candidates. In each State the revision of the vote was controlled by Republicans, some of whom were candidates for re-election. The Returning Boards announced the triumph of the Republican tickets in Louisiana and South Carolina.

In South Carolina the Conservatives resolved to inaugurate General Wade Hampton, their candidate, as Governor. The Governor of the State was Mr. Daniel H. Chamberlain, who had been the Republican candidate for re-election. Upon learning the intention of the Democrats to inaugurate their Governor, Mr. Chamberlain applied to President Grant for military aid. His application to President Grant was promptly responded to, and General Ruger, commanding the Department of the South, was ordered to place the troops stationed in Columbia at Governor Chamberlain's disposal. Having secured the aid of the troops, Governor Chamberlain now proceeded to take the first step in his plan. On the night of the twenty-seventh of November the State House was occupied by a detachment of troops, which was posted so as to command all the approaches to the halls of the Legislature.

The twenty-eighth of November, 1876, was the day appointed for the meeting of the Legislature. The Democratic members met in caucus at ten o'clock in the morning, and proceeded in a body to the State House. Arriving there, they found the building occupied by the troops, and were compelled to submit their credentials to the officers of the guard, who admitted such as had papers which he pronounced satisfactory. Passing through the troops the members of the Legislature reached the door of the hall of the

Lower House, which they found guarded also by troops. The doorkeeper, backed by the military force, refused to admit certain of the delegates whose credentials he declared were null and void. The entire body of Demo cratic members then withdrew, after protest ing against the interference of the military. Under the protection of the troops the Republicans organized the Legislature.

The interference of the troops aroused the most intense excitement in Columbia, and it

WILLIAM A. WHEELER.

was with difficulty that an outbreak was prevented, mainly through the influcnce of General Hampton. The Democrats, on the twenty-ninth of November, succeeded in gaining admission to the State House, where they organized the House of Representatives. After a struggle of a week with the Republicans, they withdrew to South Carolina Hall, and conducted the sessions of the Legislature there, gaining members by degrees from Chamberlain's Legislature at the State House.

After a patient and thorough inquiry he found that the Federal troops were quartered in the State House of South Carolina in an unlawful manner; that the Constitution gave to the Federal government no authority to interfere in the domestic concerns of a State, leaving the decision of disputed elections to the State courts for settlement; and that no such state of lawlessness or insurrection as would justify Federal interference existed in South Carolina.

In view of these facts, his duty in the case was plain. It was to restore the proper relations between the Federal government and the State of South Carolina, and to put an end to the unlawful and unjustifiable interference with the affairs of that State. The matter was laid before the Cabinet, and on the second of April, 1877, it was resolved to order the troops to withdraw from the State House to their barracks at Columbia. The order was at once issued, and was carried into effect on the sixth of April. The troops were withdrawn, and South Carolina was left to settle her own affairs. This step was followed by the speedy withdrawal of Governor Chamberlain from the contest. The Hampton government was soon installed in the State House, and its authority was firmly established in all parts of the State, to the great joy of its people.

The Trouble in Louisiana.

The State buildings of Louisiana had been held by the Federal troops ever since the expulsion of the members of the Legislature by General De Trobriand, in 1873. At the election, in 1876, Mr. Stephen B. Packard was the Republican candidate for Governor, and Mr. H. T. Nicholls was the candidate of the Democratic party for the same office. The Republicans claimed that there was intimidation of Republican voters throughout the State, and the Returning Board

declared that Mr. Packard had been chosen Governor.

The substitution of Mr. Packard for Mr. Kellogg as Governor of Louisiana did not. touch the evils from which the people of that State had been suffering for so many years. Their patience was exhausted, and they resolved to sustain the government which they claimed had been chosen. The Conservative Legislature was accordingly organized, and on the eighth of January, 1877, Governor Nicholls was publicly inaugurated. On the same day Mr. Packard was sworn into office under the protection of the troops.

The Nicholls government got to work as soon as possible; its authority was recognized throughout the State by the courts and people; taxes were paid to it and it was indorsed and supported by a vast majority of the people of Louisiana. President Grant was urged to remove the troops from the State House and other buildings belonging to Louisiana, and was assured that the Packard government would fall to pieces for lack of support as soon as he should take the troops away. He refused to do so, however.

President Hayes found Louisiana in this condition when he entered upon his duties as