Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, January 25, 1877, Image 2
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YORKVILLE,S, C.:
THURSDAY MORNING, JAN. 25, 1877.
PROCEEDINGS OF CONGRESS.
Io the Senate on the 15th, a resolution was
passed to print 5,000 extra copies of the testimony
taken by the committee on privileges
and elections, in regard to the late election in
Louisiana, Florida and South Carolina, ancL
the casting of the electoral vote in Oregon.
A large numoer ot petitions were presented
and referred to the appropriate committees.
A bill was introduced for the relief of the political
disabilities of W. H. Gibbes, of South
Carolina. In the House, Mr. Cochrane offered
a resolution directing the judiciary committee
to enquire whether any of the privileges
granted to the Western Union Telegraph
Company by Congress could be revoked, and
if so, directing the committee further to inquire
into the propriety of revoking those
privilege^. Defeated?not two-thirds voting
in the affirmative. Mr. Hatcher, of Missouri,
moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill
allowing the growers of tobacco to sell leaf
tobacco free from fine or otuer restriction.
Defeated. Mr. Caulfield moved to suspend
the rules and pass the bill providing that but
one regiment of infantry, one company of
cavalry and one battery of artillery shall be
stationed in the District of Columbia, and
that no portion of that force shall be permitted
to come within one half mile of the Capital.
Defeated.
In the Senate on the 16th, Mr. Patterson,
4 of South Carolina, presented a petition of D.
H. Chamberlain, R. H. Gleaves, F. L. Cardozo
and others, of South Carolina, setting
forth that many of the statements in the petition
of Wade Hampton and others, recently
presented in the Senate, are untrue and
are calculated to mislead the Senate. The
petition then reviews at great length the condition
of affairs in South Carolina, and claims
that the petitioners were elected to the various
offices. It was ordered that the petition
be printed in the Congremoncd Record. Pending
such disposition of the petition, the following
proceedings were bad:
Mr. Alcorn, of Mississippi, objected to anything
being printed in the Record without being
read in the Senate. The reading of the petition
was then commenced. The petitioners refer to
the petition of Wade Hampton and others, and
say many of the statements in it are untrue in
fact; others are calculated to mislead the Senate,
and the various important facts are omitted.
Mr. Sherman, of Ohio, (interrupting the reading)
said he would suggest that the paper be
printed in the Record without taking up time to
have it read.
Mr. Alcorn again objected, and said he had no
idea that there was anything improper in the me,
rnorial, but it should be first read in the Senate.
Mr. Sherman said that when a Senator produced
a petition he became the guarantor that it
was proper, and for that reason it need not be
read.
Mr. Alcorn having declined to withdraw Jiis
objection, the reading was resumed.
The petitioners ask Congress to accept from
them a full and fair statement of affairs in South
Carolina, and declare that they stand ready to
make good their statements when required to do
so. They charge violence and intimidation. 6f
Republican voters at the State election ; review
at great length the action of the Returning Board
and Supreme Court, and claim that they were
lawfnllv elected to their rasnective offices. The
reading of the petition was continued until 12:46,
p. in., when Mr. Alcorn withdrew his objection.
Mr. Davis, of West Virginia, said that unless
the Senator presenting the petition would stat#
that he had read it, and that it was a proper document,
he would renew the objection.
Mr. Patterson said, to be frank, that he had not
read it, as he only received it this morning, but
he knew Governor Chamberlain to be an honorable
man, and he would not sav anything in the
petition which was not true. He had no doubt it
was a proper and respectful document.
No further objection to having it printed without
being read was made, and it was ordered that
the petition be printed in the Record.
Mr. Patterson, of South Carolina, submitted a
resolution declaring that the State government
now existing in South Carolina, and represented
by D. H. Chamberlain, is the lawful government
of said State; that it was Republican in form and
every assistance should be given to it by the United
States, to the end that the laws may be faithfully
executed. Referred to the Committee on
Privileges and Elections. ^
Mr. Withers, of Virginia, in accordance
with previous notice, called up the message
of the President in regard to the occupation
of Petersburg, Va., on the day of the last
general election, and submitted a resolution
of inquiry upon the subject. After speeches
bv Senators Johnson and Withers, denounc
ing the occupation of Petersburg by troops
during the late election, the resolution passed.
In the House, the judiciary committee reported
a resolution for the arrest of the members
, of the Louisiana Returning Board and bringing
them before the bar of the House to answer
for contempt in refusing to produce the
original returns before the New Orleans investigating
committee. An excited debate
ensued, but no vote was reached.
In the Senate on the 17th, a large number
of bills of a private nature were passed. Morton
stated that there was no jnoney to complete
the investigation by the sub-committee
of privileges and elections into Louisiana affairs.
The same Senator also made an elaborate
speech in support of the action of the
President in placing troops at Petersburg, Va.,
during the recent election. In the House,
the resolution for the arrest of members of
the Louisiana Returning Board, to answer at
the bar of the House for contempt, after an
excited debate, was passed by a vote of yeas,
158; nays, 81.
In the Senate on the 18th, Mr. Jones, of
Florida, presented the petition of the Democratic
Electors of the State of Florida, claiming
that they have been legally elected, and
asking that the Electoral vote cast by them
for President and Vice-President be counted,
instead of that cast by the Republican Electors.
On motion of Mr. Jones, the petition
was laid on the table and he gave notice that:
he would call it up at an early day. . Ander- ]
son and Wells, two members of the Louisiana
Returning Board, having arrived in Washing-1
ton, were arrested and are in conhnement.!
The officers of the House have gone to New
Orleans to bring Kenner and Cazenave, the remaining
members of the Board to the bar of j
the House. The report of the joint committee j
on countiug Electoral vote was submitted to ;
both Houses of Congress. In view of its im- i
nnrtoniu. orift the nneaihil5tv t.h*t it. will hp
adopted, we print in another column the full
text of the report.
