Newspaper Page Text
ESTABLISHED 1799.H9V35%
FROM COLUMBIA.
Becoinition of tie Democratic House
st Washington—Excitement Allayed
j, y the Counsel of Gen. Hampton—
The Democratic siergeant-at-Arms
Sticks to His Post.
(Special to Constitutionalist.)
Colombia, December 4, 1876.
The House of Representatives, which
adjourned to-night at Carolina Hall to
a eet to-morrow at ten o’clock, consists
of sixty members, fflty-flve white and
ofl e coiorei, Win. Marie, of Colleton
,Democrats) ;fand one white and three
colored Republicans. It Is understood
that the House, in getting sixty-three
members with certiilcates from the
Secretary of State, exclusive of Edge-
Held and Laurens, will be recognized at
Washington. The Democrats expect
to secure the requisite number, proba
bly to-morrow, but certainly in a day
or two. It is abs Mutely impossible for
the Radicals to get the requisite sixty
three. They now have only fifty-six,
and are slowly losing.
4The one absolute reason why the
iWmoerats gave up possession of the J
‘ftate House to-day was that, while not
dreading a collision, they could not af
ford to have a single member killed,
whom they could not replace. Among
the members who voted against
adjournment were: Youmans, of
Barnwell; Gray, of Greenville, and
Shepherd, of Edgefield, who believed
au actual show of force should have
been made before the Democrats left
the Hall. There is more excitement in
town than at any time before, but Gen
erals Hampton, Johnson and Gary, in
their speeches to-night, have done
rau oh to allay it, and everything is now I
quiet. We are gaining on the enemy,
and shall continue to do so until they |
are beaten. The Democratic Sergeant
at-arms, John D. Brown, of Barnwell,
stuck to his post in the State House as
if his life depeuded upon it. He never
left the Hall from Thursday noon until
to-day noon. W. H. McK.
| By the Associated Press J
Withdrawal of the Democratic House
—Great Excitement.
Columbia, December 4.—Soon after
the dual Houses were called to order,
Speaker Wallace announced that, as
there were one hundred special con
stables in the House to eject the Demo
cratic members, aud as he feared such
a movement would be resisted and
bloodshed would ensue, he adjourned
the legally elected Bouse, to meet at
Carolina Hall. The Democrats in a
body withdrew to Carolina Hall, where
they are now in secret session. The
Republicans then went into secret ses
sion in the State House. The town is
full of people, and great excitement
prevails.
The Democratic House continued in
caucus all the afternoon, action un
known. The Republican members of j
tbe Senate held a caucus previous to
the regular hour of the meeting of the
body, which was not harmonious, and
lasted until one p. m. When the Sen
ate met the session was unimportant,,
until just before two p. m., it was
moved that the Senate adjourn. The
motion was carried by a vote of 1G
ayes to 14 nays. This action is re
garded as important, as two o’clock to
day was the hour set for couuting the
vote for Governor aud as the Senate
adjourned without considering that
question, or postponing it to some fu
ture day, it is virtually disposed of in
that body, and must originate in the
House an 1 come up again. The question
now is whether the Seuata will recog
nize the Mackey House as the con
stitutional body with a membership of
560n1y, holding certificates from the!
Board of State Canvassers, while sixty- j
three is necessary to a quorum. The
Democrats have sixty, requiring only
three to make u quorum. The city to
night is full of people and still arriv
ing.
The Supreme Court heard argument
the entire day on the application for a
mandamus icquiring the Secretary of
State to tit-liver the returns for Gover
nor and Lieutenant G ivernor to the
Speaker, Wallace, itud adjourned at
Lot) p. in. unt'l to-.;n'rrow, 11 a. m. As
the question involves the other ques
tion as to which is the legal House of
representatives, the action is looked
forward to with great iuterest.
.NEW YORK ITEMS.
heath of an Old Confederate Officer—
beaut's Interview with Hewitt—De
nial bv the Post.
Nkw York, December U.—A telegram
ft u Cameron, FairfaxpWirginia, an
nounces the death, in that place, of
Samuel Cooper, late Adjutant and lu
fpoetor General of the Confederate
“‘my, in the 78th year of his age.
•foe World’s Washington special says
■h* President, in his interview with
Mr. Hewitt, talked at length of the re-
Ce[ it occurrences in the South, and de-
ciared that what he had done had been
under the law and the Constitution,
uud was for the best interests of the
people, incouise of couversation.be
’’Xpressed, in the most decided manner,
Lsconviction that owing to fraud and
intimidation, theie hail been no fair
°rlegal election in Louisiana, and that
We electoral vote of that State should
°°t be counted.
fbe Post’s Washington dispatch says
’here in no truth whatever in the story
that President. Giant, iu an interview
with H-wttt, yesterday, said that there
hi i be-ii 1,0 frth- election in Louisiana,
Hl "l it-, v at* should be thrown out. The
L 't itself says, iu reply to an inquiry
J| it tlis* tfj.oit trni th’s office, Mr.
Hewitt telegraphs as follows :
Washington. December 4.
Tin- rVesid [,r si at**d mat it was not
h'S province to decide whether the elec
tions in the States had been fa r or not,
!, ut assuming that Congress should de-
to throw out the electoral votes of
houi9iana in consequence of frauds iu
the returns, we discussed the effect of
such action on the final result, and
"hen it would necessarily throw the
ejection of President into the House of
and of Vice President
tnto the Senate.
[Signed.] Abram S. Hewitt.
i—i 9 il *
The Louisiana Returning Hoard.
Xew Orleans. December!. —All sorts
M rumors are afloat. Nothing reliable
! ‘ as transpired as to the result of the
by the Returning Board. Gov.
Kellogg stated to-day that the eompila
lpn would not be completed of the
"'-ctoral vote before Tuesday after
noon.
C. Black was re-elected Presi-
PeQt of the Cotton Exchange.
