SOUTH CAROLINA. 



m 



compelling the members to proceed in the case 

 of presidential electors with the merely minis- 

 terial duty of comparing the returns of the 

 precinct managers with those of the boards of 

 county managers, and, in order to correct er- 

 rors, to report the result to the court. 



Pending these proceedings in court, but be- 

 fore the service of the above writ and rule, 

 the board, holding that their powers and duties 

 were limited by statute to ten days, which ex- 

 pired on this day, the 22d, issued certificates 

 of election to the Republican presidential elec- 

 tors and to the Republican State officers, mak- 

 ing the corrections above referred to in the 

 case of the Controller and the Superintendent 

 of Education. Certificates were also issued to 

 members of Congress and of the Legislature, 

 and to county officers. They refused to make 

 any determination or issue any certificates as 

 to Edgefield and Laurens Counties, on the 

 ground of frauds, violence, and irregularities 

 in those counties. The board then adjourned 

 sine die. 



This action, alleged to have been done in 

 contempt of the authority of the Supreme 

 Court, caused much excitement, and called 

 forth the following address from Wade Hamp- 

 ton: 



COLUMBIA, 8. C., November 22, 1876. 

 To the PtopU of South Carolina. 



The Board of Canvassers have, by their unprece- 

 dented action to-day, shown not only their contempt 

 and defiance of the Supreme Court of the United 

 States, but their utter disregard of their own official 

 integrity. While the grave questions determining 

 the result of the recent election were pending before 

 the Supreme Court, composed of three judges be- 

 longing to the Republican party, and in direct vio- 

 lation of the Orders of this tribunal, the board have 

 issued certificates of election to the Republican presi- 

 dential electors and to the Republican State officers, 

 and have refused to give certificates to Democratic 

 members of the Legislature shown by the returns of 

 this same board to have been elected in the counties 

 of Edgefield and Laurens. This high-handed out- 

 rage is well calculated to arouse the indignation of 

 our long-suffering people ; but I assure them that 

 this daring and revolutionary act of the board can 

 have no legal force whatever. I appeal to you, 

 therefore, in the fullest confidence that the appeal 

 will not be unheeded, that you will maintain, even 

 under that provocation, your character as an orderly 

 and law-abiding people. During the past exciting 

 canvass you have studiously avoided even the sem- 

 blance of a purpose to disturb the public peace or to 

 transgress tne law. Your cause and it is the cause 

 or the constitutional government of the country 

 has been carried to the highest court of the State, 

 and we are willing to abide by its decision, feeling 

 assured that this tribunal will see that the laws shall 

 be enforced and justice secured. 



WADE HAMPTON. 



On the 24th proceedings for contempt were 

 begun in the Supreme Court against the board, 

 and on the following day each member of the 

 board was fined $1,500, and ordered to be 

 committed to the jail of Ricbland County nn- 

 til further orders of the court. On the 27th 

 the members of the board were brought into 

 the United States Circuit Court, before Judges 

 Bond and Bryan, on habeas corpus proceed- 



ings. The application for the writ was baaed 

 on the ground that the board were discharg- 

 ing the duties of appointing presidential elec- 

 tors, when the Supreme Court of the State in- 

 terfered witb them. On December llth Judge 

 Bond held that the Supreme Court bad no 

 jurisdiction over the members of the board, 

 and ordered their release from custody. 



As the time for the meeting of the Legisla- 

 ture approached, it was thought that the pres- 

 ence of United States troops at the State- 

 House would be necessary to preserve the 

 peace, and application to that effect was made 

 to the President by Governor Chamberlain. 

 The following order was then issued to the 

 officer in command of the Federal troops : 



WASHINGTON, D. C., November 26, 1876. 

 General THOMAS H. AUGER, or Colonel H. M. BLACK, 



Columbia, 8. C. 



The following has been received from the Presi- 

 dent: 



EXECUTIVE MANSION, November 26, 1876. 

 Eon. J. D. CAMERON, Secretary of War. 



SIB : D. H. Chamberlain is now Governor of the 

 State of South Carolina beyond any controversy, 

 and remains so until the new Governor shall be duly 

 and legally inaugurated under the constitution. The 

 Government has been called upon to aid, with the 

 military and naval forces of the United States, to 

 maintain republican government in the State against 

 resistance too formidable to overcome by State au- 

 thorities. You are directed, therefore, to sustain 

 Governor Chamberlain in his authority against do- 

 mestic violence until otherwise directed. 



(Signed) U. 8. GRANT. 



In obeying these instructions you will advise with 

 the Governor, and dispose your troops in such man- 

 ner as may be deemed best in order to carry out the 

 spirit of the above order of the President. 

 Acknowledge receipt. 



(Signed) J. D. CAMERON. 



Secretary of War. 



When the Legislature met to organize on the 

 28th, troops were stationed in and around the 

 State-House. Governor Chamberlain had in- 

 structed United States Marshal John C. Den- 

 nis to admit to the State-House, on the day 

 of the assembling of the Legislature, only per- 

 sons having official business. Orders had been 

 issued by Mr. Jones, Clerk of the former 

 House, that only members having certificates 

 of election from the Secretary of State should 

 be admitted to the Hall of the House of Rep- 

 resentatives. On the day of the assembling 

 of the Legislature, 64 Democratic members, 

 including those from Edgefield and Laurens 

 Counties, applied for admission to the Hall of 

 Representatives. The members from Edgefield 

 and Laurens had not received certificates of 

 their election from the Secretary of State, but 

 had obtained certificates from the Supreme 

 Court. They were therefore refused admission 

 to the Hall, whereupon the entire body of 

 Democrats withdrew to the front of the State- 

 House, and read the following protest : 



We, a majority of the members of the House of 

 Representatives elect, protest against the refusal to 

 admit us to the Hall of Representatives. We protest 

 against the military power of the United State* 