In the Senate on the 19th, Mr. Cameron j
presented the resolutions recently adopted by
the Pennsylvania Legislature relative to the
counting pf the Electoral vote. Louisiana
affairs we*e discussed by Sherman, Bogy and
Morton. In the House, the day was devoted
to private bills.
In the Senate on the 20th, a half dozen
Senators presented petitions for female suf-:
frage._ Referred to committee on elections. (
On motion of Mr. Edmunds, the Senate took
up the bill to provide for and regulate the
counting of the electoral votes for President.,
Mr. Edmunds spoke for jwo hours, arguing !
the constitutionality of the bill, and agaiust
the power of the President of the Senate to
couut the vote. In the House the report of1
the joint committee was also discussed, with-;
out definite action, up to the hour of adjournment.
In the Senate on the 22nd, during the morning
hour, Mr. Merrimon spoke in opposition to
sending committees of the Senate away from
the city to take testimony. Mr. Morton spoke
on the joint committee's report for an hour,
when ill health interrupted him. He maintained
that the President of the Senate has
the power to count the Electoral vote; that
Hayee is elected, and that the bill yields to
the Democrats. Mr. Frelinghuysen followed,
argoing the constitutionality of the bill. Mr.
Cameron, of Pennsylvania, opposed the bill as
a Democratic measure. Mr. Edmunds said
he would press the bill to a vote to-morrow
evening, for the Senate would have to give
one night to the counting. In the House a
message was received from the President in
response to the resolution calling for copies of
orders given for the use of tfoops in Virginia,
South Carolina, Louisiana and Florida during
the election. Copies of orders were transmitted
with the message. The President defends
his action as being simply in the performance
of his duty under the constitution and
laws, and says that if he had have had more
I X . J: 1 i 1J I c
troops &L 1113 uispuaai, uo vyuuiu uavc gwtiuucu ?
them so as to prevent the violation of the
election laws in these States, and also in Alabama,
Mississippi and Georgia. Mr. Wood,
of New York, moved to refer the message to a
select committee of eleven, to enquire whether
there has been any unwarrantable exercise of
I authority for which the President is justly responsible.
A vote on the resolution was prevented
by parliamentary device. It comes
up as unfinished business to-morrow.
SOUTH CAROLINA NEWS. '
? Governor Hampton has commissioned the
newly elected sheriff of Anderson county,
James H. McConnell, Esq.
? There are at present one hundred and ^
twenty prisoners in the jail of Charleston
county. Of the number, but twelve are white ^
men.
I ?Governor Hampton has supplied the asy- i
lum for the deaf, dumb and blind, in Spartanburg
county, with a sufficient amount of (
money to meet all necessary expenses for sev- ?
eral months to come.
Af Pnnlr Hill nn tKio fttVi instanf. f.))A fnl- 1
lowing gentlemen were elected town officers ?
for the current year: Intendant?J. M. Ivy.
Wardens?W. L. Roddey, W. L. Roach, A. 1
Friedheim and J. C. Sharpe. 1
? The County Auditor of Anderson, Mr.
Thomas J. Webb, has been enjoined from pro- 1
ceeding in the matter of collecting the Cham- (
berlain taxes. Messrs. Murray <fe Murray, 1
with John B.Moore,on behalf of themselves' >
and other tax payers, filed a complaint for injunction,
which was granted by Judge Cooke, y
? At the recent term of the Circuit Court 5
for Abbeville county, twelve negroes were put t
upon trial for the murder of a Mr. Allen, of
Lowndesville, in that county, on the 4th of o
December last. Ten of the number were, o
convicted and sentenced to be hanged on the &
third Friday in April next. t
? Gen. McGowan has written a communication
in reply to the letter in the Augusta 6
Chronicle and Sentinel on the subject of the c
South Carolina canvass. He says every ef- c
fort was made to ensure the success of the i
Democratic Electoral ticket, and that the
proposition to coalesce with the Republicans
in the Peaidential contest was not entertained. ^
? Some days ago a statement was made by
the Union-Herald to the effect that Governor 1
Hampton was seeking a money loan in New 1
York to run his government. Inquiries made c
in the proper quarter, develop the facts that 1
the statements of the Union-Herald, are false ; 0
and that the receipts from the incoming tax is 8
amply sufficient to meet all present require- ;
ment8.
? On Wesnesday night of last week, a young ]
lady, daughter of E. J.^Pensen, of Williams- 1
ton, S. C., was stabbed iu eleven places by '
Lawrence Smith, of Golden Grove Station, c
Greenville and Columbia Railroad, and is now 8
lying in a critical condition. Smith hud been 1
visiting the young lady for several months,
and his action is supposed to have been the ^
result of failure in his suit. Smith, who is ^
thought to be insane, has surrendered himself
to the authorities. r
? The State House is still guarded by a 1
squad of United States soldiers and a gang of
State constabulary. Fifty-six negroes consti- f
tute the constabulary force. Three are sta- E
tioned at each door (there are three doors,) t
and a guard of six are kept in reserve, in the 1:
room of the Clerk of the Supreme Court, at t
all hours. When trouble is anticipated, an- *
other reserve of six or a dozen more are held
in readiness in one of the offices up-stairs. r
The constables are all ragged negroes, the po- r
litical vagrants of the town, and the battal- t
ion is regularly officered from corporal to I
captain. The present captain is John Little, F
(white.) All visitors are halted at the doors, r
and required to state their business, whom
they desire to see, &c., by these negroes, be- c
fore they are allowed admittance. g
if
MERE-MENTION. [
Governor Hartranft, of Pennsylvania, re- t
fused, last week, to grant a requisition for a t
Philadelphia bank defaulter, on the ground a
that criminal law could not be used to enforce e
payment of civil liabilities. There are *
1,108 convicts in the Georgia peniten- *
tiary. A fall of live snakes is reported a
to have occurred in a Memphis rain storm a
the other day. After his bloodless duel v
with Mr. May, James Gordon Bennett has *
made Florida his place of temporary abode, ?
havjng arrived at Jacksonville, in company 8
with four friends, one day last week. The
New Hampshire Democracy, in State Con- ]
vention assembled, on the 17th instant, adopt- [
ed resolutions denouncing the conspiracy to c
seat Hayes by corruptly controlling returning t
boards at the South, and also denounce the ?
use of the military by Grant in South
Carolina and Louisiana. Howe's Lon- j
don Circus was levied on by attachment in i f
Augusta, Ga., on the 17th, at the instance of J c
the United States Rolliug Stock Company, of! 1
Cleveland, Ohio, aud will be sold at auction.jc
Among the desirable articles offered are five
elephants, a number of lions, tigers, hyenas,,
etc. Georgia expends two and a half; n
millions dollars annually for fertilizers.
