South Carolina gubernatorial election, 1876

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 seen as being a referendum on the Radical Republican-led state government and their Reconstruction policies.

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. The turbulent atmosphere continued through to an election day marred by fraud and intimidation on the parts of both political parties.

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. Only the withdrawal of Federal troops as ordered by President Rutherford B. Hayes enabled Wade Hampton to become the 77th governor of South Carolina.

Background

South Carolina entered 1876 having endured eight years of Radical Republican rule that had effectively alienated the entire white population of the state. The Reconstruction programs set up by the Republicans were used by corrupt politicians and carpetbaggers to their financial benefit. At the same time, many whites were angered by the passage of 13th, 14th, 15th amendments which sought to guarantee rights to former slaves. Former Confederates were not allowed to vote or hold office until the passage of the Amnesty Act in 1872. Now, Southern Democrats were running for office and sought to erode the political power held by Republicans. Many black citizens of the state began to question Republican rule and some former slaves even stated that life was better under slavery. [Drago, p66] However, most blacks remained steadfastly loyal to the Republican Party due to the brutality of Southern whites after the conclusion of the Civil War who were committed to keeping the social structure as close to its existence prior to the Civil War. Black citizens, however, constituted a sizeable majority of the electorate. In addition, the state Democratic Party was completely unorganized and had not contested a state election since 1868 when they were utterly defeated by the Republicans.

Not only was the Democratic Party in disarray, but it was also divided on a strategy for contesting the general election. Most Democrats heading into the May convention favored to not oppose the governorship and other state offices because Governor Daniel Henry Chamberlain had implemented many favorable reforms. Known as fusionists, they also felt that any effort spent on state offices would be wasted and better served by trying to acquire a majority in the General Assembly. The more ardent Democrats called the "Straighout Democrats" gained strength with the General Assembly electing two corrupt men to circuit judgeships, former Governor Franklin J. Moses Jr. and William Whipper. Even though the nominations were blocked by Governor Chamberlain, the straightouts believed that meaningful reform would only happen when Democrats gained power. In their opinion, every race from Governor down to coroner had to be contested.

Democratic conventions

May convention

A reinvigorated South Carolina Democratic Party convened in Columbia from May 4 to May 5. The purpose of this convention was to select 14 delegates and alternates to the National Democratic Convention in St. Louis and state the policies of the party. However, the party remained divided between the Fusionists and the Straighouts as to whether run a state ticket or not.

The debate continued through the summer between the two as to which approach would be best for the Democratic Party. The Hamburg Massacre persuaded white South Carolinians that Governor Chamberlain's administration was unable to maintain order in the black state militias. Any hopes of fusion with the Republicans were thus ended and the Straighouts became the dominant force within the Democratic Party.
[
Wade Hampton III during the Civil War]

August convention

The Democrats reconvened in Columbia for the nominating convention held on August 15 through August 17. Since the Republicans had yet to meet, the candidacy of Governor Chamberlain was uncertain, undermining the Fusionists. Straightouts were further rallied by the opening shots at the Hamburg Massacre. The first test of Straightout strength in the Democratic Party was the election of the President of the Convention. By a vote of 80 to 66, the Straightout candidate was elected and after a secret session the nomination process began. Matthew Butler nominated Wade Hampton for the post of governor and the delegates unanimously approved the nomination by acclamation. Wade Hampton, although a supporter of the Straightouts, had a moderate reputation that enabled him to unite the two factions of the party and even also attract black voters. [Drago, p8]

The Democratic platform that emerged from the convention was vague and noncommittal to specifics. Pledges were made to restore order, reform the government and lower taxes, but no spefic policies were formulated. The Straightouts knew that only a consensus position of general ideas would unite the party and elect Democrats to statewide offices.

Republican conventions

A group of prominent South Carolina Republicans, notably Senator John J. Patterson and Robert B. Elliott, organized an opposition to Governor Chamberlain prior to the state convention. They were upset by the reforms enacted by the Governor, especially the removal of corrupt Republicans from positions and replacing them with Democrats. Their goal entering the convention was to weaken Governor Chamberlain enough so that he would be removed from the ticket in November or forced to make favorable concessions.

April convention

The Republicans gathered in Columbia from April 12 to April 14 for the state convention to nominate 14 delegates to the National Republican Convention in Cincinnati. Those in opposition of Governor Chamberlain first succeeded in winning control of the temporary chairmanship for the convention when their candidate defeated the Governor by a vote of 80 to 40.

