Abbeville press. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1860-1869, 1866-04-06
PUBLIC MTETJTG.

! held in the Court House OH Sule Day last to
g:vs popular expression to the general denunci-.
alton Of recent outrages committed in our midst,
! and tn. earnest desire of our citizens to CO.
operate in all proper measures to prevent their
recurrence. There was q good attendance on
the occnsion and entire unanilnity in the adop.
tion Of the resolutions proposed.
On motion Of Mr.. G. Il. Haskell, the Hon. d.
l.. Wuidluw was called to the Chair, and ". 4.
Lee, Esq, requested to act as Secretary.
Tho Chairman stated the objects Of the meet
ing and urged their Importance in his usual
earnest impressive and eloquent manner He
spoke Fubs autinily Us follows:
Mr FELLOW CITIZENS: l am glad to meet you
nga1n III Ed large un assenIbluge. | cannot,
however, refrain from remarking your slow pace
and disConsointe mir SO different from the buoy
ant haste with which, in former times this ball
was crowd, d upon the announcement Of II public
meeting Sad chnnges have come over ,ls since
! the dnys when, ns fe"men enjoying the right oG
sef-goreinrent. we expressed with authority
OUR opinions upon public affairs Apathy sue
cceds extreme suffering; but even in times of
depression, it Is good Cor these who silor in co,,
mon 70 meet together, 20 bind more closely the
cords which unite thcm-to impart and to re-
crivc mutual information and sympa,hv--ln
Keep alive that attention to pubic affairs wlicl,
tyrants OF n Kinds jca!ously seek to ex.nguis!,
Y-and TO determine tho course which duty and
interest require them in prnlence to take Surely
there is nov occasion for our manifestation OF
intense feeling. and cxertiou sof any influence
which we may have, in reference to proceedings
Of oIr General Government which touch our
vital Interests, and are 10 be decided by rulers
amongst whom we have no representative. If
:; ever Il lcuplc were called upon 10 sustain and
assist hcuefactor the people Of the States now
tXciuIee! from Congress are called upon, by all
the means III their power to sustain and assist
oar President, Andrew Johnson, in his noble
efforts 10 withstand the assaults upon The. Con-
stitution which the radical party, with un.irin.
perseverance,, nre NAL ling. for the purpose OF
degrading aud further depressing those over
whose defeat and crushing calami,ies they have
trunphed, and whom II wis. policy would teach
them to aid nnd rccrmit witl.gcncious n,lncss
You, my fellow citizens, know the condition Of
things al.d state Of irclug, in this District and
many Of you well Informed concerning ether
! Districts of our own State, aud concerning other
Southern States.s You kibw that, ,.havin. failed
IN our purpose Of separation, acGuicscc in
the result, with an honest determination to keep
faithfully the cath which We took in eiIIeeiityS
tina, ave are devoted to the Constitution, and
rasolutc in our adhesion to the Union; that we
CONFORM without rerinug, to the reduction Of
our fortunes 10y emancipation: and that we
treat the gidJy,- eaprciDns freedmen with more
. k:nducss- md inluyeGce than lsborcrs receive
from employers where aiT DIRE Of The same race
and color ic, men in high positions II; encrnS,
SenatuIs, Statesmen, as they w"uld have t'cm-
Selves consider cd--arc .as>du"usv engaged in
efforts to pro,.ucr III the p'hIc r...nl OF the GOV
rrninM States belief tha, tee s,.:,,c, SIut-. are
ready 20 flame !"r!i in rebellion az sooa IS il .
snolhc'in:, isueuc,. Of military .u:re iS-w i.a-
drawn; 'hat without the -Erccdmc!.s Bur.au
aud strong GartisoEs. the Ec5rors would te.ru-
-. cns!avyi or dastroyc,i"if ih"y,id 10, ,ro.rc:
thclnscIves- i'll The cx:crlniua,i..:.o Sar which
would speedily he wag.,l Between the Whit H., {.
h...rI...
the evils which .hey prcierd to ,icprecatr For
Il party vrLirv they would ruin their cn,intrv.