The Florida Circuit Court decides that it
has jurisdiction over the electoral vote of that I t
State. A bill has been introduced in | .
the Georgia .Legislature to exempt from taxa- j
tion all cripples, maimed and disabled soldiers j
of the late war, and the widows of soldiers
who were killed during the war, or have died
since the war, to the amount of 8500. The *
managers of the New York Cotton Exchange |
have so amended their rules that ou and after
March 1st, decimals shall be used in cotton j j
transactions, instead of fractions, as at pres- j
ent. No transactions to be made at a less j
rate than 1-100 per cent.'"" ""The silver I g
mines of Storey county, Nevada, yielded 83,- j t
742,400 in gold and silver bullion for the
quarter ending 30ti? of last September. The ^
report of the
ElecVra> committee* submits j c
that the four Supre^16 ourt Judge^ acting in 1
v i
i
he Electoral Commission shall be: First cir- 1
suit, Nathan Clifford, (Dem.;) third circuit, ?
iVm. M. Strong, (Rep.;) seventh circuit, Da- 1
rid Davis, (Lib. Rep.;) eighth circuit, Bam- J
lei F. Miller, (Rep.) who are empowered to
>lect a fifth member. Hon. Geo. Wells, ,
'or fifty years President of the Farmer's and i
Planter's Bank, Of Annapolis, Md., is a defaulter
for $50,000"" The executive com- 1
uittee of the Western Union Telegraph ComDany
have resolved to produce all dispatches
>f a political character, and the telegraph men
mder arrest will be discharged. The
Florida Legislature ordered a recanvass of the j
rote in that State, and the returns were can- 1
rassed last Saturday, resulting in a majority
)f 94 for Tilden. Tilden and Hayes decline
o be interviewed on the subject of the report
>f the joint committee. ,
The chief engineer of the Lake Shore Rail- i
oad, deranged by anxiety about the Ashtaiula
disaster, committed suicide last Saturlay.
Eight thousand freight cars are
mnwpH tin hetween Albanv and Buffalo.New
Fork."' Three millions of dollars in tweny-dollar
pieces, arrived in New York recenty
from San Francisco. The weight of the i
jold was six tons/'^V'The terms of twenty- 1
leven United States Senators expire on the 1
Ith of next March. The report shows '
hat the corn crop of the South for the year (
hat has just expired, is ten millions of bushels
n excess of the year preceding. At Oma- i
1a, on Monday of last week, the mercury inlicated
a temperature sixteen degrees below 1
;ero. George S. Hoar, on the fifth ballot,
ias been elected United States Senator from
Massachusetts. James E. Bailey, on the sevmty-third
ballot, has been elected for the
ihort term from Tennessee. Cornell 1
University has fifty women students. <
NORTH CAROLINA NEWS.
? A Catholic Church was dedicated in
Jreensboro last Sunday. J
? Governor Vance's first message to the
Legislature is a terse, practical State paper.
? A factory for the manufacture of woolen
abrics is to be erected at Lumberton.
? In Jackson county the snow was twenty>ne
inches deep, and the thermometer stood
it fifteen degrees below zero.
? The Lincoln Progress learns that work ,
nil] ko at ?ko T? in rr'o Mniinfoin m inPfl
' Ill WC 1VOUU1VU UU VUVs UlUg u aiavmmwvmm * ???
ibout the 1st of February.
? Telegraphic communication has been es- ,
ablished with the town of Fayetteville, via ,
Liuraberton, on the Carolina Central Railway. ,
? Major Wra. A. Smith has tendered his ,
esignation of the Presidency of the North
Carolina Railroad, and Col. Thomas M. Holt
las been elected by the directors to fill the (
racancy.
? Wm. 0. Hampton, of Guilford county, |
phile bunting rabbits in Greenville county, ^
5. C., on the 2nd instant, accidentally shot i
timself, producing death instantly. <
? The jail of Chatham county was burned 1
n the night of the 15th instant. Three pris- 1
mere were confined in the jail at the time, |
,nd one of them (say the other two) fired the ]
luilding. ' 1
? Information has been received at the Ex- 1
cutive office, of the arrest, near the Caldwell ]
ounty line, of Isaac Barry, charged with the
ourder of Sophia Harshaw, in that section, j
n 1866. ' j
? ?
EDITORIAL INKLINGS.
i
udere Carpenter's Decision. j
Judge Carpenter says that he does not i
ntend to be in a hurry to decide the case of <
he pardoned penitentiary convict, which de- 1
ision involves thecontesting claims of Hamp- 1
on and Chamberlain to the gubernatorial (
ffice of this State. A Washington dispatch ]
ays that Judge Carpenter is spending his I
ime in that city for the purpose of consult- 1
ng legal authorities which are not available '
n South Carolina, and that one of the author- !
ties whom he seems to be consulting very 1
requently is Attorney-General Taft, whom,
io doubt, Chamberlain would look upon as a
afe guide.
ienator Robertson's Views. .
