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^>rrjv^fr~" . *? % % # '* " ' I III! ? ! .. , . t , i _ ???_ . . ^ f 1 TT 1 '*| T" 1 "' "' ?' ' " " 0 . > ?. , , ! VOL. X.?New Series. UNION C. H., SOUTH CAROLINA, APRIL 4, !879: NUMBER 14. HON. J. H. EVINS' SPBBOH. The Campaign of 1876 ably Vindicated on the Floor of Cong rets by a True Son of South Carolina Wo copy from the Congressional Record, the following extracts from the able and exhaustive address of Hon. J. H. Evins, our Representative in Congress, delivered in the House of Representatives, Friday February 28th, 1879, on tho Contested Election ease of Richardson vs. Rainey, from tho First Congressional District of South Carolina : Mr. ?j^eo?e/-: I trust I shall bo pardoned 9 the WwrirtK Tir.'sonto l in >hii mi?? TV til enable us, I am sure, the better to understand the condition of things which brought about the oampaign preceding the fall election of 1876, out of whioh this contest has arisen. I confess, however, when I remember that for eightceu years (years into which are crowded so many signal events of our ' *7 *" history) that the voice of no true son of South Carolina had been heard in this llall in her defeuse, I am oppressed with a sense of my inability to give uttoranco to the thoughts which such an occasion should inspire, and feel stronger than boforo the desire to shirk from the undertaking. Under the operation of the reconstruction laws of tho Freodmen's Bureau aud the bayonet, the whito peoplo of Soath Carolina were in 1868 subjeotod to thooomplote domination of their former slaves.?Iu the history of tho world it was reserved for a peoplo who had given to the oountrv in the hour of its diro extremity suoh patriots as Laurens, Pincknev, liutledge, Marion, Sumter, and Moultrie, aud bad contributed to tbe noontide of its glory tho luster that shone around tbe names of Lowndes, Hayne, Calhoun, and McDuffie, to drink to tbe dreg9 this bitter cup of humiliation. All the poople of tbe Southern States who had joined with South Carolina in the war between the States were put to tho rack aud broken upon the wheel set in motion by these laws, but <hose of South Carolina and Louisiana alono went down under their irresistible force into that dark valley and shadow of death whero for years they struggled against ndverso legislation, an adverse administration, and all the red dragons of political nnd social revolution. *#** ?* FEARFUL CONDITION OF THE SOUTH. I will do my friends on tho other side of this Hall the justice to say that, blinded by the passions engendered by tho war, I bci:? .1 ,i:A ..... c. .1.^ 11*;VVJ HlfJ Wiu UUI 1UIWVC Uiu UIIUIUI VUUBUqucnces which would necessarily follow their legislation iu regard to the States of the South, and that so great has been the partiaau prejudice of tho last decade that they do not yet fully appreciate them. I ask their attention, therefore, for a very few moments while 1 sketch in the briefest manner possible the condition of things in my owu State, brought about by the reconstruction law9 of Congress and the arbitrary measures adoptod by the Executive in enforcing theui, iu order that the supremacy of a political party might be maintained. By rhe fortunes of war and its results the aggregate wealth of the Sfate was reduced from six hundred and thirty millions, to about one hundred and thirty millions but her people returning from the war with stout hearts went manfully to work to repair their shattered fortuuo9 and build up their wa9topluccs. It was impossible for them at once to appreciate the full effects of tho complete revolution wrought by the emancipation of their former slaves, or to understand how best to deal with a problem where they had no precedent to guide them, .and the solution of which had never beforo taxed the human understanding. It should not, therefore, seem strango in the light of subsequent legislation on the part of Congress and subsequent events, that they did not act with the greatest wisdom, or even with that intelligence and foresight with which others who had no life-long prejudices and opinions to overcome would have acted. PLACED UNDER NEGRO DOMINATION. Their efforts at solving the difficulties of this problem, had, however, a very brief experiment, and after a few years of absolute military rule, new amendments to the Constitution, and new acts of Congress, gave the newly enfranchised race complete control of the State, Grant was magnanimous iu the terms he made when he rc ceivcd the spotless sword of Lee, but it cau scarcely bo said that the Government of the couc|ueror was magnanimous, which jdaced a brave people, who had in good faith accepted the terms of aa honorable surrender of the cause for which they fought, under the dominion of their former slaves. What, I ask, in the eaim judgment of this hour, were the results which might have been reasonably expected to flow from the creation of such an abuormal condition of society ? Would rapine and violaaee murder, and wholesale butchery of men, and women and children, as the result, have surprised any one who had any knowledge of the laws by which society is held together qr .who had been a student of history ? j ?!? . : ^lf? - ~ - .. J.