The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1867-03-06
THE SOUTH CAROLINA MURDER COM
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| THE SOUTH CAROLINA MURDER COM
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| We published some time ago. an abstract OF the
majority and minority Reports Of the special Com
mittee appointed by Congress to inquire into the
murder Of Union soldiers in South Carolina" The
majority report covered many columns and
was based, as its stroas poil1t,i upon the ttes-
timony Of Generals S1uKLEs, THOMAS and others,
commanding Departments u +bo-4fannduers, the
majority Of the Coramitte drew very broad
inferences, their minds having clearly been
made up before hand, both to declare the
South in state Of anarchy, and also to cen
the President for his in the Of the
| Anderson Prisoners, the subject more Immediately
| before them
The minority Report, signed by the Hon Ed
WARD COOPER, ono Of the Committee, exposes the
fallacy of the reasoning Of his colleagues. The
facts Of the case, set forth by Mr. COOPER, COM
pletely exonerato the President from any connec-
tion with the final release Of the persons who were
arrested and tried and convicted before military
tribunal in South Carolina. After sentence as our
readers are aware, the punishment Of two Of the
| prisoners was committed by General -SluKLEs, and
| that OF the others by the President, tsunder the
| advice and Recommendation Of the Secretary Of
War" Mr.. STANTON testified before the Committee
| that he advised the President to commute the
sentence Of these men because sit seemed to be
improper TO recommend the execution Of the capi-
| tai sentence when there was any doubt as to the
jurisdiction Of the lbunol to nfict such punish
ment.n .8.a,s4 s@H :5,
| Now Mr.. STANTON has always enjoyed the conf
dence of the Radicals and when he thus assumes
the entire responsibility Of this act Of clemency it
is passing strange that the committee should,
nevertheless persist in their accusations against
| the President. .i '.rn$ Il. : ~ ~
The second allegation was, that the prisoners
we're removed from the Dry Torgugas to Fort Del.
aware, with the intention Of bringing them within
the jurisdiction of court of law competent to test
the legality of their sentence, and that the Pres-
dent was active in, privy to that movement. On
this point also the testimony Of Mr.. STANTON, the
Secretary of War, is full and complete. He says
IT directed the prisoners to be sent to the Tortu-
gas; !; subsequently understood from some source
that complaint was made Of their transfer to that
post and was myself somewhat anxious about it;
in view Of the fact that we had number OF pris-
oners there, and that the season threatened to be
sickiy- !, therefore, determined to remove them
to some Northern prison, and, on consideration,
concluded that Fort Delaware would be the best
place for their confinement during their sentence,
and 7 gave orders for their transfer to Fort
Delaware. So far as have knowledge there was
no purpose in bringing those parties to Fort Delac
ware to bring them within the jurisdiction OF q
court, that the wit of hdbeas corpus could ap-
ply; the order was made by me in the exercise of
my best judgment and on my official responsibility:
I do not think that any person Whatever suggested
that place, or that I ever conversed with any one
in reference to it, except with the Adjutant Gem
eral on the general subject as to what military
posts were at that time used rs military PRISONS"
It is thus clearly shown that President JOHNSON
had nothing whatever.to do with the transfer of
the prisoners from the Dry Tortugas to Fort Dela-
ware nor with their release by the action Of Judge
HALL of the District Court Of the State of Delat
ware The charge made by the Radicals that th
release was effected through the instrumentality
Of the Chief Magistrate is groundless, and shown
to be so by person whose testimony the Radicals
are not able to impeach Mr.. STANTON ia their own 4
witness, and they are bound by his statements ~
In their comments on this Report, the Radical
journals, as is their wont on such occasions. IN
dulged in considerable invective against the South
and its people The Tribune mentioned as the
very height Of nquity the fact that the prisoners
on their arrival home from Fort Delaware received
an ovation from their relatives friends and neigh
bors, all Of whom, the Tribune alleges, were per
fectly convinced Of the guilt Of these prisoners.
Where the Tribune learned such fact, 7e cannot
|
testimony in the cas-; ; but there is not one word.
feet, circumstance, to prove that the people of
Anderson believed the said prisoners guilty. On
the contrary, the evidence is altogether OF an on
posite character.
Assuming then the innocence Of the prisoners
and there can be no doubt that their community
considers them innocent is it not the most natural
thing In the world for them to be glad at the re-
lease and return Of their friends from q long and
GEael confinement, under circumstances where
We know nothing abodii daiaa t4h bed been endangered
it true, we can see evidence OF obduracv or ra.
belion in such fact ..57a'1
Anderson and the adjoining mountain Districts
OF this State were never at any time deemed the
hotbeds Of secession, as our Northern friends an
pear to consider them. On the contrary. il there
were any Union men in South Carolina before the
war, and even during the war, it was;there we /
should have looked for them. .~ 5''-+7H ~ NJ
Mr. CRAWFORD KEYS, one Of the prisoners. il wa |
are not mistaken, was appointed Provost Judge BY |
tne Alhtary Commandant, soon after the oocupa-
tion OF the State by the United States troops and
we believe, held that Office at the time az his ar
rest. It would seem, therefore that he 1onat l.v.
been represented to the commanding officer nv tha
community as q suitable man for that resnonahla
Office. However, We dislike exceedingly to rake mn
This whole matter, and shall not comment further
But the report Of Mr.. COOPER is also interestir,
as showing the real condition Of the Southern nao
PIE at this time, with reference to the enforcement
OF the Law. General THoMAs, General -s1oK1xa
General WooD, and General BAIRD were called be-
fore the committee, and. they stated in general
terms tha Onion men and freedmen were not ssfa
In their districts, but when asked to name cases
and give particulars, they could only mention one
case IN the State OF Tennessee, one in Louiaiaos,
one in Virginia, and none in North Carolina Geor-
gia, Florida or Alabama. The offender in Tonnes
see was arrested and held for trial. and in the 9th
er cases exertions we're made to find and appre-
bend the guilty PARTIES but without success. Cen