Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1879-04-17
The Election Cases.

State and from different counties havo been
indicted and dragged before tho court under
various charges of illegal conduct at our last
election, including fraud, intimidation, voting
more than one timo and other charges against
managers. Tho Radical party cannot realize
that their defeat in South Carolina is possible
with its voting minority Of negroes forgetting
that tho colored voter is not their special
property, but FREQ citizen allowed to exercise
the elective franchise rs other citizens, and
forgetting also that the rule of that party hns
been stencil in tho nostrils Of the nation.
With anything like on honest and economical
administration of the government that party
could have had control Of the State for an
underlined period, and little opposition could
have been mustered against its great major
ity. BY misrule and corruption, the party
year by year became odious to its most en- :
lightened and influential mombcrs, while
from the same cause spirit of unity and
opposition was excited among the Democrats,
which, from its enthusiasm and strength was
irresistible. Then it was that the honest,
tho practical, tho conservative, the heroic
Hampton camc on our stage, and led tho
Democracy to victory, and the State was for
ever lost to the Republican party. Tho yic-
tory begun in 1876 was followed up in 1878,
and South Carolina again sent q solid Demo-
cratic delegation to Congress- Just here is
where the shoe pinches and just here seems
to come in this wholesale spirit Of prosecution.
The court convened on the morning Of ~,
9th instant, and on tho call Of rho ;urors
being complet.cc11, Gen, Conner ono Of the
leading counsel for the dofoncc in tho election
cases, arose and took exception to the cntirc
panel of grand and potit jurors, citing five
grounds Of objection, to wit:
First, that they wcro not drawn in ao.
cordance with tho order Of tho court, in that
only two out Of threo Of tho commissioner
appointed for tho purpose, attended and
acted.
Second, that the box had been rcGllcd be-
fore it was exhausted.
Third that they were not properly served,
in that several werc served through The post
office.
Fourth, that A. Blythe, ono of tho COM
missioners, did not reside in tho Eastern
District of the State.
Fifth, that number Of the jurors did not
reside in tho Eastern District.
District Attorney Northrop then arose and
moved tho court that the jurors be sworn,
under tho test oath, which was refused, until
the question of quashing the panels was dis
posed of. After somo prclminarics the
District Attorney asked for time to answer
ba oh 70 fho Al.
adjourned.
On the morning Of tho 9th, the District
Attorney presented his formal reply to the
objections, and elaborate arguments wero
delivered by Gen. Connor, Mr.. Mitchell, Gen.
Noise and ex-Gov Magrath for tho defon,
dants, and tho District Attorney for the
United States, after which Judge Bond took
the papers Tor examination.
Wc have not yet heard the result, but arc
inclined to tho opinion that the legality of the
jury will be sustained, and the cases brought
to trial The three commissioners appointed
to draw the jury were Messrs. IIagood, OF
Charleston, Boozcr, Of Columbia, and Blythe,
Of Greonvile. The two first acted
Since writing tho above, telegram to
tho Regis or, of April 14th, states that
Judge Bond ovcrrulcd tho challenges to
tho array of grand and petit jurors, on the
ground that no improper conduct or fraud
was complained of on tho part of officers
who drew tho juries, and tho irregular
drawing was of no consequence. Judge
Bryan delivered u dissenting opinion
This, it is said, will prevent any punish
mont of person convicted, until the
Supreme Court of the United Slater has
decided tho points Of difference between
tho judges.
Tho case Of tho United States vs. Wm.
Kerrigap, for assauting a Supervisor was
then called, and the test oath applied to the
jury, excluding nine jurymon. An effort
was then mado to continue the case, which
was ovcrrulod and tho tria proceeded.