- J ?1 -I. 1 . ! . 11 Is it surprising that such a people, thus rudely thrust into power, should have become the easy prey of the worst elements of tho more intelligent white race and made to serve their villainous schemes of plunder aud spoliation ? Th j story of how their superstitious nature was appealed to j how their passions were aroused and their prejudices excited; how tho "leprous poison" of hate was poured into their ears by the northern adventurer and southern renegade i until they were uiado to beliovo that their i former owners and tho wholo southern people were their worst enemies, and only waited for an opportunity to re-euslave theui, has burdened the press, weariod the ear, i umferical majority "of its black voters, of- | fered, unfortunately for alt classes of her i people, the most inviting field for the en- { terprising operations of these twin villaius I in crimo aud in infamy. i WHOLESALE PLUNDER AND ROBBERY. I How they "improved each shining hour," to plunder and to rob her citizens "without regard to race, color, or previous condition," trangc to say is uiost graphically told in the stenographic diary of one of tho chief pluuderers which recent investigations has brought co light. To mention even the sulicut points ot tho gigautic and shameless schemes of spoliation which they conceived and carried into effect while they held the reins of power would fill up my hour and leave the half untold. How, uuder Scott, not conteut with robbing tho treasury of nil it contained and the tax-payer of his last dollar, they attempted with scrip and bouds, issued by tho millions, to put generations unborn uuder tribute to their cupidity and to insert their long, lank, lurlarcenous fingers into the pockets of posterity ; how, under the "native young governor," who has attained not only a national but an international reputation as a thief, they held high carnival and roveled in druuken debaucheries in the halls of the State eapitol, wasting, for what thoy called "refreshments," during one session of the Legislature, tho cuormous sum of 8350,000, while tho poor lunatics in the asylum, whoso unfortunate and helpless condition would have moved a heart of stone, were left to starve or to find support ut , the hands of privato citizens whose own resources wero almost exhausted ; how the learned, the cultured, and polished leader of the plunderers, Daniel II. Chauiberlaiu, chief architect of the miserable thing miscalled a government, becoming its chief executive officer, attempted to gloss over its deformities and yet how intelligence and virtue and honestly were still thrust aside to make room for ignorance, iucompctcnce aud vice, until the polishep carpet-bagger himself, affrighted by tho monster ho had created, cried out that "the civilization of the Puritan and the Cavalier, the llound-head and tho Huguenot," is in danger of being supplanted by the barbarism of the negro.? Thus for eight years did the peoplo of this poor, down-trodden, aud oppressed Stato, with a puticnco that was heroic, bear their sufferings and their wrongs. Prometheus bouud to the rock, while tho ravenous vultures tear at his vitals, presents not too strong a picture of tho "prostrate State" during these sad aud trying years. A STRIKINU ILLUSTRATION. Who, while wandering through the beautiful art gallery at the other end of the Avouue, which tho munificence of a distinguished resident of this city has dedicated to the public, has uot felt his steps arrested as his eye fell upon the brave words, "The. crime makes the shame am] net. the , scaffold," has uot felt his heart to throb with inexpressible cuiotion as he l>okcd < through window-gratings of a prison-cell < iuto that face so sad and weary with troubled thoughts, and into thoso mournful eyes ( with their touching expression of quiet, patient endurance, which the genius of the artist has made to speak so eloquently from the canvass? As 1 gazed upou the picture i with deepest interest it suddenly became tome no longer the face of Charlotte Corday, but the impersonation of the genius of my own raluictto JState, persecuted, insulted, and incarcerated by the mercenary and heartless stranger and the fates uud traitorous renegade; thus she stood, peering through her prison bars, during all those dark days of which 1 have just spoken, pure and uudefiled, without the "crime" which "makes the shame," waiting with calm endurance her hour of crucifixion while still hoping almost against hope, for the hour of licr deliverance. With a grateful and joyful heart I turned away, remembering that the prison bars had already been broken and the sceptre of pure and honest government already restored to her bauds. Thus much I have felt it my duty to say in vindication of tho honest whito pcoplo whom I havo the honor in part to represent upon this floor and in vindication of the motives and purposes with which in August, 187(>, they refused any longer to co-operate with any wiug or faction of the republican party and declared for a straightout democratic ticket. INAUGURATION OK THE STRAIGHTOUT TOLICY. Having made use of every lawful expedient