Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1877-02-28

appear for the objections to the Re-
publican certificate, and then sub
mitted reasons why the Commission
should reject that certificate, holding
that Republican form of Govern
mcnt must exist in state to give
validity to its vote. He insisted that
illegal disabilities were imposed, or
intimidation practiccd, a Republican
form of Government was not main
tanned, and proposed to show by
testimony taken by the House Com
mittec, that both conditions existed.
Hurd held that as the con stituiion
of South Carolina required the reg
istration of electors, and as that re-
quirement was utterly ignored, the
election was void.
He next went to the objection that
the presence of U. S. troops in the
State overawed the people, and pre-
vented the free expression ofthe will
of the people. He read the procla-
nation of the President of Oct. 18th,
declaring that instruction existed
in the State" and commended that the
clause of the Constitution authorizing
the interference of the Federal Gov
eminent contemplated an instruction
against, or resistance to State author
ity, andno disturbances between in
individual citizens of the State.
Rifle clubs riding up and down MUIR
dering some peaceable citizens, as
stated in the Presidents proclama-
ton, he argued did not amount to
such instruction against the United
States or State authorities as war;
ranted an Intervention in the affairs
Of the State. The presence of troops
was not to keep the peace but to in
fluence the election.
When Hun d had finished, Cochrane
stated that Judge Black and Mr..
Blair would appear as counsel for
DIRECTORS to certificate No. /. They
had been uncertain whether they
could attend, but were now here.
Cochrane then submitted certain
proflers of proof which he proposed
to make good if admitted by the
Commission, as follows:
l. That there had been failure of
registration as provided by the State
constitution, and through such fail
ure, over thirty thousand fraudulent
votes for Hayes had been cast.
2. That in August, 1876, large
numbers of soldiers had been sent in
to the State under Gen. Rugcr, who
telegraphed that all was quiet
and no more troops were need
ed, and that if more were need
ed he would call for them.
That, Notwithstanding this, the next
day, October l7th., the President
issued his Proclamation and large
number of additional troops were
sent into state That during 1876
there was no time, when the state au-
thorities could preserve peace.
3. That troops were sent into the
state without the request Of the legis-
lature, which could have readily been
convened.
A. That troops were sent, not to
quell instruction and reserve peace,
but to overawe voters and influence
the election and that they were pres
ent at the polls and did intimidate
and influence voters.
5. That the presence of troops en-
boldened the most desperate negroes
and that in Beaufort and Charleston
they inaugurated riot and violence in
which they were protected by the
state officers, that the police of
Charleston composed, mainly of des-
perate negroes, employed its time in
shooting down inoflcnsiye white citi-
zens; that negroes at the polls were
armed and prevented colored men
who would have voted the democrat
ic ticket, from doing SO; that the
state militia, consisting of the worst
class of negroes, were at the polls and
assisted in preventing colored men
from voting the democratic ticket !;
that one of the electors, who was sher-
III of charleston county, g. G. Bowen,
appointed hundreds of deputies who
went abroad, arresting citizens at
their pleasure, unwarrantedly inter-
fering with the election, and that u.
$. Marshals in large numbers were
at the polls interfering with the free
vote by the people of the state.
Lawrence argued for the Rcpubli-
cans that want of registration had no
effect on the election, and briefly
argued that the South Carolina gov
eminent was Republican. He denied
that troops had been stationed in the
state without authority of law, and
demonstrated that the necessity OF U.
5. Marshals at the polls was an abso-
lutte and constitutional necessity.