The Tipton advertiser. [volume] (Tipton, Cedar Co., Iowa) 1856-1962, 1877-01-04


very many instances to sign returns
which they knew to be false.
"And, finally, when the commits
sioners of election at the Court House
aggregated the returns from the polls,
two of this Board of Canvassers con-
sidered themselves in such danger of
injury or death that they signed the
returns knowing them to be false, and
didn't even dare to send up to Colum-
bia any protest against the returns, or
any evidence of the violence and dis
order which attended the election.
Unfortunately on the day follow
ing the election the United States
troops were ordered away from Edge
field, and it was not until by special
authority company of United States
troops were ordered back that any
progress was made toward obtaining
any evidence of the violence and dis
order in this county. ! recollect well
that the first messenger who brought
us any evidence from Republican
sources of the election was colored
woman who was sent over because no
man dared to expose himself to the
danger of travelling from Edgefield
Court House to Columbia.
ACTION OF THE BOARD OF STATE CAN
yAssERs.
"These evidences, when examined
by the Board of State Canvassers, con-
vinced them that it was utterly inn
possible to separate the legal votes
from the illegal, or even to discrimin-
ate by polls in this county,. so as to
eliminate the fraudulent and illegal
votes, result which would represent
the honest votes of the county"
Q.-"Do the laws OF South Carolina
invest the Board of Canvassers with
power to go behind the face of the re-
turns':'
Gov. C.-'There is no doubt of 1t
whatever. 1t is made their duty to
decide all contests and protests which
may arise out Of any election, where
the power to do SO does not by the
Constitution reside in some other
body. And this rule covers every
case that can arise.
"Bcsides this, we have had the
same machinery for ascertaining and
declaring the result of elections since
1868, and they have invariably exer-
cised the same powers which they
have exercised in respect to the re-
cent election"
TICS.
Q.-tHow did the returns Of the
last election compare with the returns
of previous elections at which there
was no intimidation,-or but little in
limitation, and with the male white
and male colored population Of the
county? ! ask this question because
Gen. Gordon has described the throw
ing out Of the heavy Democratic ma
jorities' of this county and Laurens as
a great OUTRAGE on the part of your
authorities" -.
Gov. C.-"The returns weSe in
startling contrast to the returns of
any previous election held in this
county. For instance, the entire vote
of this county, Republican and Demo-
cratic, in 1874, was a little over 5000,
which was decidedly full vote for
that county; and in the present cleo
ton, the aggregate reported vote is
over $500. In the election of 1874 the
Republican majority was 1909; and,
in this election, the reported Demo-
cratic majority is over 1920. Besides
this, the reported vote of the county
is orer tUenty-sir hundred in ercess Of
al persons. Vtite and coiored, ouer
toenty-one gears Of age, IN the county,
to the State census of 1875,
which shows a large excess of popula-
tion over the United States census of
1870.
I'm view of these facts, the Board of
State Canvassers decided as to the
County of Edgefield that no legal and
valid election had taken place on the
7th of November, and that they could
not decide that any persons had been
elected in that county at that election.
''Tne Board reached the same con-
clusion rs to the County of Laurens,
upon grounds generally the same as
those in Edgefeld, with this notable
addition: that the returns Of the
Board of County Canvassers in Lau-
rens county were signed by only two
of the three members of the Board,
one of these two signing under writ
ten protest, and afterwards making
his affidavit before the Board of State
Canvassers that he signed simply to
save his life until he could get to Col
umbia, or some other place of safety.
The election was, therefore, not only
void in itself, but there were no re-
turns of the election that could be TAX
en- notice of by the Board of State can
vassers. In this way it came about
that only ll6 members of the House Of
Representatives received certificates
Of their election from the Board of
Canvassers. These two counties had
eight representatives, five from Edge
field and three from Lawrence-with
the one senator from each"
THE BOGUS LEGIsLATURE.
Q.--"All were rejected?"
Gov. C.-"Yes, all were rejected
from both counties"
Dwell, so far you have explain
ed the causes Of the South Carolina
clearly, but there some points
yet that / do not understand. There
are one or two mysteries yet. The
first is, what have you done, since last
what has been done by
-