The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1903-02-17
LEGISLATURES IN ARMS.
South Cardinals Struggle In 1876 Recall
ca by the Conditions in Colorado.


"A. Is. Williams in Richmond News I
We do not deny that there ia a
deplorat.e lack Of law aud order and
the requirements Of civilization in
some parts Of the South; but there
arc others. We read in the newspa.
pers of members Of the Colorado Log.
lSl"ture sitting at their places with
huge revolvers decorating their desks
and surrounded by guards prepared
to resist by violence and bloodsbed
the attempts Of certain faction Of
Republicans claiming to bo mombers
of the same body to enter tho halls.
The situation is curiously like that in
South Carolina il. 1875. Democrats
and Republicans each claimed to have
majority OF the House, and each
organized undor its own Speaker.
On certain day the Democratic
members marched to the State House,
headed by Col. j. l.. Orr, now tho
respected and staid president of one
OF the largest cotton mills in the
State, who knocked aside the door
keeper and led his cohorts in. Tho
rival bodies occupied the Same hall.
tho Speakers sitting side by side, two
nights and three days, as we recol.
lect. The United State troops we're at
the front door, and while they would
not eject the Democratic claimants
they refused to give permission for
any Of them to 60 out and return.
Consequently, those Legislators we're
kept locked in the chamber for the
time indicated, along with their Re.
publican opponents, everybody arm
cd to the teeth, and expecting trou-
bic to break loose each minute. A
member from each House addressing
and recognized by his own speaker
and speaking at the top Of his voice
was common incident OF this nerve
cracking period. Reporters and
others who had the right to 90 in
and out Of the chamber freely SNUG
gled in Winchester rifles, the bar.
rels thrust down their trousers legs
and the butts under their waistcoats,
for the Democrats, each of whom had
an average Of three revolvers besides
the gun wrapped in his blanket OF
overcoat, and probably the Repubi.
cans we're equally we'll provided.
What Il dramatic moment it was
for the seventy odd weary and rcd
eyed white mon who had been expect.
ing during all the hours of lone
night to engoge at any moment in a
fight in locked hall with their Re.
publican and negro opponents rein
forced by hundreds Of deputy sorge
ants at arms, when tho murky and
chilly dawn Of tho December mornino
WAS suddenly cut by the sharp, fam
liar rebel yell. Both factions ad.
jonrned to the windows and looked
out on line Of red shirts, many ot
them Confederate veterans, double
qnicking in swift cadence up the
steep hill from the special train tina
had brought them in. These wer,
tho advance guard Of 5000 of tn,
same kind who arrived before noon
clattering in Oh horseback at ful
speed, slngly and by squads, tum
blink hurriedly from regular ane
special trains, eager to fight any
thing or anybody for Wade Hamp
ton and white rule.
But that was twenty six years ago
and the fight was for principle, ant
involved the very life of the State
This affair in Colorado is mer
squabble over United States Sena
torship, probably with good dea
OF Doodle involved in it. So far a
the morality and respoctability an
civilization Of the transactions or
concerned, South Carolina appear
to have very much the better of it.