The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1877-04-26
ONLY A PIECE OF TAPE.
How the State House Offices were
SeaIed-The Came Cock on Guard
Elliott Busters, but Submits.

Special Dipatch to the charle'ton Neus and Courier.
COLUMBIA, April 1S.
The fact that none of the State House
Offices were sealed yesterday led some
Republicans to draw the erroneous in
ference that Governor Hampton had con-
cluded not to seal them at all. Several
of them accordingly went to their old
quarters this morning, only to find the
inviolable seal in place. Mr.. Manning,
the Governors private secretary, had
preceded them by an hour or two, and
with an inch or two of red tape affixed
at either end to the door and the door
post by a drop of sealing wax duly
stamped, he had interposed a barrier to
their entrance as strong as oaken bars.
All except the Executive Office were thus
closed, and special constable was sta
toned at each to make assurance doubly
sure. Dunn, Cardozo and Hayne wisely
remained at home all day, and saved
themselves the modification of exclusion.
Elliott, Kennedy and Tolbert, however;
appeared at the usual hour and were de-
MED admittance. Kennedy accepted the
situation with a good grace and retired.
Tolbert did not see the slight obstacle,
owing to the dim light in the hall, until
it was politely but firmly pointed out to
him. He also, then, quickly retreated,
after a show of obtaining the names OF
the gentlemanly constables in writing,
which were freely given him. Elliott
did not yield at once, but avowed his
purpose of entering at all hazards, until
he found he had left his key in his other
breeches. He inquired of the watchful
constables what would be the consequence
if he broke the seal, and was assured that
he would be instantly arrested. Satisfied
that force would be used if force was
offered, he, too, finally retreated, SEEM
ingly satisfied with having made this
point.
All good Republicans are agreed, as
far as l can ascertain, that Governor
Hampton should not have done this
thing, their theory being that the State
House should only be barred against
Democrats. The work of cleansing goes
bravely on, and stacks of mops have
taken the place of stacks of bayonets. l
had the curiosity to examine the seals
closely and found the device, which was
the impression of Manning's signet ring,
to be the head of a game-cock.
The following letter of protest has been
agreed upon by the Republican State
House officers:
COLUMBIA, S. c., April Is.
To the Hon. Wade Hampton, Governor Of
South Carolina:
SIR-The undersigned, State officers of
South Carolina, on approaching the doors
of our respective Offices at the State
House this morning, found them covered
by aseal placed there, IS we are Informed,
by your orders. We were also met by
members of your constabulary force who
informed us that they had received or
ders to arrest any person who should at
tempt to remove the said seals, the mani
fest purpose being to prevent us from
entering our respective Offices. In view
of this forcible ejectment, and exclusion
from our offices, we find it our duty again
to call your attention to your assurances,
both public and private, that you would
resort only to- legal remedies for the sev-
Element of all disputed questions. We
are now forcibly excluded from offices
without resort to legal remedies, without
legal process or right. 1t is a mockery to
say that this forcible exclusion does not
interfere with our legal rights. 1t is our
right, holding as we do a perfect p1'in'o
tacie title to our respective offices, to con-
tinue in the possession and use of the
public rooms attached to them, and in
the custody of the public records thereto.
To forcibly exclude us from these rooms
and records is to deprive us of our rights
without form of law. 1t is, moreover, to
treat with contempt the judicial proceed
ings now pending for the determination
of the final right to these offices, and by
M act of usurpation and disregard of law
to deprive us of our official rights.
Against such an outrage it only re-
mains for US to enter our solemn protest.
Very respectfully,
4 IL la,