Having achieved effective control of the convention, the opposition to Governor Chamberlain proceeded to select delegates to the national convention with the purpose of excluding the Governor from the delegation. However, the convention descended into chaos between those in support of the Governor and those in opposition. An inkstand was thrown at the head of a delegate and a chair was raised above Governor Chamberlain with the intention of striking him. [Reynolds, p363]

Governor Chamberlain responded with a powerful diatribe of those opposing him by accusing them of siding with the Ku Klux Klan. He then reaffirmed his loyalty to the Republican Party and its platform and explained that his actions in office were meant to serve the Party. The majority of the delegates were convinced of the Governor's sincerity and elected him as a delegate-at-large to the national convention by a vote of 89 to 32.

eptember convention

frame|300px|none|1876 South Carolina gubernatorial election map, by percentile by county.

Dual governors

Hampton quickly organized his government and made a request to South Carolinians that they contribute 10% of their income. White South Carolinians enthusiastically gave to the Hampton government and refused to pay taxes to the Chamberlain government. Public institutions began to ask for funds from the Hampton government, thereby denying the Chamberlain government of legitimacy and authority. [Edgar, p405]

After the resolution 1876 presidential election in favor of Rutherford B. Hayes, both Chamberlain and Hampton traveled to Washington to discuss with the new President regarding the situation in South Carolina. President Hayes realized that only a massive reintroduction of Federal troops would enable Chamberlain to continue as Governor and thus ordered on April 3, 1877 for the removal of Federal troops from South Carolina. The departure of Federal troops on April 10 caused Governor Chamberlain and the Republican led government to concede the election to Wade Hampton. A day later on April 11, Hampton became the sole and official governor of the state of South Carolina.

Timeline

1872

*November - Wade Hampton called for the redemption of the state after hearing of the election of Franklin J. Moses Jr. for Governor.

1876

*January 6 - Meeting of the Democratic State Committee to reorganize and agree to prepare for the Democratic convention in May.
*April 12–April 14 - Republicans held a state convention in Columbia to elect delegates to the National Convention in Cincinnati.
*May 4–May 5 - Democrats held a state convention in Columbia to elect delegates to the National Convention in St. Louis.
*July 8 - Violence at Hamburg in Aiken County killed 1 white and 6 blacks. Governor Chamberlain's remonstrances ineffective.
*August 15–August 17 - Democratic convention in Columbia adopted a platform and selected Wade Hampton as their nominee for Governor in the general election.
*September 6 - Riots provoked by black Republicans in Charleston kill 1 white and injure 12 others.
*September 13–September 15 - Republican nominating convention met in Columbia and selected Governor Chamberlain as their nominee for Governor in the general election.
*September 16–September 19 - Violence at Ellenton in Aiken County killed 1 white and 40 blacks.
*October 4 - A document signed by Governor Chamberlain stated that he had no effective control of state government and was entirely dependent upon Federal troops. He threatened to use the soldiers to bring economic damage to the state if he was not elected Governor of South Carolina. [Reynolds, p444]
*October 7 - Governor Chamberlain orders rifle clubs to disperse and that any unorganized militias were forbidden.
*October 16 - Black Republicans ambushed unarmed white men near Cainhoy killing 6 whites and injuring 16. Only 1 black man was killed.
*October 17
**President Ulysses S. Grant placed the Federal troops in South Carolina under the command of Governor Chamberlain.
**A party of a black militia ambushed 6 white men leaving a Democratic meeting in Edgefield, killing 1 and wounding another.
*October 23 - A black mob laid siege to the town of Mt. Pleasant for the night, forcing the white citizens into a single house. The mob left in the morning threatening to return and kill everyone in the town.
*November 7 - Election day.
*November 8 - Black Republicans attacked whites on Broad Street in Charleston when somebody yelled incorrectly that Edmund W.M. Mackey had been killed. In the altercation, 1 white was killed and 12 were wounded; 1 black was killed and 11 others were wounded.
*November 22 - State Board of Canvassers throws out the results from Edgefield and Laurens counties.
*November 28 - Governor Chamberlain orders Federal troops to occupy the State House to prevent the recently elected Democratic majority in the House of Representatives from taking power. The Democratic members left the State House and organized at Carolina Hall.
*November 30 - The Democratic legislators returned to the State House and assumed leadership of the House of Representatives. However, the Republican members threatened violence and the Democratic members left the chamber.
*December 3 - The Republican House of Representatives planned to eject the Democratic members from Edgefield and Laurens counties through the use of force from the black "Hunkidori Club" in Charleston. The plot was discovered by the Democrats and over 5,000 white men from all over South Carolina assembled in Columbia to prevent the removal of the members.
*December 4 - The Democrats adjourned and left the State House, returning to Carolina Hall in order to prevent bloodshed.
*December 5 - Republican led General Assembly elects Chamberlain as Governor.
*December 6 - South Carolina Supreme Court ruled that the Democrat, William H. Wallace, was the legally elected Speaker of the House. The commander of the Federal troops in the State House declared that he would ignore the decision of the Supreme Court and exclude the Democratic members from the House.
*December 7 - Governor Chamberlain inaugurated as the Governor of South Carolina for a second term.
*December 14 - The Democratic legislators tabulated the votes and declared Wade Hampton Governor of South Carolina. He took the oath of office for Governor and was inaugurated on the same day.
*December 20 - Governor Chamberlain issues a pardon for Peter Smith at the State penitentiary. The South Carolina Supreme Court ruled on appeal that Governor Chamberlain was not the legally elected Governor of South Carolina and therefore not entitled to the powers of the office.
*December 22 - The Republican led General Assembly adjourned.
*December 29 - Senator John Brown Gordon of Georgia proposed a resolution in the US Senate to declare Wade Hampton III as the lawful Governor of South Carolina.