CONGRESSIONAL.
First Dft yProceedinga-Orfiranization
or the Senate and House,
f HINGTOS > 3>. C., December 4.-The
Minl e atGOOD - Mr. Blaine, of
Maine, Messrs. Cnaffee and Teller the
benators from Colorado, and Mr Price
the new Senator from West Virginia’
if Capertou, deceased, were sworn in’
ihe new Senators from Colorado drew
ror their respective terms, when Mr
Chaffee seeured the long term, ending
March 4th, 1879, and Mr. Teller the
short term, ending March 4th, 1877
Committees were appointed to notify
the President and House of Represen*
tatives that the Senate was ready for
business, and at 12:20 p. m. a recess for
three-quarters or au hour was taken.
Ihe Republican caucus at the House
nominated Garlield.
The Senate discussed the situation
but deferred action until the electoral
vote or South Carolina, Florida and
■Louisiana was decided.
The House was called to order by
Chief Clerk Adams. A motion was
made to elect a Speaker.
appealed from the decision of
the Clerk, that the Speaker should be
elected before new members were sworn
in. A vote is progressing on the motion
to table the appeal.
After the usual formalities, Edmunds
offered a resolution, which was laid on
the table, and ordered printed, setting
forth that-- *
Whebeas, The Constitution provided
for the method or electing Represen ta
tives to Congress, and recites who are
entitled to vote for such Representa
tives; and whereas, it is alleged that iu
the Statts of South Carolina, Georgia,
Alabama, Louisiana and Mississippi
the rights of many such persons were
denied and abridged dutiug the late
election; therefore
Resolved, That the Committee on
Privileges and Elections be authorized
to inquire whether such rights were
denied and abridged, and if so, to what
extent and who have been affected by
such denials and abridgment, and by
what authority such abridgment has
been carried on. Aiso, that said com
mittee inquire into the fact whether
any Presidential electors in the late
election were disqualified, and whether
any of them have been interfered with
iu their rights and qualifications, and
whether there is any constitutional
remedy therefor; that said committee
employ clerks and stenographers, and
ba empowered to take testimony and
administer oaths.
Adjourned.
House.—-Two hundred and forty
eight members answered to the roll. I
The election of Speaker preceded all i
other buisness.
Randall addressed the House, thauk
iug the members for the honor confer
red, aud calling attention to the fact*
that he was elected to the post on ac
count of the death of Speaker Kerr, to
whom he paid a high eulogy for the
purity of his public aud private life.
No oue could appreciate more than he
(Randall) did the great honor of being
called upon to preside over the
deliberations of the representatives
of the American people, and in the
discharge of nis duties he should en
deavor to be absolutely fair aud impar
tial, aud while upholding all the rules
of the House, lie should protect each
and every member in ins individual
rights. The House stands now in the
preseuce of events which, iu the last
degree, demand the most careful con
sideration of every officer of the Gov
ernment, and he expressed the hope
that the representatives of the people
would act only with a keen sense of
light, and so as to carry out the just j
expectations of the people, and to en- i
force the right.
The credentials of C. W. Butte, of '
South Carolina, were presented. Mr. i
Morrison objected. They were laid j
over.
Bauks presented the credentials of i
James B. Beifoid, of Colorado. Springer
objected, and moved that the certifl
cate be referred to the Committee on
the Judiciary, with instructions to as
certain and report if Colorado is a State
of the Union, and whether the person
presenting the credentials was elected |
a member of the House. Banks ad
dressed the House in favor of the ad
mission of Beifoid.
The credentials of Belford, member
from Colorado, were referred to the
Judicial Committee.
Committees to go to South Carolina,
Florida and Louisiana, were ordered.
Six to Florida, nine to South Carolina
and fifteen to Louisiana. Adjourned.
In the Cabinet meeting, a message
from Huger was read, reporting the
| withdrawal of the Democrats from the
I State House. The message and
| of Secretaries were considered.
The credentials of Butts, from South
] Carolina, were referred to the Commit
j tee on Elections, under protest Hied by
i counsel for contestant
Tne South Carolina committee con
sists of Saylor, of Ohio; Abbott, of
Massachusetts; Stinger, of Pennsylva
nia; Elder, of Illinois; Jones, of Ken
| tucky; Phillips, of Missouii; Banks, of
Massachusetts; Lawrence, of Ohio,
! and Lapham, of New York.
WASHINGTON ITEMS.
News and Gossip From the' Capital
Washington, December 4.—Supreme
Court, Jones vs. City of Pensacola.
Flotilla Circuit affirmed.
The South Carolina Committee will
meet to-morrow, and leave for Colum
bia to morrow night. The resolution
provides that the committees proceed
to the respective States to investigate
the n cent elections iu those States and
the action of the Returning Boards in
reference thereto, and report all the
facts essential to an honest return of
the votes of electors for President and
Yice President, aud to a fair under
standing thereof by the people and
whether the electoral votes of those
States should be counted.
I he Republicans in caucus agreed to
make such opposition to the antici
pated appointment of committees to
the Southern States as would delay
action several days. The result shows
that they failed, although in the House
they made several appeals from Mr.
Randall’s rulings, which forced the
committees through.
Republicans of the Senate held an
adjourned caucus and ordered a re
vision of committees. It was under
stood by common consent that no
action would be taken at present re
garding the President of the Senate,
nor any caucus action biuding on mem
bers regarding political complications
now. Further developments will be
awaited. t > _
Minor Telegyams.
New York, December 4. —The City
of Richmond, from Liverpool, brought
£149,000 specie.
Macon, Ga., December 4 —The new
route to Florida via Brunswick and
Fernandina, was opened, and the first
through car from Richmond to Bruns
wick, passed through Macon last night
®l)ie Anpsl ConsliMionalbt
FOREIGN NEWS. .
