The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1886-02-24

! tt-'
(.0rrsxton ;t:,s. q ".- -;";tis,: t!..svhic:s.)
toLcM3.A, ). L.. ErD."ary o. \
few evenings >!i:ct tilTee sd veterans
OF 1876 w":c >,.a,c:l ;;rr;l.l,; i co.aI,-t-
ib :i.c !i:fi.sy IA: ! l:;:;:: ::::: ilsv"u:!s
! AID G,>c.s>!l- 81, ~: :;..;.,,::> pXc:i;ng
cvcn'> in winch l:tc.: a.! been parilcl-
papls. Two OF ;hr:n W,.r" eX-S:..tc
S,.u:.t y 5 and ,.i.r an cX.> .>i;:tr officer OF
1876 As Inc :l!lc.' nrcrd 4 clou.! ul
! biue smoke from his lnnui. .:Ed sent il
curling ui,war,i>, h >a'd: "DId lo;l
eyer t.c.r hu" yea; ll!drn v;,ul'' lu re-
r,.iviuy The electoral vnte uI South
| Carui:na:' Hi friends bad beard
something on dis subject, bat i! he had
anything new to otter tHcy would br
g!ai to listen. "Wcll. gentlemen" he
proceeded, "Tildcn was Within one
hour OF being President Of the United
States The South Carolina Ecpubli-
can electors were for sale, but they
came high The Democrats wanted
them, however, although iIiGii' price
was u little eNnrbi;ant. The STATE
romlliitee was not in position 70
purchase ti:"ir votes AMI had little III
trre>t III or desire to do sn, rs ilaMp-
ton had been elected Governor, ant;
the people We're SO rcJViced over this
that National matters were regarded
as OF small consequence. The National
Committee had Information ot The co,i-
ditiol of the elcctora! ticket, and was
somcwha more inclined TO invest.
The d fiiculiy, however, WAS that The
Republican, electors We're such con-
sunlnate ScoundrrlS that no reliance
cuuld be placed on their promises. Ii
was necessary then 10 secure 4 third
psrty 10 conduct negotiations. y
broken Columbia banker, whom we
will call Hardy, who had received Il
part of the piunier OF the Radical
crowd, was selected. He soon per
tccted arrangements for transfer
Of the votes from Hayes to lisdcn for
the sum Of SG0,0J The Democratic
representative ac,'cdcd to the proposal
and directed Hardy to 90 Immediately
to Barnum's Hotel III Baltimore and call
at room A, where he would find a
party waiting who would pay over the
amount agreed upon. Hardy arrived
promptly at Bar"um'S and examining
. the name OH the ho!el register opposite
room Il, he found that it was 80 badly
written that lie was unable 70 r. ad t.
He called the clerk to his assistance,
! but this scntlelnali also tai;cu 20 dccl-
| p'er tic signature. Hardy walked up
tn II and Knocked, but receiving M
: answer retired. He stroiled cut on
the street, and willie Walking along
, cisurely IL stranger placed lis hand OH
his shoulder and said: 1uu are
wanted at rocm A." Hardy immc-
diatcly returned, opemcd the door and,
, rs he stepped into the room, the dooi
closed with :. snap and nc found him
self locked in. He awaited Il short
while, when n gentleman entered alit
at once proceeded TO discuss the sub
ject that bat! brought them together.
!: The terms were qulcalv arranged, bui
! the stranger inlorned Hardy tranSiy
: that he was unwilling 10 pay over ~
! large a sum 10 him until the vote had
beer cast. To this Hardy replied that
! he had promised not to telegraph the
electors to surrender until he had the
money in hand Time WAS getting
, short. Ii Was The day for the vote III
. be cast and nearly the hour. In this
emergency the stranger asked Hardy
il he would be willing 10 accept the
! pledge Of 8 certain private merchant
that the amount would be paid, and
send the telegram. Hardy agreed To
!; this, and they went i'll great haste to
see The merchant, only to find that hc
had left the town one hour before aud
could not be reached. The telegram
was never sent. the vote vi the SAFE
} was given to Hayes, and that is how
rildrn came wiIhin sixty minutes Of
being President
"rhat'sa good yariI," said an ex-Sen.
ator, "but did you ever hear the req.
reason why the the fight IN the dua
Legislature failed to take place:
rne others had heard Some causes
assigned, but were not sure thai
: they we're correct. "Well," the eX-
, Senator continued, 81 can give YOU tht
facts. The Republicans had laid their
pIaus well. They had The colored Hun.
kldori Club, from Charleston, as You
F will remember, composed Of the most
brutal and daring class of low country
negroes, stationed in The S;ate House,
near the Representatives Hall, wei
armed and ready to respond 10 any
call. The United States troops were
on the lower floor, within easy reach
if needed. The RrpuuhcanS only had
, tifiv-ninc members, not u CpHsiltu-
tiunal quorum. and they Could not
afford 10 lose 4 single Representative.
These members were directed, on a
certain night, previously agreed upon,
TO retire one III :. lime from the hail
and have their places taken by men
from the IiunkiduIis. The United
States Lieutenant Who was 10 coni-
. msnd the guard that night was bitter
Republican partisan, aid had a2rcc,:
:, give all the assistance. needed IL
destroy the Democrats. I've ni:hl
; arrived and arrangements to execute
tile plan were begun, Wien u the
establishment of ii:e ii-puDicais they
tuu,.d that the officer III cuinnald OF
The troops WAS not thrir man, ;:nd
furthermore thar he leiusud 10 b;: u
parry 10 amy such murCivrou> drs!G::>.
r;.c game was binckcd. a'id before it
cD,.it be r:,>arr;i,grd HE lc"dia9 D,'u:.
,crats hal discovered the p;1l, l"L III
ur.Icy 70 avui,. b.oudem'! a"al lctl t:.c
S;,,c House. I!,c>e :aci> ;!c sad t.,