.l
The South Carolina Question.
A Settlements Fereshadowed- Views Of
the Rival Governors

The plan of the President, to which he Is
trying to obtain Chamberlain's assent, Is to
have session of the legislature, and that the
members of the house whose seats are not dis
puted be allowed to decide upon the eligibility
of the Laurens and Edgefeld representatives,
which was the bone of contention last Noyem-
Der, and caused division of the Legislature.
After this question is settled the legislature
could proceed to canvass the votes for state Oh.
GERS, as required by law, and which has been
done already by the Chamberlain Legislature.
This would doubtless elect Hampton, il no
votes were thrown out, and the President could
formally recognize him. In the meantime the
plan is to let Chamberlain remain as governor,
holding over until the result is reached and
Hampton inaugurated. Cover nor Chamber
lain objects to this plan, because the election 10
Laurens and Eigefeld counties was notoriously
unfair, and more than one-half of the solored
voters were driven away from the polls. de
claims that the Republican candidates from
these counties ought to be admitted. 1t is re-
ported that MIR Evarts is holding out q temp
tatiOD to Chamberlain in the shape of an ap-
pointment as minister to Switzerland, which is
offered him in case the legislature counts in
Hampton, as they certainly would do under
lain refuses to be tempted, and will be either
governor of South Carolina or private citizen
In case he adheres to this decision, the alterua-
tive will be left him of sustaining himself in
power without the aid of troops. Chamberlain
declares positively that he will not agree to any
such compromise as is proposed. He says that
he cannot do so in justice to his constituents
that it would be selling out his party and the
state for temporary personal advantage. If
he makes a fight, he says, he will have future
before him as a nuhlic man. ha m akas tarr,o
he has no political future before him. Cham
berlain says he will not yield without strug-
gle, and that il he is sacrificed he will make it
an issue in the north and will have a verdict Of
the Northern people upon it. Hampton also
declines to accede to this plan to reconvene the
legislature and &C over the fight. He says he is
governor and has been so declared by the high
est Judicial authority in the state. If the troops
are withdrawn he asks nothing further. The
senatorial question also comes in as part of
the dispute under the plan proposed. After
reorganization of the Legislature new election
for senator would take place, but neither Cor
bin nor Butler will agree to that Butler says
he Will demand admittance to the senate on his
present credentials. Ii they will not admit
him on those he will go back and demand a
new election.
In the interviews between Hampton and the
President and the several members of the Cabi-
nes the arguments that have been repeated
over and over again were renewed, the main
one in favor of his recognition being that he
was already, practically, governor of the state
while Chambelain simply held the state house.
They claim that five out of the eight circuit
judges 10 the state have recognized Hampton
already by judicial decree; sixth has held in a
decision from the bench, that neither Cham
berlain nor Hampton were legally inaugurated;
that the election has not been legally settled in
the absence of action by the legislature, and
that Chamberlain simply holds over as govern
or until his successor shall be qualified for the
office, and that the other two judges have made
no decisions affecting the question of the gov
eruorship. The chief Justice OF. the Supreme
Court of the state recently died, but before his
death he concurred in declaring in contempt
the returning board which gave Chamberlain
his certificate The two associate justices have
since concurred IN decision recognizing Hamp-
ton, although one of them Wright, colored)
afterward published revocation of the decision,
explaining that he was compelled to sign to
save his life, Hampton claims, however, thai
this explanation was made to molify the IN dig
nant Republicans, and points to the fact thas
Wright has since drawn his salary from the
Hampton treasury as corroborative evidence
Hampton claims that he has collected S120 900
10 taxes, while Chamberlain has collected moth
ing; that. he Las supported from these collec-
tOns the stata penitentiary and state charitable
institutions, and that all judges recognize him
SO far as to draw theft salaries from his treas
ury. These are the statements that Hampton
and his friends are making to influence the
mind of the President. Chamberlain admits
ceptibe of explanation. In regard to taxes. he
says the money has been paid in voluutarilS by
wealthy Democrats, and that others have beeu
bull-dozed and made TO pay. he shows that
one of the democratic newspapers threstened
to publish list OF merchants 10 the state W ho
declined to pay tribute to Hampton, which
would at once deprive them of the entire Gus
tom of Democrats. This induced many to
pay. In regard to the recognition Of Hampton
| by the six circuit court judges, Chamberlain
! and his friends claim that petty cases were
trumped up in which decisions were made
which could be Construed, oy liberal conces-
sions, to be a recognition of Hampton The
integrity of some of the judges is also chal-
lenged The worse phase of the Hampton case
| Is, that his immediate supporters and advocates
are men who have been active 10 ku-klux and
rife-club murders. Sitting Bull Butler, the
leader OF the Hamburg massacre, stands nearer
Hampton than any other man, and was elected
TO the Senate by the Hampton legislature.
The lieutenant-governor under Hampton, .
man named Simpson, was the leader of the
Laurens massacre two years ago. when five
white Republicans were taken ont OF their
houses and shot down. The Kep9oiicans
| claim that Hampton and every one OF his im-
| mediate supporters are guilty OF murder, and
| would have been punished for their crimes In
1 any Northern state.
| Daring their interview the President asked
\ Gov. Chamberlain to submit in writing to him
i a basis of compromise which might be consid-
i ered by IHampton. According to this request
l Gov. Chamberlain drew up proposition with
| which the President was very much pleased.
| Gov. Chamberlain declines to state the terms
l of the proposition, but it can be stated as GER
| tain that he consented to a reconvening of the
legislature and recanvaSs OF the votes, pro-
| vided there could be some tribunal to decide on
the admission of the members from the dlsput-
| ed counties. 1t is understood that Gov Cham
berlain's proposition contains provision 70
| meet this particular case, but just what It's
| terms are is not now exactly known. Inc
President received it very fsvorably, and VIII
| submit il to Hampton.
Gen. Grant arrived In st. Louis oat0rday