Page:The American Cyclopædia (1879) Volume XV.djvu/207

 SOUTH CAROLINA 199 ton for the purpose of " superintending the safety of the ports of the United States in that vicinity," and soon after the meeting of congress in December issued a proclamation in which he held that nullification was treason and should be punished as such. During the session of this congress the compromise tariff was passed, which being acceptable to South Carolina, the course threatened by that state was not pursued. In April, 1860, the South Carolina delegates to the national democratic convention in session at Charleston withdrew from that body because the convention did not expressly deny in its platform " the power either of the federal government, or its agent, the territorial government, to abolish or legis- late against property in slaves by either direct or indirect legislation." South Carolina was the first of the southern states to institute active measures for withdrawing from the Union on the election of Mr. Lincoln, and the first to pass an ordinance of secession. On Nov. 7, 1860, an act was passed by the legisla- ture calling a state convention. On the same day the United States officials in Charleston resigned, and on the 10th the South Carolina senators withdrew from the United States sen- ate. An election of delegates having been held on Dec. 6, the convention assembled in Charles- ton on the 18th, and passed the ordinance of secession on the 20th without a dissenting vote. Commissioners were appointed to go to Washington to treat with President Buchanan for the possession of federal property within the limits of South Carolina, while others were sent to the slaveholding states to invite their cooperation in the formation of a southern confederacy. On the 24th the representatives in congress withdrew from that body, and on the same day Gov. Pickens proclaimed the dissolution of the union between South Caro- lina and the other states. On the 27th Fort Moultrie and Castle Pinckney were seized by the state. The bombardment and cap- ture of Fort Sumter, April 12, 13, by Gen. Beauregard (see SUMTEE, FORT), was the be- ginning of open hostilities, and caused great excitement throughout the country. The ports of the seceded states were declared blockaded by President Lincoln on April 19. Hilton Head and Bay Point were captured on Nov. 7 by an expedition under Admiral Du Pont and Gen. T. W. Sherman. On April 7, 1863, Admiral Du Pont made an unsuccessful at- tempt to reduce the defences of Charleston harbor, losing one of his vessels in the engage- ment. A land attack was made in July by Gen. Q. A. Gillmore, who took possession of Morris island, but was repulsed with great loss in an assault upon Fort Wagner. That work was reduced by bombardment, Sept. 7, and shells were thrown into the city itself. In the latter part of January, 1865, Gen. W. T. Sher- man's army began its march from Savannah through South Carolina, having Goldsboro, N. C., as an objective point, and threatening Charleston and Augusta at the same time. Columbia was surrendered on Feb. 17, and Charleston and all its defences were evacuated on the same day. (See CHARLESTON, and COLUM- BIA.) Gen. Sherman, resuming his march from Columbia, and destroying railroads, bridges, &c., reached Cheraw on the Great Pedee, March 3, whence he moved to Fayetteville, N. 0. B. F. Perry was appointed provisional governor of South Carolina, June 30, 1865. On Sept. 4 delegates were chosen to a convention, which assembled in Columbia, Sept. 13, repealed the ordinance of secession, and declared slavery abolished. James L. Orr was chosen governor at a general election held on Oct. 18. At the same time a legislature was elected, which met before the close of the month. Gov. Orr As- sumed the duties of his office on Nov. 29, but it was not till Dec. 25 that the provisional governor was relieved and the authority in the state restored to the officers elected by the people. This government continued in force until supplanted by the military government provided by congress in March, 1867, when. Gen. Sickles was appointed to the command of the second military district, embracing North and South Carolina. He was succeeded in the beginning of September by Gen. Canby. A registration of voters was now held, prelim- inary to an election to ascertain the will of the people in reference to calling a state con- vention to frame a constitution and civil gov- ernment, and 78,982 colored and 46,346 white voters were registered. At the election, held on Nov. 19 and 20, 68,876 colored and 130 white persons voted for a convention, and 2,081 whites against it. Of the delegates- chosen, 34 were white and 63 colored. The convention assembled on Jan. 14, 1868, and adopted a constitution, which was ratified by the people, April 14, 15, and 16, by a vote of 70,758 to 27,288. At the same time state officers, members of the legislature (of whom 72 were white and 85 colored), and representa- tives to congress were chosen. The legislature assembled on July 6, and on the 9th Gov. Scott was inaugurated. The state became entitled to representation in congress by the ratifica- tion (108 to 10) of the fourteenth amend- ment to the federal constitution, and recon- struction was practically completed by the withdrawal of the military authorities on the 13th. The fifteenth amendment to the fed- eral constitution was ratified by the legisla- ture on March 11, 1869, by a vote of 18 to 1 in the senate and 88 to 3 in the house. At the presidential election in 1868, 62,916 votes were cast for Grant (republican) and 45,237 for Seymour (democrat). This was the first time in the history of the state that the people had voted for president and vice president ; previously the presidential electors had been chosen by the legislature. During 1868 and subsequently disorders alleged to have been committed by masked outlaws called "Ku-klux" were reported in this state, espe-