* -
The Eastern Question.
Loudon, December 4. —A dispatch
from Vienna to the Times states that
the contention between the Grand
Vizier of Turkey and Midhat Pasha
continues. The Sultan has not yet
given his casting vote.
A dispatch from Pesth says the
Turks are preparing for the struggle
with terrible earnestness. The Rus
sians are hurrying their preparations
to take the field.
Constantinople, December 4.—The
Porte has telegraphed to its represen
tatives abroad denying that dissensions
prevail in the Ministry. The Telegram.
says “the elaboration of reforms is
almost complete.”
THE ELECTORAL VOTE.
A Suggestion from ex-Senutor Carl
Sohurz ana Others.
St, Louis, December 5. Ex-Senator
Carl Schurz, and John B. Henderson, I
and other prominent men of this city, I
forwarded a letter to the President of j
the United States Senate relative to j
the counting of the electoral vote, i
with the request that he lay it before j
the United States Senate. They say, I
in the letter, that the present oondi- ;
tion of the country calls for some ac
tion which shall settle the political dis
quietude. Theelaußein the Constitu
tion respecting the canvassing
of the electoral vote is quoted
and pronounced inadequate, and
liable to diverse construction. An at
tempt to canvass the vote iu joint ses
sion of Congress is deprecated as cer
tain to raise partisan issues, and de
velop a strife which may prove most
disastrous to the country. The letter
then proposes as a remedy that the
whole matter be transferred to the Su
preme Court of the United States. It
is urged that that is the only tribunal
frem which a fair and unpartisan de
cision—one which will satisfy the whole
people—can be obtained. The letter
dwells at length upon the wisdom of
removing this important matter from a
tribunal likely to by affected by party
strife.
The Condition of Affairs in Florida.
Tallahassee, December 5. The
morning was consumed principally with
tiie presentation of general arguments
of the Democrats. This wus prepared
by tiie Democratic lawyers who are
here, and was presented by Cob Geo.
W. Biddle, of Philadelphia. It is au
elaborate document, laying down cer
tain general and well-settled principles
—then discussing the cases of the con
tested counties under one or the other
of these principles. It closes by ask
ing, first, that the Board simply figure
up the face of the returns on which it
claims 129 majority for Tilden, or, if it
sees fit to go behind the face of the re
turns, that it throw out certain coun
ties and precincts, which will leave a
majority of 1,297 for the Tilden elec
tors.
Tho Republicans offered no general
argument, but spent the day in offering
new affidavits aud testimony. The de
cision of the Board is confidently
looked for on to-morrow. It is not
possible to make a reasonable guess as
to what it will be. Mr. Humphries,Re
publican candidate for elector, who was
reported to be ineligible to au elector
ship, as lie was a shipping master at
Peunsacola, come before the Board to
day aud swore that he resigned iu Oc
tober, aud that his resignation was ac
cepted a week before the election.
In tlie Sanctum.
The situation has beeu about the
same in most newspaper offices during
the past few days. Anxious inquirers
and local politicians invade editorial
rooms eager to learn the news. Some
idea of the queries propounded to the
tireless quill-drivers may be gathered
from the following. The editor com
mences a heavy leader on the political
situation as follows:
The smoke of the battle has cleared
away, and after the—
“Weil, we’re whipped, ain’t we?"
storm always comes a calm. After the
struggle aud labor—
“ How is it about Skinner—is he
beaten ? ’
of the past few weeks, there comes a
few hours of—
“ What is the Democratic majority in
this county, anyhow?”
rest, when we can sit down in quiet
and —
“Have you anything later than there
is in the morning papers?
peace, and retlect upon the events
which have—
“ Say, do you know whether Ballard
is elected or not?”
passed and prepare to resume the usual
avocations which have—
“ Did you say Stone was ahead?”
beeu so much interrupted and neglected
during the heat of apolitical—
“ Hallo! is it true that ther is a chance
■ for Hayes’ election?”
contest. Our readers, we are certain,
have had a surfeit of poli—
“What do you think about Florida
and South Carolina?”
tics during the past few weeks, and will
be glad to have our editorial atten
tion—
“Say, can’t we get some dispatches
ourselves about this?”
turned to other matters. As we said
in the outset—
“Do you really think there is any
chauce that we are going to beat them?”
we can now—
“ Copy.”
have a quiet—
“ Wouldn’t it be bully if wo should
beat them after all ?”
rest interrupted by—
“My goodness, you ought to see how
chopfalien the Republicans are.”
the excitement and—
“We are good for them, if we can
carry Louisiana now."
turmoil of—
“If we could only get Oregon, I
wouldn’t ask for any more.”
political discussion and anxious and
zealous watching for results. We feel
calm and collected —
“What ie the latest news?”
and now you koow how it is yourself.
Sarah, Duchess of Marlborough, was
accustomed to give an annual feast, to
which she iuvited all her relations,
many of whom were expectant legatees
in case of her demise. At one of these
family gatherings she exclaimed :
“What a glorious sight it is to see such
a number of branches flourish from the
same root!” “Alas!” sighed Jack
Spencer, to a first cousin next to him.
“the branches would flourish far better
if the foot was underground.”
Somebody remarks that young ladies
look upon a boy as a nuisance until he
is past the age of sixteen, when he
generally doubles up in value each
year, until, like a meerschaum pipe, he
is priceless.
AUGUSTA, GA., TUESDAY, DECEMBERS 1876.
SUNDAY’S DISPATCHES.
Col. Roberts’ Interview With Gov.
H ayes.
Washington, D. C.. December 3.
In regard to a publication in the Cin
cinnati j Enquirer of December 2d,
touching an interview at Columbus,
Ohio, between Gov. Hayes and Col.
