The morning times., 1897-02-09
THE VOTE WILL Be COUNTED
Congressman Murray Decided to
Make No Objection.
WOULD ACCOMPLISH NO GOOD
He Explained His Sudden Change
of Front-The Memorial From the
Citizens of South Carolina Pre-
sented to the House-The Sit,ra-
ton Fully Reviewed.

As Indicated in the dispatches of the
United Associated Presses Saturday last,
there will be no objection to the counting
OF the electoral vote of South Carolina
at the joint convention of Congress on
Wednesday. Mr.. Murray, the colored rep
resentative from that state, who originated
the proposition, and who proposed the
memorial upon which the objection was to
be based. today stated that he would
not make the proposed objection.
mo good would be accomplished by
it," he said briefly. in explanation OF his
changed purpose, and much harm might
result"
The memorial in tine case reached Mr..
Murray Monday morning, and lie pre-
sented it TO tie House through the
petition box, and il was referred to the
Committee on the Election of President
and Vice President and Representatives in
Congress. The memorial reads as follows:
We, the Undersigned, citizens of the
United States, and of the State of South
Carolina, do hereby memoralize aud petit
ton your honorable bodies against the
counting of what purports TO be, but is
neither in law or i'll fact, the electoral
vote of South Carolina; and ask for an
investigation OF the political affairs of the
State, which is truly without that form
of government guaranteed by the Federal
Constitution, for the reasons which fol-
low:
''First-A vast majority of the legally
qualified voters of this State was pre-
vented from expressing its choice for
Presidential electors by the enforcement, ON
the part OF the managers of elections, of
Illegal and unconstitutional barriers.
"Second-The so-caHed constitution of
1895, under which the election was con
Quoted, is Illegal, both in it's concep-
ton and execution, for the reason, that,
first, the vast majority of electors, by a
Congress itself, and every court which
! has passed upon its merits, were prevented
| either from participating in the election
| for calling said so-ca!led constitutional
| convention, or that of electing delegates,
| therefor; second, the so-called constitution
| of 1895, which has been invOluntarily Y
| forced upon the people of this State by
| the military despotism in control of the
| government, is illegal, because the dele
| gates of which it was constituted, refused
to take the oath to support the constitu-
| ton and laws OF the United States, re-
| quired by the Federal Constitution, before
| entering upon their alleged duties in said
| so-called convention, and, further re
| fused to submit the So-called constitution
| of 1895, to the electors of the State, for
| ratification prior to its enforcement as
| the organic law of the State, thereby over
| turning the precedents and form OF max
| ing, a dopting and enforcing constitutions In
| order to establish republican form oil
government, in vogue from the very founda-
! ton of our government; third, the section
of the suffrage clause, which discrlmlnates
| in favor of the eX-Confederate soldier IL
| the matter OF paying poll tax, as pre-
requisite to vote, violates both the 14ti
and 18th amendments to the Constitution
| of the United States; fourth, because sal0
| so-cailed constitutional convention oil
| 1895, in changing the qualifications tt
vote as to disfranchise a large majority
of the electors of the State, violated tht
Federal Statute-at Large, 1867 to 1863
first, second, and third sessions, Fortetf
Congress, which declares that the constitu
ton of 1868 of this State, by which L
resumed its status in the Union, shouit
never be so changed or amended as TO dis
franchise anyone who was enfranchlse'
| ty it, except for crime, of which he shal
have been duly and lawfully tried an'
convicted
.Third-Your memorIalsts further de
clare that g Republican form OF govern
ment does not exist in South Carollna
that the will OF the people has been oveI
thrown; that a military despotism is L
control Of the State government ana ina
the people of South Carolina appear I
Congress for the fulfillment to the stat
of South Carolina, of the United State
constitutional guarantee of Repuphca
form of government Your peitioner
aver that the late election, in which NOR
than 100, 600 electors were denied the
right to express their choice at the ballt
box, while in all less than 10000 vote
were counted, was Illegally and fraudl
lently conducted. f
I'VE. therefore, petition that your homo
able bodies will take such action as ma
he necessary to restore constitutions
, | government to this State, and repair I'll
breaches in the Constitution OF our cou
: try a,
The memorials are four in numter ar
.. signed by r = Scott and thirty-siX othe
I OF Florence, s c. II. Nix and fort
nine others of Columbia. S, c.; NJ. Stoke
and one hundred and fifty others
Charleston, s, c., and Martin Fludd an
fifty-three others Of Charleston.