1877

*January 17 - Senator John J. Patterson of South Carolina replied to the resolution of Senator Gordon by submitting papers that Governor Chamberlain was the legally elected Governor of South Carolina.
*February 9 - Governor Hampton issues a pardon for Tilda Norris, but the superintendent of the state penitentiary refuses to recognize Hampton as Governor and does not release her.
*February 20 - President Grant orders for there to be no parades of the rifle clubs in honor of George Washington's birthday on February 22.
*March 7 - The South Carolina Supreme Court ruled that Wade Hampton III was the legally elected governor of South Carolina and was entitled to the powers of the office. After the ruling, Tilda Norris was released.
*March 31 - Hampton and Chamberlain meet with President Rutherford B. Hayes to discuss the situation in South Carolina.
*April 3 - President Hayes orders the removal of Federal troops from South Carolina.
*April 10 - Federal troops leave the State House and return to their barracks.
*April 11 - At noon, Wade Hampton becomes the sole and official Governor of South Carolina.

ee also

*Governor of South Carolina
*List of Governors of South Carolina
*South Carolina gubernatorial elections

Notes

References

*cite book | first = Edmund L. | last = Drago | title = Hurrah for Hampton!: Black Red Shirts in South Carolina during Reconstruction | year = 1998 | publisher = University of Arkansas Press | id = ISBN 1-55728-541-1
*cite book | first = Walter | last = Edgar | title = South Carolina A History | year = 1998 | publisher = University of South Carolina Press | id = ISBN 1-57003-255-6
*cite book | first = Thomas | last = Holt | title = Black over White: Negro Political Leadership in South Carolina during Reconstruction | year = 1979 | publisher = University of Illinois Press | id = ISBN 0-252-00775-1 | pages = 173-207
*cite book | first = Hampton M. | last = Jarrell | title = Wade Hampton and the Negro | year = 1969 | publisher = University of South Carolina Press
*cite book | first = John S. | last = Reynolds | title = Reconstruction in South Carolina | year = 1969 | publisher = Negro University Press | id = ISBN 0-8371-1638-4
*cite book | first = George C. and C. James Taylor | last = Rogers Jr. | title = A South Carolina Chronology 1497-1992 | year = 1994 | publisher = University of South Carolina Press | id = ISBN 0-87249-971-5
*cite news |title= The Vote in 1876 and 1878 |work= The News and Courier |date= 3 November 1880 |page= 2

External links

* [http://www.sciway.net/hist/governors/hampton.html SCIway Biography of Governor Wade Hampton III]
* [http://www.sciway.net/hist/governors/chamberlain.html SCIway Biography of Governor Daniel Henry Chamberlain]
*Testimony as to the Denial of the Elective Franchise in South Carolina at the Elections of 1875 and 1876, Taken under the Resolution of the Senate of December 5, 1876 - US Congressional Serial Set 44th-2nd S.misdoc 48: [http://books.google.com/books?id=xvIYAAAAIAAJ Volume 1 ] [http://books.google.com/books?id=KfQYAAAAIAAJ Volume 2 ] [http://books.google.com/books?id=wPMYAAAAIAAJ Volume 3]
*Report of the House of Representatives Regarding the Recent Election in South Carolina - US Congressional Serial Set 44th-2nd H.misdoc 175: [http://books.google.com/books?id=tvAYAAAAIAAJ House Report]

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