to improve their condition and lighten the oppressive burdens of taxation without -xi.i j no?imj_w.anj_a_i__i.ji i.i.i i ihim avail, the good people of the State Id tl summer of 1876 met in convention, and i spite of the blandishments and skillfi diplomacy of Gov. Chamberlain, who d< sired a re-election, determined they won) no longer vote for any member of a part that had become 10 infamous, and resolve that they would put a full ticket of the purest and best men in tho field and oa upon every honest voter of the State, witl out distinction of tiolor or party, to unite i a supreme effort to wrest the go^ernmet from ibe hands of the publio thieves an plundereres who had gotten possession of i Gen. Wade Hampton, a man wbos reputation waa without stain and ever afthc State and the good of &??trh*b pet plo, was nominated for Govertidf* dud upo the same ticket were placod the names c those who wore in evory respect worthy t 1)6 his coadjutors in this good work. Th wild enthusiasm kindled ainoug all olasse by this new departure and the loud ao^laim with which Hampton's nomination wa greeted from the mountains to the seuboor was a presage of certain victory, which a nice filled Cbamberlrin and his confederate n misrule with dismay. They saw th 'handwriting on the wall" and the pcnitec tiary opening to receive them, and in thei Icspair determined by every means withi neir power to stine ttie roicc ol an irdip iant aud outraged people at the ballot boi tud save themselves from the just fate ths iwaitcd them. The republican convention soon followct Chamberlain was re-nominated, and on th ,icket with him were placed those whoi ic had denounced as the greatest villain who had ever disgraced civilization, an who, in their turn, had spoken in quite n complimentary terms of him. The struj ;le on the one sido was to redeem the Stat ind save her people from social anarch tud irretrievable bankruptcy; on the othei .he sole purpose of the leaders was to mair ain their hold upon the public treasury with a viow to furthor schemes of spoliatioi uid to save themselves from the sure put shmeut which they knew their crimes do ?ervcd. CHAMBERLAIN CALLS FOR TUB MILITARY Thus was inaugurated the campaign ou )f which has growu the contest now undc consideration. I propose, in the first piac< :o examine very briefly the grounds upoi which Gov. Chamberlain and Presiden Crant issued their proclamations dcclurinj hat "insurrection aud domestic violence' existed in several counties of the State, an* hat "certain combinations of men ngains aw existed in many couutics of the State. Never was there a grosser libel uttcre< IQUMIUV UUJ ^bUJIIB vnuu io vuumiucu 1U 111 words of these proclamations. Tboro wa tbsolutcly no "unlawful obstructions an* combinations and assemblages of person in the counties of Aiken and Barnwell," c elsewhere, which made it impracticable "t cnforco, by the ordinary course of judicu proceeding, tbe laws of the State;" thcr was no insurrection and no domestic violcuc to give tbo slightest warrant of authorit for the interference of the President, ovei if he had been applied to in the mannc prescribed by the Constitution. * * * The Circuit judges (all republicans wit one exception) declared that there was Uu lawlessness, no violence, which the conri could not remedy, and that the law w;i administered without difficulty." In reference to the condition of thiugs i the first congressional district which th contestec claims to represent on this flooi I assert without the fear of successful cor tradiction, that during the whole canvas: with the exception of one or two attempt on the part of the republicans to provec democratic speakers from being beard, thcr was as little lawlessness or violeuce as i iiny other congressional district in th Union. Although t ho canvass waa\ most earnest ono on both sides, almos the only eases of lawlessness which oc currcd grew out of the violent effort made by tho black race to prevent person of their own color from co-operating wit the whites or votiug the dcuiocratci ticke The law was wholly unobstructed, and th authority of the courts was respected an obeyed as in days of profoundest quiet.The testimony of tho two judges, (Sha aud Townscnd,) whoso circuits embrace overy county in this district, is conolusive o this subject. * ? * DISBANDING WHITE CLUBS AND AEMIN NEGRO MILITIA. The so-called rifle clubs in this distric with the exception, perhaps, of two or thre which had existed for years with the fu knowledge and sanction of Governor Char ucriain, aro abundantly shown to have bee political organizations, such as existt every where throughout tho country, withoi any military feature whatever, except thi in one or two localities the u]CDika>H>f tho clubs, with their privato arms, were soui times forced by tho disorderly and thrcatc ing demonstrations of the well-armed nogi militia companies to do police duty to sai their property from the torch of the incc diary. Can any ono, therefore, longor dou' that the orders disbanding these politic clubs while tho negro militia was allow* to retain its arms and organization, and tl sending ot armed soldiers to tho votii t is