On the 15th instant .Senator Robertson j
lad an interesting interview with the Presilent
on the subject of the political affairs in
his State. The correspondent of the Balti- '
nore Sun gives the following report of the )
nterview:
Senator Robertson said to the President j
hat while he was satisfied of the election of
he Hayes Electors in South Carolina, he was '
mno iha Ipaa antinfipd nf t.hp plppf.inn nfHamn- 5
on as Governor. He told the President that I
le knew of his own personal observation that
he negroes had voted the Democratic ticket
n large numbers. In his own city of Colum>ia
he saw hundreds of negroes voluntarily
aking part in the Democratic meetings and
narching in the Democratic processions. In
eference to the matter of intimidation, he said
hat he could personally testify that there
lad been a great deal of intimidatiou by Re>ublicau
negroes toward those of their own
ace who had shown indications of Deraicratic
proclivities. He also brought to the
ittention of the President the statement of the
olored legislator, Hamilton, that 8,000 ille;al
Republican votes had been polled in Beauort
county, at which the President seemed to
te somewhat surprised. He said that the reurning
board of South Carolina would have
hrown out other counties besides Edgefi*1,1
,nd Laurens had it been necessary in order to
uable them to 6gure up a majority for Chainterlain,
and that there would have been just
s much justification in throwing out other
ounties as the two named. In Abbeville
,nd Barnwell counties, for instance, t^ere was
,lso a large Democratic colored vote which
ras no more untrammelled than the colored
-ote of Edgefield and Laurens. The Presilent
listened with interest and attention to the
tatements of Senator Robertson, a native of
he State, and one who was a consistent Un
ou man during the whole war, and a zealous 1
Republican since; ThePresident was careful,
lowever, to abstain from the expression of any
lecided opinion as to his probable course beweeen
the two governments. He expressed
;reat admiration, personally, for the attainnents
and abilities of Gov. Chamberlain, but
nade no personal reference to Gen. Hampton.
3e said he had received no direct advices
rom either side in South Carolina for some
lays. Senator Robertson, in conclusion, told
lim that he was entirely convinced that unler
no circumstances could the people ofSouth
Carolina be compelled to yield any obedience
o the Chamberlain government, or contribute
inything to its support.
Phe Joint Committee's Hill.
The report of the joint committee on
:ounting the Electoral vote meets with hear
y approval from all except the ultra poliicians
of either party, who think they see in
t something unfavorable to the success of
heir favorite candidate. The masses of the
>eople, however, hail with delight the pros)ect
of an early solution of the difficulties j
)resented. The press is somewhat divided in j
tpinion upon the merits of the measure pro- j
>osed, aud the most decided opposition to itj
nay be said to come from Republican papers. I
The following extracts from some of the
ending papers of the North and West, give
l fair expression of the views of the press in
hose sections:
The New York Times and the Tribune take
rery positive grounds against it as being unlonstitutional;
"a Republican surrender," &c.
The Herald warmly endorses it, and is con
fident that' patriotic men in all parts of the
country will be disposed to seek for the merits,
and to pass over defects, in the plan, if
defects it should prove to have. .
The World (Dera.) does not give unqualified
endorsement to the plan, but thinks the
country will hail with delight any action en
the part of Congress which goes to show that
the frightful condition of the people is at
last getting itself recognized by the persons
who are sent to Washington to "look after the
welfare of their constituents and of the Republic.
The New York Express (Dem.) thinks the
plan will prove a peaceful solution of the
greatest political evil that has ever threatened
the country, apart from civil war.
The New York Post (Ind.) says the plan
will give great satisfaction to the country,
and that the wisest course for the Senate and
House of Representatives is to adopt it as it
comes from the committee, without unnecessary
delay.
The Philadelphia Times (Ind.) thinks the
plan one that will give entire satisfaction to
fair-minded men of all parties.
The Boston Herald (Ind.) says : The coun
try warns peace, auu me suuuei a piau ui wu
kind is adopted the better.
The Springfield Republican (Ind.) thinks
the plan will command the support of the
country ; and even more so if it proves that
a bitter Republican partisan like Morton or
a Democrat like Springer, dissents from it.
The Baltimore papers, without distinction
of party, give moderate favor to the plan.
In Washington, the party papers all oppose
it; the Republican and Chronicle on the Republican
side, and the Union on the Democratic
side. The Nation (Ind.) favors it.
Lying Figures.
Some time ago, the Supreme Court appointed
Mr. T. M. Wilkes, as referee, to canvass
the returns of the recent election for
State officers and report the result to the
Court. He has been engaged in the work,
and it is expected that he will submit a report
in a short time. About a week ago, the
Democrats who attended the investigation of
the returns by Referee Wilkes, detected the
fact that*certain returns had been tampered
with. The fraud was blunderingly done, as
the inserted figures were in ink of a different
color from that of the original. A note was
made, but nothing was said, and a gentleman
was sent to Horry county for witnesses. These
witnesses were the Republican managers at
Simpson Creek, and upon their arrival the
matter was pointed out to tbera. The figures
in one instance gave Dunn (Rep.) 32 vot^s.
These Republicans testified that he received
but 2 at that poll, and the "3" had been prefixed
after the returns left Horry county. In
the other instance 10 had been similarly altered
to "20" or "30."
The Columbia correspondent of the Neua
ind Courier says:
"The discovery has created a great sensation
here, and as no satisfactory explanation is
given, or even attempted to be offered in the
matter, it is justly considered that this trans- 1
action taints the entire proceedings of the
board of canvassers. The only shadow of
defence among Republicans is that the change
was made before the returns reached Columbia.
As the precinct- managers, however, 1
have testified to the figures as given originally
by themselves, and as the fraud was estab- 1
lished upon their evidence solely, the perpetrators
ha7e little or no margin for escape.
