The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-03-05

songs such as Hold the Fort and others of a like nature.
 l The speakers or substitutes from their members occupied the speakers chairs l continuously and the democrats kept their
 places ready for anything that might
 turn up. This went on continuously, two or% three members, negroes from the ] lower rich counties of the state. joining
 the forces of the democrats One of them, | an intelligent, educated negro in A l speech justified himse<i for leaving the | Mackey house. Sometimes at night visi-
 tors would call into look on this un-
 precedented sight An old judge. a bril- lant ex-member of the bar, would some
 times come in at this hour One night while this strange farce was being en- | acted, the two houses sitting one with a white speaker and the other with a negro.
 this judge came in. ~ l "Gentlemen," he said q perceive that l the state of South Carolina has brought l forth twins but the chastity of the good
 mother is under suspicion because they are of different color.''
 | This kind of legislation continued for seven days. then information was re- | ceived that a large constabulary force | backed by the radical governor, who | still held on to his ofice would during 1 the day enter the hall and attempt to | eject the democratic body. Although tfese members were prepared to resist | and backed by the best citizens of Co- ] ll;mbia, many of them veterans and
 used to conflict of arms, heartily weary
 Of the robber rule of reconstruction times
 and sufficient to have annihilatetd the J troops then considered it unwise to re. main longer in the statehouse.
 | 1 General Wallace, himself veteran of
 hundred battles, arose from his seat | and said:
 I Gentlemen of the House and Repre. l sentatlves, have just been officially in | formed that there are now in readiness I upwards of 100 men ~slo are about to 1 entetr the hall for the purpose of eject l ing this body
 The members for whom 1t is intended
 that the force shall be applied has been
 recognized by this house as members and we dispute the authority that takes upon l itself~ this high-handed measure We I insist that this house is the only con- l petent authority to pass npon the quali- l'fications and election returns of It's own 1 members. The force to which I have alluded is acting directly under the al1- | thority of the government that was ,,n 1 seated at the last election who has the l United States soldiers to back him. If l that force is resisted by yne members of
 this house. the military force of the United States will be invoked to it's as- SiStance.
 1 With view of preventing a collision l upon the floor in winch lives may be i lost and blood shed. with a view of pre- serving the public peace, with a view of 1 submitting to a proper and legal arbitra-
 ton all rights we claim on this floor. the chair is of the opinion that this house should withdraw from the hall. While we assert our rights as the legal house of representatives or South Caro- | llna, while we dispute any authority under the sun to decide forsus who have 1 rights upon this flooy but solely for peace and for prevention of bloodshed, | am or the opinion that this ho11se should withdraw to another hall It is nor essential to the legality of the House l or Representatives that 1t should sit in l this hall. The constitution requires that the general assembly should meet in the l city Of Columbia. I hay as we'll state Ihat the only house that can exist in ooutn Carolina is a body constituted of l 6o members that constitutes a quorum of that body under the constitution. The membership of that body being fixed at l24. The constitution also provides that | a majority of these members are alone competent to do business. I +,,o~oe,-o. gentlemen, upon the grounds stated and for the purpose of preventing bloodshed' recommend that we do adjourn to an- | other house."
 Ihen they adjourned to Carolina hall. which was from thenceforth called The Wallace House. and there thev con | tinued their law-making.
 Tn the meaentime Hampton went uu to Washington and had an fnterv,au ! with the new President R(eturning) l B(oard) Hayes and his cabinet, and an l order was issued for the Secretary ot | War that the troops be removed from the | statehouse of Columbia, S. C.
 At noon, April 10, 1877, the troops were 1 removed from the statehouse. On the
 same day the radical governor notified
 Hampton of his readiness to turn ove,
 to him the executive office. Tn a few
 uays the Wallace house met in the hall 1 of the house of representatives, and n,.o ] ceeded in the normal way to transact ifs business without interference So Soutf carolina was free at last from the dom.
 ma ton or illiteracy and alien profligacy
 put the Wallace house will live in the
 memory of South CaroIinians forever. 1