The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1877-04-19
OFFICE OF STATE TREASURER,

COLUMBIA, S. c., April 16, 1877.
Hon. Wade Hampton, Columbia, S. c.:
SIR-I received, on Saturday evening,
the 18th instant, a letter subscribed by
Wade II. Manning, Private Secretary, in
which am informed that the writer is
directed by you to say, in substance, that
you do not desire to PREJUDICE my claim
to my present Office; that you have indi-
Gated heretofore your opinion of the fu-
tility of my assertion of my official rights;
and that it would disembarrass the opera
ton of the Executive Department conf
ded to my care if were to retire at once.
I am further informed by the same COM
munication that in the event of my re-
fusing to take the course above requested,
you see nothing in my present position
emitting me TO the use of the rooms and
custody of the records of my office; and
that you cannot consent to my remaining
in my Office; and, finally, that your re-
sponsibility Will require you "to prevent
government"
I received the foregoing communica-
ton Immediately after an interview held
by me with you in the Executive Cham
Der, in which you voluntarily stated to
me that you would leave the question of
my official rights entirely to the courts,
and that / could either occupy my office
or seal it up to remain undisturbed until
decision of The court should be reached.
You can, therefore, judge Of my sur
prise, not to speak of other feelings, pro-
duced by the letter of your private secre-
tary. This feeling is increased when [
call to mind the language used by you
on so many occasions, and notably in a
communication addressed to the Presi-
dent of the United States, as follows: II
repeat, therefore, that if the Federal
troops are withdrawn from the State
House, there shall be on my part, or that
of my friends, no resort to violence to
assert our claims, but that we shall look
for their maintenance solely to such
peaceful remedies as the constitution and
laws of the State provide. 1 shall use all
my authority to repress the use or exhl-
bition of force in the settlement of all
disputed questions, and this authority
shall be exercised in such a manner that
the peace shall be preserved"
In the face of these pledges, you now
call upon me to relinquish my Office, and
you inform me of your purpose to pre-
vent me from continuing to hold it. 1t
is my duty to remind you that I was de-
clared elected to my present office by the
Board of State Canvassers as the result
of the canvass of the face of all the re-
turns of the recent election, no returns
being rejected or disallowed in whole or
in part. I was, thereupon, commissioned
by Governor Chamberlain at a time
when his authority as Governor was un-
disputed. I Immediately qualified by
taking the oath of Office and filing my
official bond, and I have since been and
am how in the discharge of the duties of
my office.
1t is my duty further to remind you,
that under proceedings in quo aca,ranto,
instituted by those who were candidates
upon the tickcS with you, now pending
in the Supreme Court, the exact question
which you now declare your purpose to
decide adversely to me, is put in issue