The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1913-08-27

and do nothing to provoke a riot.
We trust to the law and the con-
stitution and we have perfect
faith in the business of our cause.
The democratic house was duly
organized in the city with Gen.
VIM. H. Wallace as speaker.
There were 81 members, includ-
ing the Edgefeld and Laurens
delegations. There soon came
over to the democrats Thomas
Hamilton and N. B. Myers of
Beaufort, and J. S. Bridges of
Newberry. This gave the dem
ocrats a majority without the
two contested delegations.
A CRITICAL MOMENT.
The republicans seated dele
cations from the counties where
there were contests but even
then did not have a majority.
They swore in negro imperson-
ating Silas Cave. and when Cave
himself appeared a few days Ia
ter, they solemnly swore him in
too.
The state senate was organic
ed with the election Of a negro
as presiding officer over the pro
test of the democrats. Chamber.
lain reported to Washington that
the democrats had withdrawn
leaving the republicans with 90
members OF the house, quorum:
On the morning of November
30, the Wallace house proceeded
in orderly fashion from Carolina
hall to the State capitol, got by
| the sentries in some manner and
also got into the hail of the house
of representatives before the ig-
norant sergeant at arms of the
house knew what was happening.
In a few moments Mackey fol
lowed by those who recognized
him as speaker entered the hall.
lMackey ascended the stand and
demanded that Speaker Wallace
should vacate the chair. Gen.
Wallace made a statement of his
claim. Mackey then claimed to
be the lawfully elected speaker
and demanded that Gen. WALLACE
leave the chair. Gen. Wallace de.
clined. Mackey then declared
"the sergeant at arms will please
come forward and enforce my
order" Gen. Wallace then Or.
dered the democratic sergeant at
arms, Col. Jno. D. Browne, of
Barnwell, to enforce his order.
The republican sergeant at arms
was negro.
The two sergeant at arms came
forward and ascended the stand
Excitement was intense an d
bloodshed was imminent. Gen.
Wallace had commanded brig
ade of Confederate soldiers and
the democrats would not suffer
the indignity of negro offering
to lay his hand upon the person
of their speaker. Col. Jno. D.
Browne was a determined man,
a powerful man, and Mackey
would have been taken from the
stand dead or alive. The cooler
heads among the democrats
ayerted trouble by making a mo-.
ton for a committee of six to ad.
Just matters. There followed a
pandemonium of motions, sug-
gestions, protests and questions,
but neither speaker needed the
house members from the other
side.
Both sides for three days and
nights remained in the State
capitol, getting food and water
as best they could. Finally it
was learned that Chamberlain
had sent for the famous ''Hunka-
dori" club, Of Charleston, negro
thugs and gunmen: who were to
be seated in the gallery of the
house, and later to come IN as
special sergeants at arms to eject
the white men from Laurens and
Edgeield. Refusal Of the white
men Was to be met by force and
then the federal troops would in.
terfere. President Grant would
proclaim martial law and the
State would be wrested from the
democrats.
l. THE HUNKADoRI OUTRAGE.
This scheme became known
and the call from Columbia
brought fully 5000 men to the
capital. They were armed with
squirrel guns. shot guns, and
anything they could get, for the
State government had taken the
rifles to give them to negroes.
They were we'll organized and
their discipline and behavior was
perfect. 1t was decided oy the
council of safety that while the
determined white men could take
the government by force. yet it
were better to be patient. SO the
Wallace house retired to til e
Carolina hall leaving the Mackey
house in the State capital.
A few days later, December
9Th. the State supreme court de-
cided that General Wallace was
the lawful speaker of the house
of representatives. By this de-
cision, the election returns were
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