The managers swear positively to the fact
that Dunn (Rep.) received only 2 votes at
Simpson Creek, as the fact was noted and i
made mention of just at the time. The change i
made in this precinct return was not carried <
up into the aggregate for the county, and this <
fact, together with the difference in the ink i
used, gave the clue. The original return was 1
seeu and handled by Referee Wilkes so lately i
is Friday last, when memoranda were made
From it. Comment was made on the dis^ep- I
mcv at the time, and when the return was 1i
called for to-day it could not be produced, i
[t is said at this hour, however, that it has I
been fouud, but the finding will not alter the i
facts, as your correspondent has seen a copy I
>f the original as made on the fir9t count, and I
;hefraudulent figures appear in it as already
indicated."
COUNTING OF THE ELECTORAL VOTE.
Report of the Joint Committee.
The report of the joint committee on count- ^
ng*the Electoral vote was submitted to both ,
Houses of Congress on Thursday last. The
jommittee were in session perfecting their re- i
port at noon, when Congress met, and it was 1
ifter 1 o'clock when Mr. Edmunds, the chairman
of the Senate branch of the joint committee,
and Mr. Payne, the chairman of the
House branch, made their appearance in
;heir respective Houses with the report, aB j
ligned by thirteen members of the commit- '
;ee, Senator Morton alone dissenting. '
THE REPORT, 1
which is accompanied by a bill to carry into
iffect the recommendations made, says that <
;he committee have applied the utmost prac- \
;icable study and deliberation on the subject, j
ind believe that the bill reported is the best
ittainable disposition of the difficult problems
ind disputed theories arising out of the late
dection. They speak of the difficulty of
reaching a conclusion, and say they dealt with
10 abstract questions, save so far as they are
lecessarily involved in the legislation proposed.
The report implies that legislation
nay be had on the subject iu accordance with
.he Constitution, and the committee think
;hat the law proposed is inconsistent with few
if the principal theories upon the subject,
rhe bill is only directed to ascertaining, for
.he purpose and in aid of the counting, what
ire the constitutional votes of the respective
states, and, whatever jurisdiction exists for
iucb purpose, the bill only regulates the
nethoa of exercising it. For this the Conititution
gives warrant, aud, therefore, the
am nrnnnoorl io nnt inf?nnniAt?nt. with that in
itrument. The committee regard it as of far
greater moment that the will of the people
should be legally carried out, than the que?,ion
of who shall be President for a prescribed
;erm. They, therefore, endeavored to frame
i fair and impartial measure. The Legislate
and the Judiciary are represented in the
;ribunal in equal proportion. The composite
of the judicial part of the commission
ooks to a selection from different parts of
;he Republic, while it is thought to be free
"rom any preponderance or supposable bias,
ind the addition of the necessary constituent
sart of the whole, in order to obtain an uneven
number of the commission, is left to an
igency the farthest removed from prejudice
jf any existing attainable one. It would be
iifficult, if not impossible, the committee
hink, to establish a tribunal that could be
icss the subject of party criticism than such
i one. The committee felt bound by the
lighest duty to let no bias of party feeling
itand in the way of a just, equal and peaceful
neasure from extricating the question from
:he embarrassments that at present surround
it. The committee conclude as follows:
"In conclusion, we respectfully beg leave
t/% imnrnu* nnnn f^nrtrrraaa ttip nppPflsif.V of a (
?...,/.v00 u,,ww J
ipeedy determination upon this subject. It l
is impossible to estimate the national loss the ;
country daily sustains from the existing state j
uf uncertainty. It directly and powerfully j
tends to unsettle and paralyze business; to j
weaken public and private credit, and to j
sreate apprehension in the minds of the peo-!
pie that disturb the peaceful tenor of their J
ways and mar their happiness. It does far,
Par more. It tends to bring republican institutions
into discredit; to create doubts of the [
juccess of our form of government and the
perpetuity of the Republic. All consid#a-!
Lions of interest or patriotism and of justice
unite in demanding of the law-making power j
\ measure that will bring peace and prosper- i
/
. \
ity to the country, and show that our Republican
institutions are equal to any emergency.
And in this connection, we cannot refrain
fronji the expression of our satisfaction that
your committees, composed of equal numbers
of both parties, have fortunately been able to
do what has been attempted in vaiu heretofore?almost
unanimously to agree upon a
plan considered by them all to be just, wise
and efficient. We accordingly recommend
the proposed act to the patriotic and just
judgment of Congress.
Geo. F. Edmunds,
Fred. T. Frelinghuysen,
Roscoe Conkling,
A. G. Thurman,
T. F. Bayard,
M. W. Ransom,
Of the Senate Committee."
H. B. Payne,
Eppa Hunton,
A. S. Hewitt,
Wm. M. Springer, v
Geo. W. -McCrary,
Geo. F. Hoar,
George Willabd,
Of fho PTnnoo rinmmitfaa "
THE BILL.
A bill to provide for and regulate the counting.of
votes for President and Vice-Presfdent, and the
decision of questions arising therefrom, for the
term commencing March 4th, A. D. 1877.
Be it enacted, &e., That the Senate and
House of Representatives shall meet in the
hall of the House of Representatives, at the
hour of 1 o'clock, P. M., on the first Thursday
in February, A. D. 1877, and the President
of the Senate shall be their presiding officer.
Two tellers shall be previously appointed by
the Senate and two on the part of the House
of Representatives, to whom shall be handed,
as they are opened by the President of the
Senate, all the certificates and papers purporting
to be certificates of the Electoral votes,
which certificates and papers shall be opened,
presented and acted upon in the alphabetical
order of the States, begiuning with the letter
A, and said tellers, having read the same in
the presence and hearing of the two Houses,
shall make a list of the votes as they shall appear
from the said certificates, and the votes
having been ascertained and counted as in this
act provided, the result of the same shall be
delivered to the President of the Senate, who
shall thereupon announce the ajate of the vote
and the names of-the persons, if any, elected,
which announcement shall be deemed a sufficient
declaration of the persons elected President
and Vice-President of the United States,
5 i. a! !iL _ 1 * *. _ r it. ? L.
ana, logeiacr who a jibi ui too vuies, ue eutered
on the journals of the two Houses. Upon
such reading of any such certificate or paper,
when there shall be only one return from
a State, the President of the Senate shall call
for objections, if any. Every objection shall
be made in writing, Ad shall state clearly
and concisely, and without argument, the
ground thereof, and shall be signed by at least
one senator and one member of the House of
Representatives before the same shall be received.
