Rensselaer Union, Volume 9, Number 11, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 30 November 1876 — THE POLITICAL SITUATION. [ARTICLE]

THE POLITICAL SITUATION.

It Milt to annonnce positively the f*»«U of the presidential dectioh. The retnrtiing board of Florida has not yet antonncM its decision. Gen. Lew Wallaces of Indiana, recently sent a telegram to the Indianapolis Journal that the returns from all but nne small oonnty had been canvassed and showed upon their face, withont thp rejection of precincts wWich were contested by the republicans majorities of thirty-six and forty-two for each of the Hayes electors. This report was substantially confirmed by the associate press dispatches. There is another report, however, from democratic sources, which elects one or two Tilden electors by five majority; while another report “holds the fort” by one hundred and eighty tnajoiity. From the tone of the editorials in democratic papers we consider the probability amounts almost to certainty that Florida will be shown to have given a small minority lor the republican ticket. With Louisiana appears to rest the decision. According to the Chicago Tribune, which gave a reluctant support to Mr. Hayes during the campaign, but which has since adopted a conservative apologetic tono, the face of the returns from the parishes in this state shows ■about 7,000 majority for the democratic ticket. This majority, it claims, cannot be overcome, even should the returning board decide to reject the vote of parishes where the fact of systematic frauds of stupendous magnitude .are established by incontrovertible testimony. On the other band, such papers as the Inter-Ocean, Indianapolis Journal, Cincinnati Commercin', New York Tribune and Timet, all lay stout claim to Louisiana upon a eount of the lawful votes only. The returning board have given notice that all testimony and arguments must be concluded by to-morrow, in order that they may announce their decision on next Monday.

Complications of a serious character threaten the peace of South Carolina. Upon completing thtir labors Inst week the returning board issued certificates of election to the republican candidates for state officers, and members of the legislature from Edgefield and Laurens counties. This action was in open defiance of the supreme court of that state whieh had issued an order restricting them to ministerial duties. They were at once arrested by order of the court and thrown into prison where they remained over Sunday. On Monday a writ of Aafiew cwytw was obtained from Judge Bund, of the United States district court, who subsequently released them from custody. The next movement was a concentration of armed bands of democrats at Columbia. Gov. Chamberlain applied to President Grant tor a detachment of United States troops to prevent threatened revolution, which was promptly responded to, and Gen. linger with several companies of infantry reported for duly. When the legislature came to assemble, a guard was stationed at die door of the

assembly room and none were permitted U> past* in without they could show certificates of election from the returning board, or were in possesKioii of passes from Gov. Cliambcriaiu’s deputies. AH those who had writs of election issued hy tho supreme court were denied admittance. Tl»e gentlemen who claimed to be elected members of the legiaiatnre, but who were thus denied admittance to the assembly room, immediately convened at another hall, and both bodies went through the prescribed forms of organisation. £ach now claims to be the legislator? d» jure and de facto. That ons which occupies the capitol building is recognized by Gov. Chamberlain, who is, tor the present, the rightful governor of the state. Both these bodies recognize the same senate, but the senate has not yet had occasion to indicate which it will act in conjunction with. It is an interesting Bettie of fish and there is no predicting how it may terminate. But this imbreg. lio does mJ affect the presidential dTmoorats tha" MrJsTyi is eJrttkd w the electoral vote of the state.