precincts, constituted s bold violation of in the Constitution and the rights of the oitinl ten, with a definite purpose ef carrying the B* elections, both Federal and State, at the Id point of the bayonet ? This purpose is ly further made manifest in the order of the id Secretary of War to General Sherman, ir dated the 17th day of Ootober, the very 11 day the proclamation of the President was i- issued, and before it was even kiftwn in n Sooth Carolina, commanding bim to send it forward "immediately all the available force d in the military division of the Atlantic to t. report to Gen. Ruger, commanding at e Colombia, South Carolino," and to 'instruct y that officer to station his troops in such n nnoe to the if These instructions weie given, too, notwitho itunflina >ik* f*ot tViat fl*nor?1 nnrror Knit e telegraphed the President only the day bets fore from Columbia, saying all was quiet; is uif I need more troops I will send you a s dispatch leUiog you I need them." The d evident design was to get, under the prot text of tbo charges made in the proclatnats tion, as many troops as possible into the e State, in order that they might be used at i- the polls to bolster up the failing fortuues ir of a party which, in South Carolina at n least, was fast falling to pieces under the weight of its own rottenness and corruption. r * * * * * * L? It U. 8. SUPERVISORS AND DEPUTY MARSHALS IN CHARGE OP THE POLLS. 1- Passing by, in the next place, the innu* c merable irregularities in the manner of n conducting the election, which so greatly 18 facilitated fraudulent voting, I desire to d show the partisan conduct of the republi18 can managers, supervisors, and deputy marV shals who controlled and surrounded the ;c ballot boxes, aud the groes outrages upon y the rights of the citizen and a free ballot 'i committed by them. >* Thomas E. Khades, a republican, who fi supported tbe Jones republican ticket in l? Georgetown County, testifies that be was at >* the Suntcc poll on the day of tbe election, >- and that the managers refused to allow him to vote the ticket he desired ; and other r. witnesses testify to a similar partisan spirit t shown by the managers at other precincts. r Many of tho republican supervisors were j themselves candidates, and took an active | ? part in electioneering at the polls. In the t County of Suuitcr alone, the testimony 1 p shows that the followiug persons were can" didatcs upon the republican ticket, and also ' j acted as United States supervisors: J. H. Fcrritcr, John W. Westbury, W. J. An- 1 ? drews, T. B. Johnson, were candidates for 1 j the State Legislature and United States 1 c supervisors; T. J. Tourney, for school com- 1 s missioner and United States supervisor; j Rufus C. Westbuay, for oounty couiuiission3 er and United States supervisor; -Samuel ir Leo, for judge ot probate and United States o supervisor. t| But I desire to speak uiore particularly i e of tho large number of deputy United States i ;0 marshals (all of them republicans, and many j j of them candidates for office) who were i u appointed, not only without authority of i ,r law, but contrary to the plain letter of the i law, for every precinct in Darlington and h Sumter couuties, if not in all the others, 0 for the purpose of intimidating and overs awing voters. These marshals claimed to ,8 have orders to make arrests and to control the military statioucd at the polls. In or t) der to show how thoroughly they performed c the lawless and disreputable work assigned r> them, I quote ouly a few passges from the i. largo amount of evidence on this subject: 5, NEGROES FORCED TO #VOTE REPUBLICAN :s TICKET. !t The evidence is abundant and orerc whelming to convince any unprejudiced u mind that in theso three counties none but e the boldest and most fearless negroes, or a those who had the imiuediuto and strong Jt protection of tho whites, dared to rote a democratic ticket. Hundreds in each of 8 these counties were forced to vote the lie18 publican ticket or to refrain from voting h through fear of bodily harm or injury to the small property they possessed. And e in the county of Georgetown, where the ^ colored population so largely preponderates, ~ the uegro loaders had during the campaign, w by the denial of free speech to demoorats d of both colors, by their own incendiary Q and inflammatory harangues, by tbreuts and violence of the most savage character, a inflicted upon those of their own race who even dared to advocate a republican ticket with a single democratic name upou it, so maddened and infuriated their followers II that they acted more like ferocious wild j. beasts in their fieroe opposition to the ii, whites than like free voters in a free couutry, Uy such means was the voice of the at people stifled and largo majorities rolled up for the contcstee. And yet tho report of se the minority declares that "there is noth0. ing in the record to show social ostracism i,. or that fear was preventing tho colored ro voters from supporting Hampton." rC THE WHITES CONSERVATIVE AND CONn. CILIATORY. After all tho flourish of trumpets in the bt proclamations of the governor and the al President about innumerable 