W. Roberts, of the New Orleans Times,
Col. Roberts desires it to be stated that
he stopped at Columbus on his route
to Washington to see Gov. Hayes, as
the representative of tiie Times. He
talked to Gov. Hayes of the situation
in Louisiana, but had not authority to
say anything for either General Hamp
ton or Mr. Lamar. The only creden
tials he had were letters of introduc
tion from Halstead, of the Cincinnati
Commercial, and Hon. J. E. Stevenson,
of Ohio. Nothing was said of any
compromise by Governor Hayes. Such
a question was not discussed at all.
The conversation was on Louisiana
matte! s alone.
Wording of the Electoral Certificate.
Tallahassee, December 3.—A letter
has been received here from a member
of the Northern Democratic Committee,
now at New Orleans, statiug that the
Secretary of the National Republican
Committee had dispatched to Louisi
ana, South Carolina and Florida, ask
ing that the words : “la pursuance of
the laws of the Uuited States” be in
serted in the electoral certificates. The
Democrats here call the attention of
their committees throughout the coun
try to this point, and suggest the in
sertion, in addition, the woids “and
also in pursuance of the laws of this
State.”
A Petitiou for an Injunction.
Omaha, December 3. —The Democrat
ic electors have presented a petition to
Judge Savage of the Distiict Court, for
au injunction restraining the Republi
can electors from casting the vote, on
account of irregulariries in the appoint
ment. A hearing wiil be had on Mon
day.
The Impeachment Plan.
Washington, December 3.—Patter
son, a delegate from Colorado, is here,
and will resume his seat to-morrow and
hold it until Colorado is recognized as
a State by the admission of her repre
sentative,
The impeachment plan includes
Grant, Cameron and Sherman, and, if
subject to impeachment, Ruger. Sher
man is considered undoubtedly subject,
as he is the creature of Congress, and
as his office expires with him, a succes
sor requires special legislation. Lieu
tenant General Sheridan is in the same
situation.
Grant and the Chairman of the Na
tional Democratic Committee.
Washington, December 3.—An inter
view has occurred between the Presi
dent and Mr. Hewitt, Chairman of the
Democratic Executive Committee.
Later.—The following has transpired
regarding the visit of Mr. Hewitt to
the President : Mr. Hewitt called upon
the President alone, and upon bis own
motion. It was a visit of courtesy,
and lasted probably half an hour. No
propositions of a compromise or any
thing like it were made. The Presi
dent, during the conversation, express
ed some disappointment, that the elec
toral votes of South Carolina, Florida
and Louisiana were still in doubt, as he
desired to refer to them iu his message.
It may be stated that the temper of
the Democratic leader here is iu averse
to any course of compromise. They
will demand and concede what the
Constitution and laws allow.
The English Polar Expedition.—
The return of the English polar ex
pedition is not an ordinary failure of
an ordinary enterprise. It, means that
the very utmost resources of man can
not insure him a passage to the North
pole. Other explorers had push fed
their sledges to withiu five hundred
miles of the earth’s axis of revolution,
and the English authorities bent them
selves with extraordinary diligence
and determination to the one tack of
overcoming this apparently short dis
tance. We have detailed in this mis
cellany some of the provisions made
for sustaining the men in this supreme
effort, and they were chosen with rare
tact. But they were in vain. The loss
of four lives seems to prove that the
strenuous exertions expected were
made; but in spite of the elaborate sys
tem of carrier sledges which enabled
one party to be out seventy days if tbe
telegraph is right, it did not get fur
ther, or much further, than Hall and
other explorers. Only one mile a day
could be compassed, aud that only by
the severest exertions. The greatest
cold known, 102 deg., was felt; the
ice was found to be very much
broken aud rough ; there was no sign
of land or an open sea, and the at
tempt was completely a failure. It
was even more thau this, for it has
demonstrated that other projects of
the kind must also be failures. We
are now thrown back upon Payer aud
Weyprecht’s suggestions to establish a
ring of permanent stations within the
Arctic circle for scientific observation.
The knowledge thus gained, combined
with the ability to seize with certainty
upon favorable years, may yet carry
the navigator to the pole. —“Scicntiji
Miscellany,” in the Galaxy for Decem
ber.
At 8 o’clock in the morning the pro
prietor of a amJill saloon put down the
curtains, locked tho door, and was
walking off when he was hailed by a
policeman. The saloon-keeper crossed
the street to the policeman and said:
“Dot blace is closed for von week.”
“What’s the matter ?” asked the offi
cer. “Well, I gant stand such foolings
aroundt. In the first biace, a man
comes in an says: Well, Dildeu is elect
ed, and he kicks over the ehaii s. Putty
soon comes anudder mau in, und he
say: ‘Hooray! Hayes has got ‘era now!’
und he kicks ofer a table. Annuder
mau in a leedle while comes in and
galls out: ‘Nopody is elected any more!
und he preaks some glasses. Sfiust
like dot has it been for a week, and I
am glean discouraged. If somepody
says Dilden is elected. I pelief dot; if
somepody sayes Hayes is elected, I
pelief dot; if somepody says nopody is
elected, i feels like dis gountry vhas
going to some dogs right away,” “Yes,
it does bother one,” consoled the offi
cer. “Tell all der poys dot I have
glosed up for returns, and dot some
pody can’t get in,” replied the mau,
aud he turned his face homeward.
The Votes of the Large Cities.—
The vote of the nine largest cities iu
the United States at the late election
was as follows: New York, 170,866 ;
Philadelphia, 137,521 ; Brooklyn, 91,-
562 ; Chicago, 61,219 ; Cincinnati. 58,-
236 ; Baltimore, 54,299 : Boston, 44,070;
San Francisco, 41,544 ; St. Louis, 40,000.
ALEXANDER H. STEPHENS.
Our Distinguished Representative in
W ashing ton Again—His Departure
from Home and Journey to the Fed
eral CaDitol—Hie Views upon the
Situation.
(Special Cor. Constitutionalist.)
