The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1877-03-03
Uayesism In South Carolina.

4 Perhaps the most shameless Of all the out
Irages committed in South Carolina by thcl
Erobbcr band who have ruled that unfortunate!
Estate for the past eight years, Is the coercion
rof Judge WRIGHT of the Supreme Court, who'd
5by the most Indecent means, was induced tol
]. sign an instrument undertaking to cancel his|
( signature TO Il judicial order made after care
3 (ul and deliberate consideration.
i 1t will be remembered that in the Novcm-
..3bcr election WADE HAMPTON was elected
{ Governor by an undoubtcd majority, and he
Swoud have been inauguratcd into that of
lice without question had it not been for thei
& nsocnt aud Illegal Interference of Gen
2RUGER Of the United States army, who pre-
3vcntcd the Legislature from assembling 10!
zcanvass the returns. Meanwhile under the
Sprotection Of United States bayonets, one
'shalf Of the South Carolina Senate. and a pre-
stendcd House OF Representatives, which,
Thas never had any legal existence. met
Xtnd declared ID. II. CHAMBERLAIN Governor
y This act was in open defiance of tho SUI
xprcme Court Of the State which had order
Icd the Secretary of State to turn over thcl
= returns for Governoranl Licutenant-Govcr
1snor to tho Speaker Of TIA. legal House of
z Representatives. then In session in Columbia ;.
3having a quorum of members who had re-
dccivcd certificates of election from the II =
. sublic1n state Canvassing Board. On the,
( same day WADE HAMPTON WIS properly in
Sausura,ed in oaicc, AMI his authority hasI
: since boon Recognized and respected by thcI
3people OF the Slate.
!; But the carpct-baggcr CHAMBERLAIN re-
.l'aned possession Of tho State House.
4 trough Gen. RuGEWs protection, and still
Issumed the right to exercise the functions
,soi Governor. This rendered ne,cssary Il re-
a sort 10 tho courts in order To get "A judicial
3decision Of the question who WAS really
xGovernor. To attain this end various suits
Swerc instituted The first Of these was that of
i one SMITH, a convict in the pcntentiary, for
! whom CHAMBERLAIN issued a pardon. The
Superintendent OF tho penitentiary refused
yto recognize this pardon ON the ground that
ECHAMBEgLAGN was not Governor writ oil
Ehabeas corpu, was sued out in Judge CAR
SPESTER's Circuit Court and the qucs-
Aion as 70 tho validity of CHAMBER
SLAMS election was made the subject
EDf elaborate arguments by counsel
y or tho Republicans and Democrats respec-
q lively. Judyr CARPENTER listened To the
went to Washington and held
Hconsulttion with Grandfather TAFr AMI a
q he result Of his protractcd deliberations
n gave the decision that neither CHAMBER
SLAlN nor HAMPTON was elected last NoVcm-
y hrr; AMI that. therefore, there being No cleo
1ti1n, CHAMBERLAIN held over from his
3 ;urmer term.
i The next caso Of Importance bearing on
81 thi- question was thtof one Rp,rBpHou1u.
- culorol prisoner in the Chester county
a nil. 10 whom Gov. HAMPTON issued par
Z. ION. The sheriff refused To acknowledge its
q validity, and the usual means Wore rrs)rt,l
~ 20. In this Instance tho case came before
~ Judge MAcXEY, who, after hearing argl-
y ileuts. decided that HAMPTON wls @ ,vernpr.
.iand had not only been fairly elected, but
Ipropcrly installed in Office. These conflict
y ing decisions were 10y inferior courts how
- yer. and though both judges concurred IN
u ne opinion that CHAMBERLAIN was not
rselcctci Governor in November. the great
z question, whether HAMPTON was, still re-
sS manned for determination by the court of
"a last resort
3 This matter was finally brought IN p def
81 mite shape before the Supreme Court in the
y now celebrated TLpA NORRIS ease. 1t, too
"a was based on a pardon issued to pcnlten
~ larry convict, in this instance by Gov
y HAMPTON. The Superintendent refuses
recognize the pardon, and writ
81 habea5 corpus was taken out.
Y irgumcnts on both sides were heard and
n the decision Of tho Court would probably
u have been delivered on Friday of last week
&, had not Chief Justice MOSES been struck
5with paralysis on the previous night, rem
"a derng him Incapable Of taking part In Tho
x proceedings The Court consists of ia,
81 Chief Justice and two Associate justices
81 WGLLARD and WRIGHT, the former white and
Z; 10 latter colored. 1t was well understood
7 in Columbia that the Court was unanimous
fSin maintaining tho validity OF IIAMPTON',
ai occtlon; but when the incapasity of Chic
:, ju-tice slO5IS was discovered, the CHAM
u BEhLAGS men saw thelr opportunity, since
IA hc decision now rested with only two OF TIA,
g3ludges, and ono Of thom a negro.
"a Immediately upon tho adjournment Of Ia,
ydcodlt on Friday, Feb %, Il desperate at
81 'cupt was begun to influence and ovcrawC
''ijudge WRIGHT. From tho timo that he left
81 he court room until tho lnal disposition o.
si the case, he was beset by black and white
u emissarios oi CHAMBERLAIN, who, bycntrcat
3Jies, threats, and calolcry, cudcavored /,
49prevail upon him TO g!yea decision oppo
~ tic to his convictions. But lac with,tooo
" ,ll these influences, and ON Tuesday last
a ;ncd the order directing the rcloa.s of IT,,
'onyict upon Gov llAMrroN's pardon. thu
gully recos king tho validity OF HASH rON.
~ lection.
a On that day the excitement in the court
4 room was intense, though the fact that
Z. WmGur had signed the order was not Then