The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1877-05-09
From Columbia.
LEGISLATIVE PROCEEDINGS,

Editor Press and Banner:
The government is now in full opera
ton, and all the Democratic State officers
have assumed control Of their offices
from which they have been unjustly OK.
Guided since November last, and they are
e~ndeavoring to bring order out Of Chaos
No doubt much manipulation Of papers
and records had been made and was go.
ing on when
RED TAPE
sealed across the doors put a stop to it.
In the Adjutant and Inspector Generals
office were found a few guns, haversacks,
empty scabbards and about
25O,OO0 BALL CARTRIDGES.
This is the room in which were secreted
the constabulary last Decemk'r holding
"high carnival at the prospect of throt-
Ting the new birth of liberty and free
government in South Carolina. The guns
have disappeared, for the few remaining
were out of all proportion to the cartrid-
ges. There are enough of these to last
the State 20 years unless she is invaded by
a foreign power. Our Democratic govern
ment does not prepare to fight her own
people as Chamberlain did nor will it al
low the MALTA to use its guns and am
munition to make war upon the game OF
the country. Action has been taken by
the House upon the caseso Of all
THE MACKEYITES
except the Charleston delegation which
is yet before the joint committee who are
taking evidence, and will report in a day
or SO. Thomas from Newberry and
Straker from Orangeburg are excluded
on the ground of being leading conspira-
tors against the lawful government OF
the State. Lee colored from Chester was
excludefon account of holding a.disqual-
flying office, and J. J. Hemphill, cousin
of our representative was seated. He is
a young lawyer, ~clear-headed of sound
judgment, and an impressive speaker,
And will be an acquisition to tho house
The Hous has a large working
DEMOCRATIC MAJORITY
but they do not stick together except on
purely political issues. They passed. on
Friday and sent to the Senate a bill to fix
the pay of Treasurers and Auditors. In
Abbevillo County their pay will be $500
with few perquisites. That is a reduction
on former pay of at least two-thirds, and
yet it was not satisfactory to some as ar
amendment was offered to strike our
eight and insert six which did not prevail
They also passed, and sent to the Senate
u bill to prevent tho sale of seed cottor
between shutdown and sun-up making
the penalty a fine Of $50 or thirty days II
Jail or both as the discretion of the Court
The republicans fought this with peril
nacity seeming to regard it as a party
measure which I thought was a refec'
ton upon the honesty of their party
r. r. Hemphill made a forcible and ef.
fectlon speech upon the bill as he knew
a good deal about this coil in Abbeville
which the bill is intended to correct Mr.
Hood also made some well-timed and ju-
dicious remarks in support Of the bill
There is some danger of its being killed
in tho Senate. With such an evenly bal
anced Senate holding the
BALANCE OF POWER
as they do, we can't tell what a day may
bring forth. Just at this writing the in
dications are that a Chief Justice will not
be elected at this session. The Republi
cans of the Senate have thus far prevent
ed it, because they don't want Willard
elected, and they can defeat it if they holt
together as they did on Saturday.
WILLARD IS NOT THE CHOICE
of the Democrats, but in this politica
struggle he has won the "well DONE o
Governor Hampton, and it is known tina
he prefers his election, and there is a feel
ing almost unanimous among the Demo
Gratis that they ought not, thus early II
his administration, to throw any obstacle
in the way of the contamination Of hi!
policy. Some outsiders, claiming to bt
sans pcur ct sans reproche Democrats, tall
about dictation, and that the members arr
mere cat's-paws in his hands; but W
submit that it is the part Of
WISDOM AND SOUND oLICY
earnestly to weigh the suggestions (ant
this is only q suggestion) of u leader
who has triumphantly lead the peopl'
through the most trying ordeal in thei
history, without a single mistake. I, TO-
one, humbly bow to his political sagacity
prudence and patriotism /; and I think th'
State and the Democratic party will sur
vive the shock.
Many of our friends from Abbevill'
were down attending the ball, and partic
ularly the railroad convention. I under
stand the officials gavea
TREAT OF CHAMPAGNE
and other good things to the stockholders
of which they partook freely, and though
it a capital dividend on their stock. They
forgot all about high freights, and wer'
simply in a good humor with everybody
1 wonderif our good friend from eve
found No. 81?
Columbia, May 7, 1877. +. A. G.
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