RARE 1878 Testimony South Carolina Investigation Public Frauds, Election 1877-78

Description: REPORT OF THE JOINT INVESTIGATING COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC FRAUDS AND ELECTION OF HON. J.J. PATTERSON TO THE UNITED STATES SENATE, MADE TO THE GENERALASSEMBLY OF SOUTH CAROLINA AT THE REGULAR SESSION 1877-78. Published: Calvo & Patton, Columbia, 1878. Hardcover in ¾ leather w/ marbled boards, all edges and end papers, 6" x 9”, 936 pp. There is no doubt that the election of 1876 was one of the most, if not THE most contentious in American history. Samuel J. Tilden of New York outpolled Ohio's Rutherford B. Hayes in the popular vote, and had 184 electoral votes to Hayes's 165, with 20 votes uncounted. These 20 electoral votes were in dispute in three states: Florida, Louisiana, and South Carolina; each party reported its candidate had won the state, while in Oregon one elector was declared illegal (as an "elected or appointed official") and replaced. The 20 disputed electoral votes were ultimately awarded to Hayes after a bitter legal and political battle, giving him the victory. The 1876 South Carolina gubernatorial election was held on November 7, 1876 to select the governor of the state of South Carolina. The election campaign was a referendum on the Radical Republican-led state government and their Reconstruction policies. The result was contested, but the challenger Wade Hampton III took office in April 1877 after President Hayes withdrew federal troops and the incumbent Daniel Henry Chamberlain left the state. Governor Chamberlain's inability to preserve the peace as riots were breaking out across the state, most notably the Hamburg Massacre, led many black and white voters to support the Democratic ticket in November. Wade Hampton emerged as the Democratic candidate chosen to redeem the state from Republican rule. The election was disputed and a prolonged contest ensued as both parties established separate governments. Chamberlain lost most of his support and was in early 1877 kept in office by Federal troops guarding the state capitol. When President Rutherford B. Hayes ordered the troops to stand down, Chamberlain left the state and Hampton became the 77th governor of South Carolina. This was a nasty, violent election, rife with voter fraud, voter intimidation (mostly against Blacks), harassment, whippings, beatings, riots, and even killings. Some pages of the testimony before Congress have been scanned at random (just by flipping through ther book) so you can see for yourself. One of my favorites is at the top of page 199, and I quote- "Q. Personal abuse was it? - A. Personal abuse sir. He charged him with everything. And when he had been speaking about twenty minutes, he said to the crowd, 'Must I hit him again?' And they said, 'Yes, give him some more.' And he looked around upon Mr. Chamberlain and said, 'You damn bald-headed renegade and bummer of Sherman's Army, and now so-called Governor of South Carolina!'" I'm sure that's not the worst thing in this document. There were horrible riots and many violent incidents and that is well documented in this book. This is one difficult document to find an original copy of. This one has been rebound in a modern library blue hardcover with title in white on the spine. (The pages are original 1877.) The cover has very little wear. The few pages in the front (Index to the Miscellaneous Documents of the House of Representatives) are loose but the intact. Page condition is very good. A great historical collectible (although a sad indictment of the times), and scarce enough to be called rare I've done my best to describe the book, but if you have additional questions, please don't hesitate to send me an e-mail.

Price: 150 USD

Location: Clemmons, North Carolina

End Time: 2024-12-04T17:39:31.000Z

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