Washington, D. C., Nov. 28, 1876.
You have already been informed, by
telegraph and mail, of the arrival in
this city of Hon. Alexander H. Ste
phens, the immediate Representative
in Congress of the Eighth Georgia dis
trict. Mr. Stephens ieft his home, at
Crawfordvilie, a week ago last Mon
day, and traveled to Atlanta in a spe
cial cur kindly furnished for his own
use and comfort, by Col. £. K. John
son the Superintendent of the
Georgia Railroad. Though a bed was
provided for him in the car ho did not
use it, but made the journey to Atlanta
without once having to lie down. It
was really a touching sight to see his
departure from home—from that un
pretending little Georgia village, among
whose people he has lived for more
than titty years. Nearly ail the inhabi
tants of the place, black as well as
white, gathered at the depot to bid
him good-bye and see him go off, and
many and fervent were the wishes ut
tared that he might return to them
safely once more. There was a general
rush from the other part of the train
taw aids Mr. Stephens’ car as soon as it
was known that he was on board, and
aft along the route, wherever it was
Known, the car was surrounded by
people eager to see, and, if possible,
speak once more with their distin
guished fellow-citizen. Most of them
nad never expected to see nim again iu
mis life.
Mr. (Stephens came by way of Atlan
to lor two reasons. He desired to at
tend to some business in connection
with the memoir or his brother, the
late Judge Linton Stephens, which is
iu press there; and he could get
through from Atlanta to this city with
out change of cars. This was au im
portant object with him. He spent two
days in Atlanta, having his rooms at
the Kimball House, where he was visi
ted by a great number of people. He
left Atlanta the afternoon of Wednes
day, the 23 1 of November, in a char
tered Palace sleeping car, and reached
Washington the morning of Friday, the
25th, having come through wimoui
stopping over any where, and witl out
changing cars.
Of course, when it was known—as it
speeuily was—that the distinguished
Georgia statesman was in the Capital,
his rooms at the National wore soou
Silled with callers—old friends to wel
come him back again, strangers to
make his acquaintance, and represent
atives of the press to interview him on
the “situation.” As this is a subject
on which I know your readers would
like to hear from Mr. Stephens, I will
give you the substance of a conversa
tion between him and a number of visi
tors to-day, among whom were Gen.
Jones, of Maryland, ex-Governor Jen
kins, of Georgia, Mr. , of Maine,
and Dr. ltusseil, of this city. Several
o itm- gentlemen were present, and
some ladies aiso.
On being asked what he thought of
the prospect, Mr. Stephens replied that
it was dark and gloomy, but not more
so thau he had often witnessed hereto
fore. lii reply to congratulations on
his return, aud the remark that many
were looking to his counsels in this
emergency, he expressed his gratifica
tion at being able to be here, aud said
he should certainly do all in his power
to secure a proper and peaceful solu
tion of the questions agitating the
country. Concerning the proceedings
in Columbia—the occupation of the
.State House and the interference of the
military in the organization of the
Legislature—Mr. Stephens said he
thought very badly of them, as re
ported in the papers. To the ques
.ion, “Is it any worse than the like or
ganization of the Louisiana Legis
lature in 1K75?” he answered, “In
finitely worse. The cases are widely
different. In Louisiana Federal inter
ference was assumed upon the prin
ciple and avowed grounds of main
taining the laws of a State as ex
pounded by the highest judicial tri
bunal of that State. Iu Louisiana the
Supreme Couit had decided that a cer
tain set of men, composing a Return
ing Board, were legally constituted,
aud that the decision of this Board in
favor of the Kellogg government was
right and according to the laws
of the State. In South Carolina, as
I understand it, the Supreme Court of
that State has decided that the acts of
the Returning Board in awarding cer
tificates of election were not iu ac
cordance with the laws of that State.
Federal action in the one case was
based upon the assumption of main
tenance of State authority, whiis iu
the other it is, if reports be true,
based upon the open and avowed
overthrow of State authorities, even
the highest—that of the Supreme
Court—iu their construction of State
laws. The cases of Louisiana and
South Carolina are therefore totally
different,”
As to what will be the result Mr.
Stephens said : “I cannot say, or even
venture a conjecture at present. We
must patiently wait the development
of facts and events. After the first
Tuesday in December, when all the
colleges shall have acted und cast their
votes, we shall have more light on the
subject.” When asked if Congress can
in any way take jurisdiction of the
subject, he said ; “I think so, without j
doubt; I think, moreover, that they
will; aud if patience, prudence, wisdom j
and patriotism govern their counsels, i
I think the right will ultimately pre
vail, without any disturbance of the
peace or harmony of the country.”
Truly, a consummation devoutly to
be wished !
Mr. Stephens stood the travel here
much better than he expected. He oc
cupies his old quarters at the National
Hotel, on Pennsylvania Avenue. His
rooms are next to those occupied by
Mr. Clay at tho time ot his death, and
there is au almost uninterrupted flow
of visitors to and from them all day
iong, from all parts of the country.
As he was not present at the organiza
tion of the present Congress he will
require to be sworn in upon taking his
seat this session. God grant that the
same spirit of patriotism which ani
mates him may influence the action of
every member of the Congress now
about to meet in deliberation upon
j questions involving the life of the Ke
■ public. T. K. O.
Avery polite young man, wishing to
ask a young lady if he might speak to
her for a moment or so, asked if he
would be “allowed to roll the wheel of
conversation round the axletree of her
understanding? The result wo# a row,
LETTER FROM COLUMBIA.
A BIRD’S EYE VIEW OF THE SIT
UATION.
The Political Kaleidoscope—Fixing
Responsibility—Gen. Ruger as the
Tool of Conspirators—The Omnipo
tent Denuis-Our Correspondent
Carries the Fort—Disgraceful Scenes
—An Independent Democrat—Old
Taft’s Arrival.