When all objections so made to any
vote or paper from a State shall have been
received and read, the Senate shall thereupon
withdraw, and such objections shall be submitted
to the Senate for its decision; and the
Speaker of the House of Representatives shall
in like manner submit such objection to the
House of Representatives for its decision;
and nio Electoral vote or votes from any State
from which but one return has beeo received
shall be rejected, except by the affirmative
vote of the two Houses. When the two houses
have voted, they shall immediately again
meet and the presiding officers shall then announce
the decisidh of the question submitted.
Sec. 2. That if more than one return or paper,
purporting to be a return from a State,
shall have been received by the President of
the Senate, purporting to be the certificates
of Electoral votes given at the last preceding
slection for President and Vice-President in
3uch State, unless they shall be duplicates of
the same return, all such returns and papers
shall be opened by him in the presence of the
Houses when met as aforesaid, and read by
the tellers, aud all such returq# aod papers
shall thereupou be submitted to the judgment
and decision, as to which is the true and lawful
Electoral vote of such State, of a commission
constituted as follows, namely: During
the session of each House on' the Tuesday
next preceding the first Thursday in February,
1877, each House shall by viva voce vote
appoint five of its members, who, with the five
associate justices of the Supreme Court of the
United States, to be ascertained as hereinafter
provided, shall constitute a commission for
the discussion of all questions upon or in respect
of such double returns named in this
section, on the Tuesday next preceding the
first Thursday in February A. D. 1877, or as
soon thereafter as may be, the associate justices
of the Supreme Court of the United States <
now assigned to the first, third, seventh and
eighth circuits shall select, in such manuer
as a majority of them shall deem fit, another
of the associate justices of said court, which
five persons shall be members of said commission,
and the person longest in commission of
said five justices shall be president of said
commission. The members ofsaid commission
shall respectively take aud subscribe the fol
lowing oath:
"I , do solemnly swear (or affirm,
as the case may be) that I will impartially examine
and consider all questions submitted to the
commission of which I am a member, and a true
judgment give thereon, agreeably to the Constitution
and the laws, so help me God."
Which oath shall be hied with the secretary
of the Senate. When the commission shall
have thus organized, it shall not be in the
power of either House to dissolve the same, or
to withdraw any of its members; but, if any
such senator or member shall die or become
physically unable to perform the duties required
by this act, the fact of such death or physical
inability shall be by said commission, before
it shall proceed further, communicated to
the Senate or House or Representatives, as the
ease may be, which body shall immediately
and without debate proceed by viva voce vote
to 611 the place so vacated, and the person so
appointed shall take and subscribe the oath
hereinbefore prescribed and become a member
ef said commission. And in like manner if
any of said justices of the Supreme Court shall
die or become physically incapable of performing
the duties required by this act, the
ether of said justices, members of the committee,
shall immediately appoint another
justice of said court a member of said commission,
(and in such appointments regard
shall be had to the impartiality and freedom
from bias sought by the original appointments
of said committee) who shall thereupon immediately
take and subscribe the oath hereinbefore
presented and become a member of said
committee, to fill the vacancy occasioned.
A.11 the certificates and papers purporting to
be certificates of the Electoral votes of each
state shall be opened in the alphabetical order
of the States, as provided in Section 1 of
:his act, and when there shall be more than
me such certificate or paper, as the certificates
or papers from such State shall be opened,
'excepting duplicates of the same return,)
they shall be read by the tellers, and thereupon
the President of the Senate shall call for
objections, if any. Every objection shall be
made in writing, and shall state clearly and
ooncisely, and without argument, the ground
thereof, and shall be signed by at least one
senator and one member of the House of Representatives
before.the same shall be received.
When all such objections, so n\ade to any
oertificate, vote or paper from a State, shall
bave been received and read, all such certifi
j^tes, votes and papers so objected to, and all
capers accompanying the same, together with
u' !i objections, shall be forthwith submitted
:o said commission, which shall proceed to
consider the same, with the same powers, if
my, now possessed for that purpose by the
iwo houses, acting separately or together, and
by a majority of votes decide whether any
ind what votes from such State are the votes
provided for by the Constitution of the United
States, and how many and what persons were
duly appointed Electors in such State, and
may therein take into view such petitions,
depositions and other papers, if any, as by the
Constitution and now existing law may be
\ ,
9
competent and pertinent in such consideration,
which decision shall be made in writing, stating
briefly the ground thereof, and signed by
the members of said commission, agreeing
therein. Whereupon the two Houses shall
again meet, such decision shall be read and
entered in the journal of each House, and. the.
counting of the votes shall proceed in conformity
therewith, unless upon objection made
thereto in writing by at least five senators and
five members of the House of Representatives,
the two Houses shall separately ooncur in ordering
otherwise, in which case such concurrent
order shall govern. No.votes or papers
from any other State shall be acted upon until
the objection previously made to the votes
or papers from any State shall have been finally
disposed of.
Sec. 3. That while the two houses shall be
in meeting, as provided in this act, no debate
shall be allowed, and no question shall be put
by the presiding officer except to either house
nn n mnfinn fn an/4 Via a Via 11 Via oa nn
power to preserve order.
Sec. 4. That when the two houses separate
to decide upon an objection that may have
been made to the counting of any Electoral
vote or votes, from any State, or upon objection
to a report of said commission or other
question arising under this act, each senator
and representative may speak to such objection
or question ten minutes and not oftener
than once; but after such debate shall have
lasted two hours, it shall be the duty of each
house to put the main question without further
debate.
Sec. 5. That at such joint meeting of the
two houses,seats shall be provided as follows:
For the President of the Senate, the Speaker's
chair. For the Speaker, immediately npon
his left For the senators in the body of the
Hall, upon the right of the presiding officer.