'rifle-clubs" in sd hostile array agaiust Chumberlian and his lie govcruuicut, and with the fullest opportuig uity in seveu hundred and fifty pages of printed testimony to show their existence, only four ere shown to have been formed, two only were armed, and all were disbanded upon the publication of the governor'* proclamation. Democratic clubs were organised in every neighborhood in the State, and many of them were uniformed with ? red shirts; but they were unarmed, and In so sense of the word were they military jn organizations. In a very few instances, in localities wbore the colored militia, with aruis and fixed ammunition furnished then* by the State, were so violent in their demonstrations to menace the lives and property of the whites, the members of forced to contend with an armed mob imbittcred and infuriated by the vile teachings of their leaders, who publicly declared to them that they would be justified in using the incendiary torch against their former masters. And in bo instance did these club* eter parade s? atr armed military otganisation. The proof on this subject, afforded by a multitude of witnesses of the highest character and respectability throughout the congressional district who were active in tho campaign and had every opportuny of knowing the truth, hus not been and cannot be successfully assailed. Governor Hampton,, in testifying, says truthfully, that the effort on the part of the democrats "was to make the campaign thoroughly conservative and conciliatory." He spoke iu every county in the State, and saw no intimidation except that which proceeded from colored republicans, and was intended to prevent any of their fellows from voting with the democrats, lie says, further, that "at no single meeting attended by mo was tliero an armed orgsnixation^of men." In his letter to the New York Tribune, dated November 2, 1876, published in the record of this case, (page 560,) he gives tho true character of these so-called "rifle clubs.1' "They are," says he, "neither more nor less thau campaign clubs, moving and actiug together for reasons as prompted the organization of the 'boys in Blue,' tho Grand Army of the Republio, or other kindred associations." Ho further declares in thia. letter that "during my canvass of the State I have not seen a single gun or saber iu tho possession of these clubs, and they have not carried anv nueh nt. nnu maniinn T j _ ? ?? ? - mmj miv??iu w n uiv/u x. bave been presont." They were called "rifleclubs" in the proclamations; the colored; voters heard thorn called "rifle-clubs" by their leaders, who understood better thanthey the political necessities of their party to have the in so denominated, and so wcro prepared to see a rifleman in every mam who wore a red shirt. UNEXAMPLED FORBEARANCE OF TUB WHITE*. ******** Thv? we bave seen the unlawful and partisan agencies employed by the republicans to avert a political-defeat which seemed inevitable. A republican- governor, himself a candidate for re-election, (without the slightest degree of truth in the allbga- 4 lions made to warrant such action,) in violation of every right of a free citizen, virtually declaring the State under martial) law ; the whites disarmed whilo the negro militia, in the midst of a heated political contest, not only allowed to keep tboir rifles and muskets, but encouraged to used thcui, to menace the whites, aod overawe and intimidate colored voters who simply desired to exercise their right of voting for the candidates of their choice; the polls surrouuded by this militia, with arms in their hands; the preoioet managers chosen,, as it would seem, on account of their bitter partisanship, opposing with the authoritv of their office the free ehoic* of the voter; a host ot supervisors who wore themselves candidates upon the republican ticket for office, and having the strongest motives to secure their own election by any means, foul or fair; a republican deputy marshal appointed in violation of the law, guarding the pathway to every poll, backed by Fcdoral bayonets, in tho exercise of his assumed and unlawful authority, and in the commission of his lawless acts ; boards of county canvassers, who violate without hesitation the law and the sanctity which it had thrown around the ballots; and, last of all, a State board of oaovaseers, every one of whom are republicans, and a majority of whom are candidate# upon the ticket of their party for high State offices, surrounded by a cordon ot United States soldiers, declaring the result iu doGance of /he mandato of a supreme conrt composed of reDublican iudcrcs ! ? * - - And yet the minority in thoir report say the oontestee was fairly elected, and mildly hint that the report of the majority is an effort on their part to induce their party associates in this chamber "to expel from tho House of lleprcsentative" the contestec, who is "reflecting honor upon bia raoo and creditably rcpresentating his constituency" upon this floor. * * * ? * * DENUNCIATION OP MILITARY INTERFERENCE IN ELECTIONS. But, Mr. Speaker, the gravest feature in this eontest, and the one upou which 1 desire to speak more at length than I can do [ Concluded on 4(h Page "]