[Special Correspondence Constitutionalist.]
Columbia, Sunday Evening.
You iu Augusta kuow about as much
as I do of the political situation here.
It is true I am on the ground, and
watch every move, but everything
changes so rapidly, it is impossible to
tell when the next one may occur.
There is one thing, however, I can
do and that is, fix the responsibility for
the dual House of Representatives in
this State. Col. Thos. H. Ruger is the
man who has assumed it, and he can
not evade it. Had he not garrisoned
the State House on Monday night, or
refused on Tuesday morning to admit
the members from Laurens and Edge
field, the House would have organized
iu ten minutes. He says the officer in
command at the Stale House erred in
following his instructions, and unfor
tunately kept these men out by order
of a “person” not in authority, which
person happens to be John B. Dennis,
neither a Federal nor State officer, but
simply the tool of Chamberlain. Sup
pose tnis be true, why does not Col.
Ruger repair his error by undoing what
he has done, that is by looking on while
tiie 124 members elected, organize the
House. He peremptorily refuses to do
so, and thereby assumes the entire re
sponsibility for the lamentable results
of what ho insists was an error in the I
interpretation of orders. But it ;
was not an error, but designed j
from the beginning and intended to 1
produce the very result universally !
deplored by every lover of a constitu
tional government. The fact is, Gen. j
Ruger never intended to act fairly, and I
does not so intend now. He tries to
convey the impression that his force at
the State House is only intended for
the preservation of order, but there
has been no time since his troops took
possession of the State House tnat any
man could get upon the second floor,
where the Legislature meets, until he
had answered the interrogations of
two soldiers, one at the frontdoor, and
the other at the foot of either fight of
stairs he proposed to ascend, and the
rules are almost as strict now as upon
last Tuesday.
About seven o’clock on that day I
went to tiie door on the north side of
the State House, the oniy one then open,
but was stopped by a file of soldiers.
I asked who commanded; the reply
was they received their orders from
Gen. Dennis. At my request he was
sent for. Ho came iu a moment, when
I asked him by what authority he kept
visitors from the State House. He
wanted to know what right I had to
ask him. I replied because I was sup
posed to be a citizen of a,free State,
and was beside a representative of the
Augusta Constitutionalist. He asked
me to wait a moment, aud after perhaps
five minutes he returned, saying he
was not a State or Federal officer, but
that he could not tell me by what au
thority he acted. He furthermore said
any representative of the Constitu
tionalist could go anywhere iu the
building he pleased, and accordingly he
earned me through the soldiers up
stairs, and told the doorkeepers to let
me inside whenever I appeared. The
doorkeepers knew me well enough and
the paper, but yesterday one of them
said I didn’t write enough, but talked
too much to the Repuolican mem
bers. I didn’t deny the soft impeach- j
ment, but nevertheless I went on all I
the same and ■ talked perhaps a
little more to anybody 1 felt inclined.
But almost every lime I get inside the
outer door a big gun wun a trowel on
the end of it respectfully obliges me j
to answer ihe question, “Are you a!
member of the Legislature?” I toil
him I am not, and upon further iufor- i
matiuu he resumes his maicli, aud lets ;
me walk up stairs. An elegant and re- |
fined commentary, truly, upon a Re- )
publican government iu (South Caro- i
lina. Just reflect upon it—a man walk
ing up to the door of the State House,
with his eye upon George McDuffie on
the one side of the entrance, and Rob
ert Y. Hayne oil the other, is ushered
iu by a corporal of the United States
army, w’ho unlocks the door as you en
ter, and locks it behind your back.
But enough of this. How is it all to
end, is the question of th hour. If
Federal bayonets are kept away the
Democratic party wiil whip the fight;
otherwise, the whole affair will re
appear again before Congress, where
the Democratic members of one branch
have just shown by the nomination of
Samuel J. Randall for Speaker, that
the House of Representatives will have
something to say about the vote of the
electoral college.
I write now in the hall of the House
of Representatives. A white man is |
sitting iu the chair of Speaker Wallace
and a negro in the improvised seat of
the bogus Mackey. There are about
fifty members in the hall, perhaps
equally divided. They are sitting,
standing, waiking, lying down, aud in
all sorts of postures, many smoking
and all with their hats on. The air is
horrible, aud calculated to play the
mischief with the respiration of a mule.
There is no business doing, nor has
there been any to-day. In fact, there
is none to do until this question is set
tled. It may be to-morrow, but it is
all a matter of speculation. The
second Tuesday (day after to-morrow)
of tho organization of the Legislature
is the day fixed by United States stat
ute when a United States Senator must
be elected. It seems to me that every
thing must then come to a head one way
or the other. It is better that it should
speedily. If the people of South Carolina
must appeal to the entire people of tbe
United States the quicker the issue be
made the belter.
There is just now a little episode
going on in the House. Mr. Erwin
a member from Lancaster, the Demo
cratic elector heading his ticket, a lit
tle spirtuously inclined, is asking the
Speaker pro tem. to inform him what
right the United States soldiers have
I to keep out aDy body from the Hall
and what right any officer of Mackey
has to ask him any question.
Speaker Wailace and Mr. James L.
Orr, of Anderson, have tried to stop
him but he tells them that while he is
a Democrat, he is just now an inde
pendent and as I look him fairly in the
face I fully coiucide in his opinion.
It is currently reported and believed
that that precious specimen of Grant’s
Cabinet, Attorney-General Taft, ar
rived in the city to-day. Of course his
presence means some new devilment
rrom that center of ciime, Washington
City.
One can hear any number of ru
mors on the street every hour, but nei
ther party, as a matter of course, dis
closes its plans until they develop
themselves. Of one thiDg we may rest
assured, no ground has been lost by
the South Carolina Democrats since
Speaker Wallace took his seat in the
House of Representatives. B. J.