Nothing they seem so anSiuu>'y TO hop: for, and
. slilve-hy tEcir misrepresentation. pcvocations
,und ariIticcs, Ia produce, an uihreas ut The
. South, Which might give i.:cl.asrL pop:ii,ity
a and apparent justification 10 The opprc .sivc meas
ures waicE their mcigaitY haveconcocied Thare
ia then. no course Of dhfy our part so r!uii,
AS that CT patience, for!.earanue,. moderation,
peace. Let US cling TO the ccps,ilntion, quietly
enduring the ills which "rcpts have imposed
| upon Us, an thus 81 We con:Gutat!on to the ma
irv"'emt cnlun"rs which ,a:6 irLs;sr:ously cir
culated for our defaruciion.
The inrmedi:,tr cause which, have been told
5 produced the calling "f this meeting. was the
, shooting or.T sol!:er of tho garrison stationed
; ntths vlaen while hc was on duty n, 81 od es
Depot, on Friday, March IS The nurdcrous
ae! is said to hnse been perpelIatcd.hy- s,ran-
su''s who saw hi" tce6rd'Ss sSrepstt. : ,sse ESt
l was neither excuse o. proyoc; Aion-uothng in
hortor' besides the gratifying fuct that the intent
WIS not eonsuu':natsl,. but tbs soldier. although
= dangerously Wounded, is.likcly TO recover
: Are ybu, ny fellow.ci,izens, wi!iiu. To share
the od'uY and responsibility of lhis, si,Ameful
deedf Those who rule over.us have thought
, proper 10 place garrison in our rmds: they
bad !le righ, 20 do 10. and they buvc the po wer
0 as It is their duty, to prolect their ssldi.is and
=, " PnhShsunj'is;niable n:rrfcrencesfwS, them
. Notwiths!and'pg lhe. escape Of ,hcinous Of
ien'!er, all who bava;-encouroged or concealed
linn may be s"ljeersdto pgnislnncht; and many
2srs"ns. wholly Innocent, may be involved in
The CONSEQUENCES. IEOvs you in any VhS en-.
coura.ed or concealed robbers aud r;,urdcrcfs .
DO yousympathze with them? or co you abhor
: their deeds aud 4isavow thcinl Such deeds
may bring reproach and caIamity y,,pnn lhis conf
: mupity, hitherto Reputable and peaceaLle
believe. as luve heard it conjectured, that
J this crime was one Of many which- hnye been
perDetrated1lI AIN lnppy to SAY very. few in
, th's Dstf1eD sy reckless daring -desperadoes,
mostly refugets from other States, who l,svinr
, places Of Afugs IN the mountains, andsso.ne
few syInpathizers. scattered Through the country,
come s'nGy or in squads into the lower Dfstfcs,
ayd for gain, or in drunkerfury -or idle hruvndo
commit acts of violence, With .Iiltle.repard 10
thsfdrfy or color OF tile sufferers A guerilla
war the brave soldiers, whom Geuerals Lee nm
Johnston surrendered. from the first, refused is
e engage in-such war s'as contrary to the tastes
and habits of.our people, ds it woSld,be estrne. ]
,,ss o, .neis Interests Bu.the deeds which are
be called bands, .pf less. dsturbers of,h 20
Il peace whom have mentioned, cannot be- 'dlrn;.
It neg ny the name of.:gnerilla warfare; rob6ers
and d. as:assns, .not .patiisans or rebels are thev
inos,, ass ss.'s1G at .hs place has civil rnd
Il forbid that should speak so of he b,cl. b!,
}. whom, at fret this community was afflicted
The white soldiers have done their dutv ~ i'm ~
r little OF Shars!nssss sscould consist Titlr,hn,
duty.,they have 6esn oS!iging and useful on
.he Plantations -w'ene requirsd ITO -bss sthsfe,
]. and have given poseauss: of complaint tint /
t shave board Of What must be the hear, Of ,ba