Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1845-01-24
From the Boston Atlas.
Statement Of the Hon. Samuel IiOar
The Agot Of the STATE Of Massachusetts,
to South Cn0hna.

to SOath Car0hna.
SRI transmit to YOU. to be presented to the
Governor Of the commonwealth, the following ac-
count of my proceedings, in my agency, in
Charleston, South Carolina under the resolves of
the Legislature of Massachusetts, of March 25th
1913, and March 10th, 1914.
arrived in Charleston about O'Clock in the
morning of the 29th Of November. In the course
of the forenoon of the same day, in pursuance of
instructions from his Exceency, the Governor
addressed letter to the Governor Of South Caro-
lima, Of which the following is a copy
CHARLESTON, 29th Nov. 1914.
SW:-Your EXcellcncy is already Informed Of
circumstances made by the Commonwealth of
ssachusetts against the arrest and Imprisonment
Of her citizens in South Carolina, against whom
the commission Of no crime is alleged, The Leg
slaturo of Massachusetts has recently passed Il
resolve authorizing the Governor Of that State to
appoint an Agent for the purpose of collecting
and transmitting correct information respecting
the number and the names Of citizens of Massa-
chusetts, who have heretofore been, or may be-,
during the period of the engagement of the Agent,
imprisoned without allegation Of any crime The
Agent is also authorized to bring and prosecute
one or more suits in behalf of any citizen thatmay
be so Imprisoned, at the expense Of Massachusetts,
for the purpose of having The legality Of such i'm
prisonment, tried and determined in the Supreme
Court Of the United States.
| ''The Governor of Massachusetts has appoint
ed me Agent of that State, to execute the purpos-
es above mentioned and arrived in this city this
morning for that purpose.
" | do not know that your Exccllency will con-
slider it proper in any way to notice this subject,
yet, propriery seemed TO require this communica-
| ton.
"With great respect your Exccllcncys obedi-
ent servant, SAMUEL HOAR.
" His ExcelIency, j. H. HAMMOND, Governor
Of South Carolina"
On the next morning, which was Friday call
ed on Mr.. EggeSton, the gentleman who had re-
ceived before me an appointment to this agency
/ by the government Of Massachusetts, and request
ell him 10 introduce me to the mayor of the city of
Charleston. This did for the purpose ofprocur-
ing access to the records of orders on sentences of
imprisonment of our colorcd scalnen, or other cti-
zens. Mr.. Eggeston readily acceeded to my re-
quest, but observed that in his opinion, it would
be best that he should first the mayor and eX-
plain to him my purposes before should 90 to
his Office to be introduced to him. TO this as
scented, and he left me in his nflice to await his
return. He was absent considerable time, and
on his return he informed me that the mayor was
at Columbia, where the legislature was in session;
that he had been conversing with the gentleman
who temporarily discharged the duties of mayor,
and that they both concluded that it would he best
to wait the return of the mayor before attempting
to do anything to the business on which was sent.
| accordingly passed the remainder of the time,
the mayor not having returned, awaiting his arri-
val, till Monday afternoon, without meeting any
occurrence worth relating.
On the afternoon Of Monday was Informed
that Governor Hammond had Communicated my
letter to the legislature at Columbia, and that it
had raised a great commotion. After conversing
sometime on the subject, | walked ont from my
lodgings some distance, and on returning, at dark,
! met, at the hotel where ] lodged, three gentle
men, standing in the piazza near the door. AS
soon as assembled the steps, one of them stepped
forward and said, " Is your name Hoar, sr?'-
! answered, Yes. He then said C am the sher-
if Of Charleston District, and have some bust
ness with you, sir" This he said with great
warmth and earnesness. He then introduced me
to one of the other gentlemen as the acting mayor
of the city and one of the aldermen, and the other
as another alderman. | invited them to walk up
into a common sitting room of the house
When seated, the sheriff inquired of me what
i my business was in Charleston. | answered that
had communicated my business to the Governor
of South Carolina, aud stated to him in substance
what my business was. He then said, 1t is
: suspected that you are an abotionist and have
come here to accomplish some of their measures 81
hestated little, doubling whether it would be
proper to say whether was al aboitionist or not
but soon concluded that | would remove all pre-
tohOCo VI tnHt hlHus anu lillOFineu MN tlAt was
no aboltonst, that had been for many wears n
= member of the Colonization Society, between
= whom and the abotionsts there was no great
t harmony. He then said, " Some suspect that this
is all hoax; you have sent no credentials" This
was true. Not having any negotiation with the
Governor, had not thought it necessary to send
him copy of my commission. ! answered that
bad supposed the Governor would take my word
q for the facts | had stated to him, but that had q
commission from the Governor of Massachusetts
} which was willing to exhibit to any one who de.
sired to see it, He desired to see it, and | wen
to my room, brought aud delivered it to him.
am uncertain whether | offered to let him take {
: copy of il, or whether he first requested permits
: sion to take copy, but gave permission to have
made copy of the commission and of the resolves
Of the Legislature, on which it was founded. HI
then said /" 1t is considered great insult to Soutl
Carolina by Massachusetts, to send an agent herr