A TALK WITH TILDEN.
A PHILOSOPHER AMONG HIS
BOOKS.
i Quietly Waiting, with One Eye on
Events and the Other on His Friends,
for the Republicans to Disintegrate.
(Special Correspondence of the Philadel
phia Times.)
New York, November 30.—We have
had no President, except John Quincy
Adams, whose conversance with litera
ture, music, history, art and publicism
has been like Tilden’s. The selection
of his books shows that they have been
gathered together slowly, as his read
ing and mind developed and required
them and his means permitted. I had
expected to see his library full of dry
documents aud histories, such as are
found in the sanctums of political edi
tors, but his books were those of a rich
amateur bibliologist, some of them
slowly put together, as autographs and
engravings accumulated, and these
were methodically kept until they
could be bound. He showed me the
first edition of Paradise Lost, of which
he has two copies out of an edition of
only 750. While we were looking at
this clean, perfect copy, I observed a
large bust of Oliver Cromwell close at
hand, immediately facing a small table
iu the neck of the two salons, where
the Governor sits of evenings. Said I;
“Here is the Secretary of the Com
monwealth,” referring to Milton’s
book, “and there is the L rd Protec
tor, his employer. Can that be a true
portrait of Cromwell?” It was, indeed, an
extraordinary bust, and represented a
a very ugly and rather cunning and
unfeeling man, with a small, flat
moustache which did not reach to the
ends of his mouth, a prominent wart
over the light eyebrow, and eyes in
which fanaticism, shrewdness, will and
savagery expressed themselves like a
riddle; tho crown of Cromwell’s head
was fiat, as if, on the whole, a sinister
and animal man resided there. He
had short hair, curling, and the bust
was partly clad in a breastplate, with a
rough jacket tied with a rope enclos
ing it. A more realistic bust of an
iron-clad Puritan horseman, I never
saw. To bring out Cromwell in greater
relief, as it appeared, there was a bust
of Cicero just across this narrow
place, with magnificent hooked nose,
shaven face, intelligent eyes and
cynical, almost puckered lips. When
I expressed ray surprise at Cromwell’s
features, the Governor went into
another room and returned with a
large book, which contained from a
dozen to twenty portraits of Cromwell
—more than I had supposed to be ex
tant. Ail of them represented him
either as the principal general of the
Commonwealth or its ruler, at a time
perhaps, when his career had grown
broader and expanded the intellect and
face of the mere dragoon. Still, some
of these cuts approximated to the
rough Cromwell of tho bust.
I reflected from 1 his and other points
and incidents, how wide of the mark
was the estimate of Tilden in the Re
publican newspapers. His antetypes
were Puritans of the time of Cromwell
and Milton and antiques. His family
came to Massachusetts among the early
Puritans, aud his lather worshipped in
the Presbyterian Church among the
Shaker hills of Berkshire. John Kelly,
who is the most prominent Catholic
politician in the country, naturally ap
peared at the St. Louis Convention in
violent hostility to this Puritan candi
date. While Kelly is off on his wed
ding trip with the niece of the Ameri
can Cardinal, the Democratic President
is sitting iu his library under the bust
of Oliver Cromwell.
TILDEN AS A COSMOPOLITAN.
Mr. Tilden seemed to me to be, if
possible, siDcerer and more open in his
talk and the utterance of his convic
tions than he was two years ago. He
regards his great popular vote, which,
in the State of New York, was larger
by many thousands than when he rau
for Governor, to have been drawn part
ly from the Republican party, partly
from the German Protestants, and
finally, from what is called the silent
vote ; that which makes up its mind
without talk, aud is only computed af
ter the ballots are cast. Mr. Tilden’s
fortune has not been affected a particle
by the campaign. He had no voluntary
sponsor, like Jay Gould, to come for
ward with a purse, and was too pru
dent and discreet to waste bis own
means. Although he lives as elegantly
as any gentleman in America, his ap
petites are simple, and he requires no
lackeys near him. His parlors are
nearly half a block in depth, as his lot
runs through from street to street.
When he wanted auything. he got up
walked for it without calling, and he
seemed to know where every book and
plate and autograph belonged, among
thousands.
Tilden’s conversation is not burden
some with politics. He appears to
have decided convictions, and among
these is a reliance on the law to carry
out with certainty, if slowly, the high
est designs of humanity. His Democ
racy consists chiefly in disputing the
fact that when people think they want
auything philanthropic they can go
aud do it, over or under or through tbe
law. I suppose that he regards the
dogma of a higher law as revolution
ary. He has a steady, discreet, and
not repellant courage. He believes
firmly that at this time he represents
the popular will of the country for a
change of administration. While
a Northern man in all his at
tachments and modes, fie consid
ers the chaotic condition of the
South to be the result of bad recon
struction uuder bad agents, and our
general business prostration to be that
of one healthy twin, lugging aloDg the
corpse of the other. He takes pains to
avoid any reference to violence, but I
have understood that he holds hi nu
merical majority to be iu a greater
degree a physical majority—that the
working and muscular classes, those
who make armies and fill out levies
and conscriptions—were on his side of
the slate. In short, he is quietly sit
ting among his books, with one eye on
events and the other on his friends,
waiting until the Republicans disinte
grate by the mere weakness of their
alliances in the South and the prepare
of their petsonal scruples (a North.
Gath.
The best thingla' this world is tu.
j tj:ti(e things as they come—take them
1 enssy—and, take a good, uy\ny of then).
SIX DOLLARS A YEAR
THE DEMOCRATIC ADDRESS.
New Orleans, Dec. 1.1876.
To the People of the United States:
On our arrival here in casting about
for approaches to the officials who
control the elections in this State we
discovered that they were ail of one
political party ; that the Governor had
appointed none but Republican Super
visors of elections, and that the Re
turning Officers constituting the State
Board were of the same political school.