For the representatives, in the body of the
Hall not provided for the senators. For the
tellers, secretary of the Senate and clerk of
the House of Representatives, at the clerk's
desk. For the other officers of the two bouses,
in front of the clerk's desk and upon each
side of the Speaker's, platform. Such joint
meeting * shall not be dissolved until the
count of the Electoral votes shall be completed
and the result declared, and no recess
shall be taken, unless a question shall have
arisen in regard to counting any such votes
or otherwise under this act, in which case it
shall be competent for either house, acting
separately in the manner hereinbefore provi
ded, to direct a recess of such bouse, not beyond
the uezt day, (Sundays excepted,) at
the hour of 10 o'clock in the forenoon; and
while any question is being considered by
said commission ejther house may proceed
with its legislative or other business. 9
Sec. 6. That uothing in this act shall be
held to impair or affect any right now existing
under the constitution and laws to question,
by proceeding in the judicial courts of
the United States, the right or title of the
persons who shall be declared elected, or who
shall claim to be President and Vice-President
of the United States, if any such right
exists.
Sec. 7. That said commission shall make
its own rules, keep a record of its own proceedings,
and'shall have power to . employ
such persons as may be necessary for the
transaction of its business and the execution
of its powers.
In presenting the report to the Senate, Sen
ator Edmunds, of Vermont, said :
"I am directed, Mr. President, by the select
committee raised under the resolution of the
Senate, on the subject of counting of the
Electoral vote, to submit a report in writing,
with au accompanying bill. The report is
signed, I am happy to say, by all the members
of both committees, (it being a report in
form, joint and several, CO the two houses,)
with one exception; and all that I wish to
say on this occasion, after stating that we
shall desire to take it up at the earliest possible
day, as time is running very fnst, possibly,
and, I hope, indeed, on Saturday, the
day after to-morrow, but certainly on Monday,
to press it to a determination 'in some
form steadily from that time forth. I only
wish to say, in addition, that the committee
are of opinion that the measure we recom
mend is not, as it*is called, a compromise, in
any sense of the term, but is a measure of
justice io aid of the exercise of constitutional
government, and that in no sense of the term
will anybody have a just right to say that
anybody's opinion or view has been surrendered
in any substantial respect. It is not a
measure of policy or a contrivance, but a
measure of constitutional justice for the preservation
of the peace and order of government."
It was then ordered that the report be
printed, read a second time and placed upon
the calendar.
In the House of Representatives the report;
after being presented and read, was re-committed,
Mr. Payne, of Ohio, the chairman,
stating that the report was signed by the
seven members of the House committee and
by six of the members of the Seuate committee,
and also stating that he would soon move
to have the bill made a special order, so that
it might become a law in good time, as the
day for the proposed meeting of the Joint
Convention is two weeks earlier than the day
fixed by law.
Correspondence of the Yorkville Enquirer.
NOTES FROM BLACK'S STATION.
Black's Station, S. C., Jan. 23.
The snow which has covered the ground in
oonfinn flip aanarol rlnuo Vina Hiflitnneiired.
VU IV OVVIIVU *WI wv*v?M? v.v>j W ? J- J. r
revealing to sight the face of mother earth.
The wheat crops, which are always supposed
to be improved by snow, are looking fine and
giving fair promise of good yield. Of late the
farmers seem to pay more attention to this
crop than they formerly did. By judicious
culture they can easily produce splendid crops
in this locality.
Our town continues to improve, There
have been two new residences erected recently,
and others are in process of erection. There
are also two church edifices going up, which
will add greatly to the place.
The flourishing school, under the supervision
of Rev. J. E. Watson has suspended, but
will be resumed again at an early day, by
another good teacher?Mr. Watson having
been sent to another field by the M. E. Conference.
We feel confident that our academy
will become a fixed institution.
The people in this part of the State emphatically
assert that they will not recognize
Chamberlain as the Governor of South Carolina,
but unhesitatingly denounce hira as a
usurper and a destroyer of the peace and quietude
of the country and of equity in the administration
of the government. They are
shocked to think he has the audacity to try
to enforce the laws on such an illegal basis.
He is considered like the notorious Seth Sothcl,
who came from England to South Carolina in
1690. He trampled upon every principle of
common justice. . Planters were forcibly compelled
to pay large sums of money for permission
to retain possession of their property,
and, indeed, every species of exaction that a
rapacious and avaricious tyrant could think
of to get money was resorted to by him. 'Now,
let the proper authorities at Washington analyze
the character of Chamberlain, and there
will be found a mass of corruption from which
this stagnating and obnoxious political miasma
has been rising.
The people recognize Wade Hampton as
Governor of South Carolina, and will joyfully
respond to any requisition he may make, and
will use every influence to sustain the grand
and noble hekrted gentleman and his government.
They will pay, with the greatest alacrity,
the ten per cent, contribution asked for
by the Constitutional House. W. H.
*
LOCAL AFFAIRS.
HEW ADVERTISEMENTS.
T, ]?. Dobson A Co.?Grand Clearing Oat Sale.
Kennedy & Barron?Cash Store?Sweet Potatoes.
J. M. Adams?Clear the Track?Tin-Ware at
Wholesale?Cake Pans.
M. Strauss?Hard.Times. / / ; j j
Latimer A Hemphill?Pistols?Cartridges?Shot
Guns.
S. M. Powell, Assignee?In Bankruptcy?In the
Matter of May and Rawlinaon, Bankrupts.
Withers poon A Spencer?Attorneys'at Law.
J. A. McLean. Probate Judge?Citation?W. S.
Crelghton, Applicsnt-^Mary Stnrgls" deceased.
1 COUNTY
COMMISSIONEBS;
The new board of County Commissioners a
met on Monday last. We learn |hat no business
of public importance was transacted.
Hereafter the board will meet ooly twice a
month?on the first and third Mondays.
