Year: 1876

Car Olina OutrRge-The Action Of


the Chamberlain Party De-


nounced.


NEW YORK, November 29. The New
York Evening Post to-day has the fol-
lowing leading editorial:


MILITARY INTERFERENCE IN PoLIT-
ICAL QUEsTIoNs.-We cannot let armed
occupation of the South Carolina State
House and the act OF the Federal troops
taking upon themselves TO determine who
shall constitute the Legislature of that
State pass without protest of the utmost
possible solemnity and energy. Accord
Ing to all accounts from that quarter
Federal troops were Yesterday in posses
sion of the building, military garrison
with its sentinels posted at the doors, and
no member of the Legislature was ad-
mitted except those who brought pass
from one of the psrtissns oil the present
Governor Members who brought
the certificate of their elec-
ton from the Clerk of the Supreme
Court, under the broad seal of the Court,
were refused admittance by armed men.
A person named Dennis, who gave the
written orders without which no person
was allowed to enter, claimed that he
was acting under direction Of superior
whose name he declined to give. OF
course that superior is Governor Cham
berlain, under whose orders the federal
troops appear TO have been put by Presi-
dent Grant, and who has taken this
method of deciding what persons are
members of the South Carolina Legisla.
ture. We protest against this proceed
ing, not only in the name of liberty and
Justice, but in behalf of the Republican
party, whose good name and worthy re-
cord are brought in question by this resort
to military force on aquestion purely poll
tical. Here is already incorporated into
the history of our Republic proceeding
of as arbitrary nature as the act OF
Cromwell when he turned the British
Parliament out of doors. The rule OF all
representative bodies that they are the
Judges of the election and qualification of
their members has been set aside, and
Mr.. Dennis, the furniture dealer, with
Federal troops al his back, usurps that
office. Even the excuse that disturbance
and bloodshed were dreaded, and an ia
surrcction so formidable that Governor
Chamberlain would lack tho means TO
quell 1t, does not appear to have been
made. The usurpation Is not masked with
any plausible pretext. 1t sweeps away
every restraint OF usage, precedent and
law and substitutes simple force for the
quiet tormaIities o. ordinary Legislation
The Republican party is not powerful
enough in comparison with the Opposi-
tion to sustain the responsibility OF such
measures, and it becomes every member
of 1t who desires its predominance and
its usefulness To disciaim ali part IN such
proceedings. Bat ii Is said that no vio-
ience has been done. Whose, then, is
the merit of avoiding violence? 1t is
not due to Mr.. Dennis, nor to Governor
Chamberlain, nor to the Administration
at Washington. 1t is the merit OF the
people OF South Carolina. They have seen
one of their dearest rights wrested from
them, that of the peaceable assembly Of
those whom they have elected their
legislature, and the organization OF their
legislature according to the lawful and
received usages, and have endured this
outrage WllllOul lCoIcbubNO' - hh't h"N
persisted in seeking an entrance into
their State House there would have been
violence; if the rejected Representatives
had attempted to pass the sentinel at the
door, they would have been thrust back
by bayonets; if the crowd about the
building had shouted, "Bresk open the
door," and rushed forward, they
would have been fired into. They
took the wiser course. They preferred
to leave the re, e,ponsibility of resortlng to
the bayonet upon those who used 1t to
decide political question. They pre-
ferred an appeal to good sense and just
intentions OF the people of the United
States, and in this the people will sus.
tain them. We mean the people Of all
parties, for the Republicans, If they are
wise. will make haste to disclsim all con-
nIysnce with an act which, if not con-
demned by the general voice of their
party, will be quoted sgainst them as
long as that party shall have an exist
ence.