Influenced by these iuauspicious sur
louudiogs. our thoughts and hopes
were turned toward the eminent gen
tlemen who have been selected by the
President to be present and see that
the Board of Canvassers make a fair
count of the votes actually cast, and cn
the 14th of November we invited these
gentlemen to meet and confer with us.
This co-operation was declined, but we
nevertheless have reason to believe that
to this correspondence may be attrib
uted the invitation to us on the 18th
ult., by the Returning Board, to attend
and be present at its meetings as spec
tators and witnesses or its proceedings.
Through this courtesy, and the ser
vices of a competent stenographer, we
became possessed of all essential facts
developed on tho face of the official
papers.
We have been furnished with a certi
fied copy of the duplicate statements of
votes, made by the Commissioners of
Election at each place of voting in the
State, and from these statements it ap
pears that the Tilden electors received
toe following votes, to-wit;
McEnery 83,712 De Blanc .83,667
Wickliff.' 83,880 ! botrs 83,842
St. Martin... .83,676 | a obit 83]079
Poche 83,529 I Cross. 83,652
And the Hayes electors received the
following votes, to-wit:
Kellogg 77,152 j Marks 75,221
Burch 77,154 j Levissee 75,370
Joseph 74.889 i Brewster 75,457
Sheldon 74,814 j Jeffrion 75,497
The result of the vote for Presiden-
tial electors, as disclosed on the face of
the returns opened by the Returning
Board in our presence:
FOB THE TILDEN ELECTORS.
McEnery 82,223 De Blanc 82.C65
Wiukiiffo
St. Martin 82,129 j Cobb 81.959
Poche 82,036 j Cross 82,109
FOR THE HAYES ELECTORS.
Kellogg 77,023 Marks 75,087
Bureh 76,983 | Levissee 75,157
Joseph .74,64*2 Brewster 75,270
Sheldon 74,678 (Jeffrion 75|390
In most cases the returns opened by
the Returning Board corresponded
with the certified copies of the state
ments of Commissioners of Election
furnished us. The most material dif
ference arose from the failure of the
Supervisors of East Baton Rouge, Tau
gipahoa aud Orieaus to forward the
statements of votes from all voting
places in their respective parishes.
In thirty-five out of the thirty-eight
States in the Union these figures would
be conclusive, and no one would claim
that Tilden and Hendricks were not
entitled to the electoral vr te of the
State ; but in Louisiana a tribunal has
been set up which on former occasions
has overthrown the will of the people
as expressed at tiie polls, and Tor whmh
the power is now claimed at its discre
tion to change the result of ihe popu
lar vote of the recent election. In
view, however, of the returns, and the
laws and facts which should control
the Returning Board, with which wo
h ivo made ourselves familiar, we have
no hesitation in saying that the result
shown by the vote actually cast cannot
be changed wit Lout a palpable abuse
of the letter and spirit of the
law governing the Returning Board,
and a mauifest perversion of tho
facts before it. Irregularities have
been committed in some instances by
officers conducting elections, and in
makiDg returns, but they are about as
much on one side as the other ; and as
to intimidation and vkleDce or other
illegal acts, preventing a free and fair
election, there is evidence on both sides,
but not of euch a character as to affect
the general result. In most instances
the acts of violence pioceeded from
mere lawlessness, as in the case of
Henry aud Eliza Pinkston, and had no
connection with politics. It is a signi
ficant fact that iu the parishes where
it is alleged that voters were kept from
the polls by intimidation, the total vote
of such parishes was as large as at any
time heretofore, aud iu the whole State
is 1,500 above any vote heretofore cast.
An honest aud fair canvass of the re
turns even under the Louisiana law,
cannot materially reduce Tilden’s ma
jority as shown on the face of the re
turns.
John M. Palmer, Lyman Trumbull,
William Bigler, George B. Smith Geo.
W. J ulian, H. H. Watson.
Hew Easiness Men, Peel Now.
1 From the Spring id Republican. 1
There is no doubt that the same
business men vbo were alarming the
country, four weeks ago, with tbe perils
of Tildeu's election, would now be very
glad if he wore “couuted in” by any
fair means. We subjoin a little evidence
of that fact. Tbe first is from the New
York Bulletin’s (commercial and non
partisan) Wall street report of Tuesday
ovening;—
There were reports in financial cir
cles, to day, that there was good in
formation that both Florida aud Louis
iana will vote for Gov. Tilden for Presi
dent; in other words, that enough was
already known to make sure that tfc.e
electors representing the Democratic
party in both those States had a ma
jority of the popular vote in each. We
were uuable to asceitain the authority
for these reports, but that they were
credited is shown by the course of the
markets, the construction which would
be put on such political news being
that there will be no serious trouble
and that, next week, December 6,
there will beau end to. Ihe paralizing’
suspense which now injures business
so severely. Of course it is possible
that these reports are wholly unfound
ed, hut that they had their influence on
the financial maikets is bevond dis
pute. The gold market, which has ail
along had a downward tendency on ac
count of the large importations, had
withdrawn from it the support which
fears of serious political trouble gave
it, and the price tell from 100 to 108)4.
If it had beeu well understood that
there would be no poliiical trouble, the
pricy before this would, according to
every commercial consideration, have
been several points lower than it pow
is. Stocks also were strong and higher
to-day, with no news re-spectir,g the
iailroad war, or anything else calculat
ed to affect prices, except the improved
political outlook.
Renowned as tho Lilian ladies are
for the riehneijß of their aUire, they
wold it as highly indecorous
to display upon the streets the magnifi
cence bf their dressy When they go
abput the streets c 4 Cairo on shopping
expeditions they cover tbemselve-o
with a uasual robe of black. As a ee .
era! whatever they are compelled
\o exhibit is simplicity itself,
what they reserve tor private iasevte
tipi), ia the extreme