THE TEN PEB CENT. CONTBIfiUTI/DN.
By a note received from Dr. Bobertspn*
agent for receiving the 10 per cent, contribution
of taxes for the. Hampton feovernjpent,
we learn that up to Monday evening the sum '
of $1,920.00 had been paid in by 312 tkfTO
'
NEW BUSINESS HOUSE.
By reference to our advertising columns, it
will be seen that Messrs. Kennedy & Barron
have opened a new Grocery and Hardware
house in one room of Dr. Allison's new brick
building. These gentlemen: are well known
to the community, and in theconduct of their
business will no doubt deserve a liberal share
of patronage. :- <<
ARLINGTON H. 4 L. COMPANY.
Arlington Hook and Ladder Company, of
this place, have just received an- elegant
truck, with the accompanying paraphernalia N
of a well-organized fire company, ! The "Arlingtons"
compose a fine body of young men,
who, with their new apparatus, will be prepared
to render .efficient service in case of
fire. 1 As will he seen in another column, tbey
return thanks to numerous, parties who extended
recent courtesies.
OUR ROCK HILL PACKAGES.
The failure of the Enquires to reach its
destination each week, after being carefully
and promptly mailed, is no less annoying to
the proprietor than the subscribers by jreason *
of such failure. We have had frequent complaints
from Rock Hill of the failure of the
Enquirer to reach that town on time, and
have traced the cause of the delay to neglect
of dntv hv the messenger who transfers the
mail at Chester from the C. & L. Boat) to
the C. C. & A. Road. The Enquirer for
Rock Hill is promptly mailed, and leaves the
post-office here, every Thursday morning. It
should reach Rock Hill on the ?am& night,
arid we are making efforts to have the fault
corrected. "
'?.
ARTISTIC WORKMANSHIP, [ ; <
Mr. Frank Happerfie)d, the marble-cutter,
whose .marble-yard is in this place; haf jof t
completed beautiful mouument, to be erected
to the memdry of Mrs. Adeline ,$dd?
well, whose remains are interred at Rook
Hill. The granite base is .1 foot, on which it
a marble base supporting the die or, inseripi>
tion block, 22 inches high, with .plinth of
1 foot, supporting a shaft of 5 feet, on which
is a finely-carved capital of one foot, the
whole surmounted by the figure of fa, angel
30 inches "in height. The height of the ear
tire monument is 13 feet 4 inches. The artistic
manner in which the work is designed
and executed, even To the moat minute details,
reflects much credit upon the tastajuul
skill of Mr. Happerfield.
THE PRESIDENTIAL QUESTION.
The Present Disturbed Condition of the Country:
Its Cause and the Remedy. The re-establishment
of Constitutional Government; The
only M.oae so a vers uivu war in tne ruture j
A Peaceful and Permanent Solution. By
James W. Green, of Culpepper, Va.
We are indebted to the courtesy of J.; H. gl
Rion, Esq., of Winnaboro, for a oopy of ft
closely printed pamphlet of 48 pages, bearing
the above title. Under the caption *of "The
Principles of Constitutional Government,"
the author quotes several pages "from the
writings of an American statesman, deceased
more than a quarter of a century," to which
he applies the truths contained in the treatise,
and suggests amendments to the Constitution
providing for a President and a GovernorGeneral,
each vested with certain powers, one
to be elected from the Southern section and
the other from the Northern eectioft'of the
United States. This plan, which abolishes
the office of Vice-President, the author thinks,
would re-establish constitutional government
giving os a union of peace and harmony. * ,.
> THK CIRCUIT COURT.1 r
The Circuit Court adjourned last Friday '
evening, after closing the sessions docket.
No causes in civil action were tried. 'We
give below a list of convictions and the sentences
of the Court: '*
Walker Grier and Benjamin McGill; burglary
and larceny. Sentence, ten years at
hard labor in the penitentiary. ""
Neil Boyd; burglary and larceny. Plead- I
ed guilty. Sentence,- five years at hard labor 1
in ?the penitentiary. 1
Wra. Smith ; assault and battery. Sen* J
tence, one day in the eonnty jail. *
Geo. Been; burglary and larceny. Pleaded
guilty. Sentence, one year at hard labor iti
the penitentiary.
Lewis Brurafield; grand larceny. Pleaded
guilty. Sentence, one year at hard labor in
the penitentiary. 1
Benjamin McGill, Alfred Kennedy and
Abraham Mitchell; grand larceny. NoL
proa. as to Abraham Mitchell; Benjamip McGill
and Alfred Kennedy pleaded guilty, and
were sentenced, the former to one year, and
the latter to two years in the penitentiary. %
Thomas Coulter and Abraham Choat;
burglary and larceny. This was the second
conviction of the former for burglary, and he
was sentenced to the penitentiary for twenty
years. The latter was sentenced to the penitentiary
for five years.
All the parties above mentioned are colored.
*'
In the matter of the rule issued against
John L. Watson, County Treasurer, upon the
presentment of the grand jury at last term
as to the payment of the ku-ltlux tax to
Rachel Leech, Mr. Watson submitted a return
on oath, stating that he had paid the
beneficiary all that she was entitled to receive,
producing vouchers therefor, whereupon the
rule was discharged.
The grand jury made the following presentment:
To
the Hon. T. J. Mackey, Pruidina
Judge.?The gr^nd jury would submit the
following report to this Honorable Court:
That they have carefully examined into all
the public offices of said county, and find the
same in good order and the books to be neat*
ly and correctly kept.
That they have visited the jail, and find
the same iu good order, and that the prisoners
are well cared for.
The poor house, also, has been visited by j
them, aud the property found to be in extraordinarily
good condition, both as to lands
and tenements, with the exception of two
I out-houses, which they would recommend to
| be torn down, and thaj; another house be
built after the style of present improvements.
! The inmates, of which there are now twentyI
nine, are found to be well cared for. There 1 . J