National Republican., 1877-10-16
Gen. Buffers ELECTION"

When the HAMPTON Legislature initiated
rs far as it could initiate, the legal forms by
which lawful legislatures elect Senators of
the United States, there were two bodies of
men, both claiming to be the Legislature of
South Carolina in session at Columbia. The
legal Legislature recognized CHAMBERLAIN
as Governor. The secession Legislature re-
cogDiIed Gen. HAMPTON rs Governor. The
CHAMnERLAIN: Legislature had seventy
members in the Lower House and thirty
one members in the Senate. On the day
when the House of Representatives organ
lied there were present sixty members de-
clared elected ny the Board of State Canvass
ers, OF these fifty -nine took part in the Or
gnnization. After the organization the House
proceeded to decide contested seats in seyc-
rnl Of the counties, and seated the Republi-
can claimants in whose districts there had
been stupcndous frauds and gross intimida-
ton The whole number who thus acted
with the CHAMBERLAIN Legislature was 73
During the turmoil and excitement that
arose when the HAMPTON body seeded
and m ct elsewhere, five of this number were
fnesatd to withdraw from the legal Lcgis-
iAsvs and temporarily join the secession
isis. Two Of them returned. The CHAM
BKRLAIN House of Representatives consisted
therefore, of 20 members. There was no
dispute between the Republicans and Demo.
Gratis as to the legality of the CHAsrBERLAIS
Senate. 1t consisted of IL Republicans and
ID Democrats. Both Democrats and Re.
publcans attended and acted daily in this
Senate.
The HAMPTON Legislature, when it organ
lied, had fity-scvcn members to whom the
Board of State Canvassers had issued GER
uicates. This was exclusive of the Demo-
cratic members claiming to be elected from
Edgeheld and Laurens. The returns from
both Of these counties had been thrown out
by the Board Of State Canvassers in couse-
quencc of the unparalleled frauds that had
been perpetrated there. They had album
dant evidence of it, The papers submitted
TO them are published in full in the tes,i
mony presented at the close of last session
by the Senate committee, of which Mr..
CAMERON, of Wisconsin, was chairman.
Senator GORDON, at the time described
the throwing out of "the heavy Democratic
maortics' Of Edgetield county and I.aurcns
county MS u great outrage" on the part of
the Board of State Canvassers.
That there were great outrages" in
Edgcf"ld county, the home of Gen. BIT
lER' is aS well established us any fact in
modern history. We may refer to them
again For the present purpose it suliicrs
TO state that the entire vote of this county.
Republican and Democratic, in Ia, the
election preceding, was G.a9s, which wa, Il
decidedly full vote. In the rl,,,.ru by
which these Democratic mrmh,.D I'M 10
have been chosen to the Lcsi, thr
aggregate vote reported was o., IN the
election of 1874 when there ... ',o Re
publican candidates in the frAr .ilNnER-
LAIN's majority was 200. In the election
OF 1876 the Democratic majority WIS
claimed to be $3.50. Gen. GARY, thr
PYTHIAs of DAMON BuTLERJ in u
published card stated that 600 ne.
groes did not vote at all Now, here is
Drimd fdcie evidence of one of tho greatest
frauds in modern political annals, The re-
ported rote By which Gen. GORDON claimed
'Aedpy Democratic mVOrity' in Ed9edeid is