The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1912-12-27


the hall who was elected.
A Critical Time.
At this crucial hour when it was so
important to guard against making
mistakes the next day, there was dis
cussion, but no important action
agreed upon as l remember now. 1t
was important that we should quietly
get our seats the next day in the hall
of the house of representatives. Gen.
Gary proposed that we should remain
all night in our seats, and until the
legislature convened the next day,
so as to have them the next day and
not be kept out. He said that the way
they did at the polls at Edgefeld was
to go to them the night before an
election and be there first. But this
proposition was not accepted, and this
caucus adjourned without important
action as l now remember.
| wish to mention that I saw no
soldiers in or about the State house.
| think that we must have adjourned
about 8 o'clock, therefore soldiers
must have been brought in at night or
early next morning.
Tuesday, November %, the legal
day for the assembling of the State
legislature, we, the Democratic men,
rs-elect, assembled at the door of
the house of representatives in a body
and found there file of United
States soldiers, on each side of the
| doorway, with guns carrying bright
and glistening bayonets crossed over
the doorway. Two of our members,
Orr and Simpson, from the up-coun-
try, both of whom had been members
of the preceding legislature, went in
and on their return to us, we all
repaired to Carolina hall, where we
were sworn by Judge Thompson H.
Cook of the circuit court, as duly
elected members of the legislature.
Judge Wallace swore in the officers of
the house after this. At Carolina hall
we held daily sessions of the legally
elected members of the house of rep
resentatives, transacting such busi-
! ness as came before us, Speaker Wal
lace presiding, until Thursday, No
vember 80, when we again repaired
to the State house about 10 or II
o'clock in the forenoon.
The commanding officer of the
United States garrison had asserted,
as we were told, that there would be
no interference with us if we did not
disturb the peace.
Went in Groups.
Not desiring to attract attention by
appearing in the streets in body,
we went in groups and appearing at
the eastern entrance to the building
near the supreme court room, an of
ficer of the United States army there
inspected our credentials, and passed
US in. Reaching the door of the hall
of the house of representatives, we
found there only some doorkeepers
of the Radical house, who were easily
made to stand aside, and we went on
in. The Radical house was not in ses-
sion. Our speaker, Wallace, took the
speakers chair, and the members all
found seats. Later in the morning
Speaker E. w. M. Mackey, of the
Radical house, walked up the right
hand aisle and approached Speaker
Wallace, who was seated in the big
chair. My seat was too far for me to
hear what was said, but Mackey
seemed to be very much excited, and
was evidently appealing to Speaker
Wallace to give up the chair. Then he
called for his sergeant at arms, DAN
iels, who was a negro. Speaker Wal
lace called our sergeant at arms, and
both sergeants were approaching tho
speakers, followed by members of
both houses, and it seemed as if there
would be a collision. Some one carried
chair to Mackey, and he sat down in
it, and the members returned to their
seats. After that the speakers kept
their same chairs day after day and
night after night. Roll was called for
each house. The journal was read for
each house, and business of the day
was gone through with by each house,
or the pretended business gone
through with. Sometimes there were
bills of either house discussed ut the
same time, and oratory was in de-
mand. This was continued each day
when we were in the house. At night
we lounged about the house.
A Dual Chamber.
1t was novel sight when the hour
for roll call arrived. There would
be two speakers at the desk, and two
clerks up at the same time, calling
the rolls and the members answering
to their names when called. Thus