South Carolina gubernatorial election, 1870

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The 1870 South Carolina gubernatorial election was held on October 10, 1870 to select the governor of the state of South Carolina. Governor Robert Kingston Scott easily won reelection based entirely on the strength of the black vote in the state.

1 Campaign
2 General Election
3 See also
4 References
5 External links

[edit] Campaign

The Radical Republican reforms and corrupt schemes initiated by Governor Scott infuriated the white population of the state. However, the Democratic Party of the state was thoroughly defeated in the previous gubernatorial election that they realized the only way to seriously contest the election of 1870 was through the formation of a new political party. A convention held in Columbia by those opposed to the Republicans led to the organization of the Union Reform Party of South Carolina. Their platform called for the restoration of honesty and accountability in the state government. R.B. Carpenter, a judge from Charleston, was their nominee as Governor although he had never sought the position.

The state Republicans renominated Governor Scott for a second two-year term at their state convention in Columbia on July 26 and July 27. Policies adopted on their platform included the continuation of support for civil rights and to request Congress to sale public lands in the South to the landless.

Republican support was mainly generated from the recently freed slaves who were coerced to continue their loyalty to the Republicans by the black militias and the Union League. The black militias drilled in the streets with bayonets fixed and threatened anyone who would dare cast a vote against the Republicans. Leaders of the Union League demagogued and urged black Republicans to violence against the white community. In addition, former Governor Orr advocated for white voters to support the Republican ticket because only through the Republican party would reform be achieved and many of their policies were favorable to the white people.

[edit] General Election

The general election was held on October 10, 1870 and Robert Kingston Scott was reelected as governor of South Carolina. Turnout for the election was high as Radical Republicans sought to discourage any future attempts of an organized opposition by show of force at the polls. The devastating defeat suffered by the Union Reform Party led to its demise and it never again functioned as a political party.

South Carolina Gubernatorial Election, 1870
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Republican	Robert Kingston Scott	85,071	62.3	-12.7
	Union Reform	R.B. Carpenter	51,537	37.7	+37.7
Majority			33,534	24.6	-25.6
Turnout			136,608
	Republican hold

[edit] See also

[edit] References

Reynolds, John S. (1969). Reconstruction in South Carolina. Negro University Press. ISBN 0-8371-1638-4.

[edit] External links

SCIway Biography of Governor Robert Kingston Scott

Preceded by 1868	South Carolina gubernatorial elections	Succeeded by 1872

South Carolina gubernatorial elections

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