The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1879-04-04

Upon this ground alone, if no other reasons
had been urged by the contestant or shown
ty the evidence, the scat of the contestee
should be declared vacant. If, as was al
legsd. insurrection and domestic violence
existed in this congressional district, then
it would have been impossible to have had
any proceeding which could be dignihed
with the name Of an election, even with
the active assistance Of all the managers,
supervisors and deputy marshals, who sur
rounded tho polls, with the soldiers to aid
them.
IF there was no such condition Of things,
then the presence of the troops, secured IN
violation of law by Governor Chamberlain,
to insure the success of the republican
ticket upon which he and the contestee
were candidates, should nullify the election.
We have already shown, however, by lncon-
tcstiblc proof, which might be augmented
by the testimony OF hundreds OF other
witnesses of both colors and of both parties,
that no such condition of things as the
governor and President affirmed IN their
proclamations existed in South Carolina IN
the summer or fall of 1876, but on the
contrary, that the courts were In the tull
and unobstructed exercise OF all their right
fGl authority and that there was nowhere
any armed body of white men which a
constable, duly commissioned, could not
have instantly dispersed or induced by a
show of authority to submit to the demands
of the law that the only real apprehen-
sion entertained by any one Of even vlo,
lent breach of the peace arose solely from
the imbccilc and corrupt character OF the
State government and its inability or un-
willingness to keep in subsection the law
less militia it had organized aud equipped.
IF there was any evidence whatever
(Which 1 utterly denyJ that coIid have
justified the governor IN calling upon
the President for troops, have never yet
found any one, except Governor Chamber
lain himself, who (pretending TO have any
personal knowledge of such facts) claimed
that the Legislature could not have been
convened and the requisition, if its mem
bers had thought it necessary, have been
made upon the President in the manner
prescribed by the Constitution.
Blunted as our sense of the great wrong
may be, by its frequent repetition, there is,
/ confidently believe, "virtue enough" left
with the people to compel their public ser
wants in the future to keep within the pre-
scrbed limits of that Constitution which
their official oath requires them to uphold
and defend. Fain would | believe that
there is little danger of our again Seeing
Legislature of a sovereign State expelled
from the halls Of the capital at the point Of
the bayonct; or the members Of a similar
body in another State required to exhibit
their credentials to q corporal of the
guard" who backed by the power Of the
United States Army, thrusts aside sufficient
number Of the chosen representatives of
the people to give legislative majority to
party whid had been defeated at the polls.
Fain would hope that never again will
the blush OF shame be brought to the cheek
or an indignant sense Of wrong swell the
heart of any American citizen by being COM
pelled to walk beneath the crossed bayoncts
of the soldier in order to exercise his
boasted right of suffrage. But we must
remember that just in this way, by one en-
croachmcut after another upon the rights
Of the people, justified at first by specous
pleas Of necessity, do tyrants aud usurpers
when unrebuked and allowed to continue
their disregard of law finally rob the pco-
pie of their liberties and find their way
to absolute dominion that the most sacred
right once lost have been recovered only
throught revolutions and seas of blood !;
that it was after a struggle continued for
six centuries the English people regained
the rights which no one would have dared
to call in question in the time of Saxon
Edward the Confessor. We must never for
get that 'despotism made possible is certain
TIE GOVERNORS OF SoUTn CAROLINA
SINCE 1S00.-1S00, John Drayton 1902,
James B. Richardson 1904, Paul Hamil-
ton; 1906, Charles Pinckncy; 1903, John
Drayton 1910, ieury Middleton; 1872,
Joseph Ellston; 1915, David r. Williams
1916, Andrew Pickens 1918. John Gcddes;
1920, Thomas Bennett; 1922, John L.
Wilson 1924, Richard [. Manning 1926,
John Taylor; 1928, Stephen D. Miller
1880, james Hamilton; 1892. Robert Y.
Haync; 1884, George McDuffie; 1886,
Pierce M. Butler; 1888, Patrick Noble;
1910, John p. Richardson 1912, James
II. Hammond; 1914, William Aiken
1916, David johnson; 1913, Whitcmarsh b.
Soabrook 1850, John A. Means 1852,
John l.. Manning; 1854, James Ii. Ad-
ans, 1856, r. f. w. Allston; 1858 Will
liam H.. Gst; 1860, f. w. Pickcns 1862,
M |, Ronhom. 1894 n M,nro,L