Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1866-08-18

several OIher ot tnelr- cnleIB on IOOt, were
made to rejoin the procession, which took its
Of those colored gentlemen were armed, AMI
showed their rcvolvcrs freely, but only one
shot was fred OH this occasion.
The excitement of the negroes soon grew
to be ungovernable Tho police, desiring
to abstain from all appearance of intimidation
| to the Conventionists, had not been posted
1inforce in heldistricsssneigl libotli iood. ust
after tho disturbance at tho Canal street cor.
ncr broke out firing commenced at the 9TH
CIR end of the street, near about the corner
of Common. The Chief of Police arrived
soon after, and was received by a vollcy of
pistol shots, and Immediately there was firing
along the line. The negroes had their clubs,
and some had reyolvers, which they welded
with vigor; but the police were too strong for
them, and citizens came in with what VIC con.
slider supcrceiveable aid, for the police wc,e
sufficient for all purposes. The police account,
corroboratcd by witnesses, is, that while they
were engaged with the negroes in front of tho
building, they were fred on from the West
windows by the negro party within. The Chief
of Police had been singled out for bullet from
the window. which had failed in it's miss;on.
The police returned the fire, and that was tho
first movement against the building Uptothat
time, tho police had been engaged in clearing
the street and attempting to preserve order
outside. Attacked from the rear, they ad-
vanccd to take possession, and were resisted
ut frat But white flag was exhibited in
token Of surrender to the authorities, but
when they undertook to march in, they were
received with volley Of balls, and q conflict
cnsued, in which number were killed Tho
members of the Convention that remained
were arrested by the police, and such of thom
as were not hurt in the affray, subsequently
were permitted to go to their own homes on
parole. Some violent scenes occurred, which
nre to hc deeply iamented as facts. They
| should be made tho subject of more minute
inquiry than we are able to give them at this
timc-when tho only task we have propo-
scd to ourselves, is to state as calmly az
Pesa,bic Tho eoareo
10 aid i'll determining where the responsibility
ought to rest
The bloody strife continued until at lsto
hour (betwccn and o'clock, y at which
time, in response to request from the Mayor,
the military turned out, and Canal and other
streets near the Mechanics Hail was lined
with infantry and artillery. Those in COM
mand appeared determined to restore order,
and tho crowds which hnd assembled at tho
various corners were dispersed at the point OF
tho bayonet. Under the tremendous excite
nlent existing it was anticipated that the city
would remain partially under military rule.
The crowd in and out Of the Mechanics
Hall we're worked up to pitch of desperation
ana madness, and firearms were handled as
freely as on tho battlefield. The reports Of
pistols were heard in every direction, and balls
whzzed by, threatening as much danger to
the observer as the active participant.
Towards o'clock in the evening the wound
ed and all active participants who could bo
~ II
and the lockups were soon filled with one con-
glomerated mass. Not less than two hundred
negroes were taken to the station of the First
District, majority moro or less injured in
the melee that occurred, thirty eight whites
were arrested, most of them being also more
or less wounded. About forty persons wcro
killed.
The principal stores in Cansl-strcet and tho.
vicinity were closed, and the streets filled with
idlcrs, thus facilitating disturbance they
came at first to witness. There were few per.
sons, except negroes, in front of the building
OIL Dryades street. when the runp commenced
their sitting, and no signs were given of any
attempt to disturb them. 1t appears, how
ever, that not relying on the projection of tho
city, and not asking for it, they had taken
considerable number Of armed negroes, held
the house, and to this incident most of tho
piouuJ ihciNehtS Whcn Ioll0WS arc larry 70 DO
attributed.
SAD AND BsAUTIrUr.- Governor Vance.
in recent address before the literary eocic.
ties Of tho University Of North Carolina,
spoke as follows:
No moments Of victory arc for us, no ma.
tional jubilee can we celebrate, no songs of
triumph can our maidens sing, or garlands Of
glory weave {; thero is no welcoming Of return,
ing conquorors, nor erecting of triumphal
arches for us, to console us for our great suf-
ering. We are all alone with our great defeat
and that heavy sorrow which, "never fitting,
still Is sitting. still is sitting, in our house
hold" and all that We .hnYa left for nyr nnn.