The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1896-02-12
ELECTION CONTEST.
From the Third Congressional Dis
triCt of South Carolina.
RoBT. MooRMAN AGAINST A. c. LAT1mER
Argument John Altheus johnson, At
tOrney for A. &. Latimer, the Con-

rsument JOnn AitneuS Johnson, At
tOrney for A. e. Latimer, the Con-
testee.
AS our readers know, but may have forgot
ten, the Hon. Robert Moormap, Republican
contesting the seat of the Hon. A. c. LATIN er
who was declared elected and seated in the
House of Representatives.
Mr.. Latimer employed as his legal counsel
Mr.. John Altheus Johnson who stands high
with the Washington Bar, and who is well
known not only in his native county, but in
all parts of the country. Mr.. Johnson is ma.
tive Of Abbeville county, and he has many
friends who rejoice at his general success
and who will be glad to learn that MIR. Lati
mer is in very little, if any, danger of losing
his seat.
From private in formation, we are led to be-
lieve that none of South Carolina's delegation
are in danger, except possibly Congressman
Elliott. The Committee on Elections 1t is
thought will report favorably on each Of the
Democratic Representatives, except Elliott
who represents the First District-(Beau tort
and Charleston). In his case 1t Is believed
that If the report is not adverse to him it will
be divided, in which event the question will
have to be settled by the House OF Represen.
tatives-a Republican House. And Murray,
the negro, will likely get the place.
The following extracts from the able and
convincing argument or Mr. johnson will be
Of interest TO the friends Of both Mr.. Latin er
and his counsel. Mr.. Johnson deserves the
confidence which Mr.. Latimer manifested by
entrusting his interests to his care. Mr. John.
son is worker and he strikes sledge hammer
blows, when he takes hand In the fray:
Moorman claimed that S,595 persons had
been denied their right TO vote because Of The
registration law, anu he filed lists containing
4, ,73j names that had been written up In va.
rous parts OF the Congressional District.
Commenting on this feature of the case MIR.
job hnson said:
mo pretense is made at calling the individ.
aals who were rejected, or any one who has
personal knowledge of the rejections, except
| that now and then some one, who does not
mention the names, will say he saw four or
five or a dozen voters rejected and forthwith
q list is filed, containing from one hundred TO
| tive hundred names.
"Moorman needs 4,79i votes to overcome
Latimer's majority, flity-nine more than ap.
pear In these lists. 1t was probably an over.
sight that omitted these tifty-nine names.
Certainly the lists with fifty-aine more names
added would have been as competent as they
are at present Indeed, If writing down
names as was done in this case removes them
| 1rOtn lne region Ol conjecture. LDe operation
might as we'll have been continued until IL
had embraced the full $685. that is claimed
or, since the rules of evidence were not to be
called in to support these lists. the operation
might have been continued until 1t embraced
l7.SO3, the number permitted by the census
| figures"
Counsel for Norman were very bitter in
their attacks upon the registration law, their
hope being that the Elections Committee
having brushed that law aside as a nullity
would count for Norman q sufficient mum
Der OF the rejected votes to entitle him to the
seat Referring to this aspect OF the case and
to Judge Goff's decision, MIR. Johnson said:
"The vice of Judge Goff Is decision Is the as
sumption, underlying It's every part, that be.
cause large class OF the citiZens Of the
United States came into tue enjoyment OF suf
frage by virtue of the fifteenth amendment
that, therefore, any legislation by State Is
invalid which seems to have been the occa
SION of causing a large part OF the citizens O
that class 10 lose the ballot. II we will beaI
in mind that the right to vote Is not q right
inherent in citizens of the United States, d
principle first expressly declared by the Su
preme Court in 1874 in Minor vs.. Happersett
81 Wallace, 1862; II we will also bear in MIND
hat the right is wholly within the control O
the several States, subject only to the inhibi
tion that they shall not deny or abridge IL or