The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1877-03-15
HAYEsIsM IN SOUTH CAROLINA.

HAyEsIsM IN SOUTH CAROLINA.
Perhaps the most shameless of all
the outrages committed in South
Carolina oy the robber band who
have ruled that unfortunate State for
the past eight years, is the coercion
of Judge Wright Of the Supreme
Court, who by the most indecent
means, was induced to sign an instru-
ment undertaking to cancel his sig
nature to a judicial order made after
careful and deliberate consideration.
1t will be remembered that in the
November election Wade Hampton
was elected Governor by an undoubt-
ed majority, and he would have been
inaugurated into that office without
question had it mot been for the inso-
lent and illegal interference of Gen.
Ruger of the .. S. army, who pre-
vented the Legislature from assem-
bling to canvass the returns. Mean
while, under the protection of the
U. S. bayonets, one-half of the
South Carolina Senate. and a pre-
tended House of Representatives,
which has never had any legal exis-
tence, met and declared D. H. Cham
berlain Governor. This act was in
open defiance of the Supreme Court
of the State, which had ordered the
Secretary of the State toturn over the
returns for Governor and Lieutenant
Governor to the Speaker of the legal
House of Representatives, then in
session in Columbia, having q quo
rum of members who had received
certificates of election from the Re-
publican State Canvassing Board.
On the same day Wade Hampton
was properly iuaugurated in Office,
and his authority has since been rec
ognized and respected by the people
of the State.
But the carpet-bagger CHAMBERLAIN
retained possession of the State
House, through Gen. Rugers protec-
ton, and still assumed the right to
exercise the functions Of Governor.
This rendere ed necessary a resort to
the courts in order to get a judicial
decision OF the question who was
really Governor. To attain this end
various suits were instituted. The
first of these was hat of one Smith,
a convict in the penitentiary, for
whom Chamberlain issued a pardon.
The Superintendent of the peniten-
tiary refused to recognize this pardon
on the ground that Chamberlain was
not Governor. A writ Of habeas
corpus was sued out in Judge Car
penter's Circuit Court, and the ques-
ton as to the validity Of Chamber
lain's election was made the subject
of elaborate arguments by counsel
for the Republicans and Democrats
respectively. Judge Carpenter list
ened to the arguments, went to
Washington and held a consultation
with Grandfather Taft, and as the re
suit of his protracted deliberations
gave the decision that neither Cham
berlain nor Hampton was elected last
November; and that, therefore, there
being no election, Chamberlain held
over from his former term.
The next case of Importance bear
ing on this question was that of one
Roseborough, a colored prisoner in
the Chester county Jail, to whom
Gov. Hampton issued a pardon.
The Sheriff refused to acknowledge
its validity, and the usual means
were resorted to. In this instance
the case came before Judge Mackey,
who, after hearing the arguments,
decided that Hampton was Governor,
and had not only been fairly elected,
but properly installed in office.
Those conflicting decisions were by
inferior courts, however, and though
both Judges concurred in the opin.
ion that Chamberlain was not elected
Governor in. November, the great
question, whether Hampton was, still
remained for determination by the
court of last resort.
This matter was finally brought in
a definite shape before the Supreme
Court in the now celebrated Tilda
Norris case. 1t, too, was based on
pardon based on a penitentiary con.
yict, in this instance by Gov. Hamp
ton. The Superintendent refused
to recognize the pardon, and a writ
of habeas corpus was taken ont. Ar
guments on both sides Were heard
and the decision of the Court #oulc
probably have been delivered on Fri
day of last week, had not Chief Jus
tice Moses been struck with paraly
sis on the previous night, rendering
him incapable of taking part in thu
proceedings. The Court consists 0
the Chief Justice and two Associat,
Justices, Willard and Wright, tn,
former white and the latter colored
1t was we'll understood in Columbil
that the Court was unanimous il
maintaining the validity of Hamp
toms election; but when the incapac
ity of Chief Justice Moses was dis
covered, the Chamberlain mel say
their opportunity, since the decision
now rested with only two of tn
Judges, and one of them a negro.
Immediately upon the adjourn
ment of the Court on Friday, Fet
%, a desperate attempt was begun t
f influence and overawe Judge Wright
Feom the time that he left tre Cour
room until the final disposition G
the case, he was beset by black an,
white emissaries Of Chamberlain
who, by ~entreaties, threats and caio.
) cry, endeavored to prevail upon hir
: to give a decision opposite to hi
. convictions. But he withstood a
:, these influences, and on Tuesia,
| last signed the order directing til
I release of the convict upon Coy
Hampton's pardon, thus fully rec ,g
l nizing the validity of Hampton
-, election.
On that day the excitement in tn
Court room was intense, though tn
fact hat Wright had signed tn