The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1868-11-19
coxrsauaY. November 1s, 1868.


Governor r. K. Sco0+SR: On the morn
ing of the 9th instant my house was entered py
a posse, consisting Of two deputies ana tnree
Emitted States soldiers, armed as II theY were
about attacking stronghold OF prlganGs; liG Oue
of the deputies, addressing me, salo, Gol9nel,
I am sorry to say you are my prisoner. upon
onestioning M his authority, learned he had q
warrant, issued by Magistrate Solomon, OF Co
lrnbia. 10 arrest me in Abbeville, and denver
me to Constable Hubbard in Columbia, upon
the affidavit of said Hubbard, that was acces-
sorry before the fact to the murder OF one b. +.
Randolph.
been defied, and the consequences would have
bean uuon their heads, for attempting to exc
cnte an illegal warrant. But surnllslng that
extraordinary powers had been conferred oy
the constabulary act OF the recent RADICAL
Legislature, offered no resistance; nence was
taken to Columbia, and without an examlna-
ticn was teloniously incarcerated and kept IN
) close confinement for two days.. Since my re-
lease have carefully perused the ''AcS estaD-
Fishing a police force" and discover that II
this ambiguous act means anything at al, u
simply means that the whole constaDuiary
force have but concurrent authority with the
other civil officers Of the various counties, and
therefore Magistrate Solomon had not the
semblance OF authority to issue warrant ID
Richlapd for my arrest in Abbavllle.
Now, sir, this Chief Constable ID an hlrenng
O ofyours, and this venture OF his to exercise
autocratical, arbitrary and ilega! powers
not, whence his assumption of power, and why
no evidence OF your restraining authority
Whence does he derive power to arrest me IN
Abbeville and jail me in Columbia? Whence
his power to ernest two young men IN New
berry and dungeon them IN the capital OF the
State? Whence his power to rescue Kelly from
the hands Of the sheriff in Camden, incal cerate
him in Co .umbia, and direct the sheriff OF
Richland to shackle him, as he did while was
there imprisoned? Is this what is meant by
the words OF the act, which reads as follows:
.'Said Chief Constable of the State and Deputy
Chief and Deputy Constables in the several
counties shall at all times obey and execute
the orders of the Governor IN relation 10 the
preservation of the public peace and the exc
cution of the laws throughout the State"
Think you, sir, that if in tho intenseness OF
your determination to preserve the public
peace you should cruelty treat single ahoIs
tending citizen, you are appeasing the wrath OF
an oppressed but gallant people? Does the
transcendant authority Of our Executive justloo
fy acts of violence on the part of his hlrehngs!
Are these deeds indicative Of your future poll
CT? II 80, sir, let me beseech you delay not TO
revoke that proclamation In which you speak
with hypocrihcal affection OF sour beloved
State" "and once again proclaim '.the State
being without law is law unto ITSELF" aad
am the State. am told you o; now beyond
the limits of the State, and upon the eve OF
your departure you expressed satisfaction at
the peaceable condition of the State. Sir, were
you of us, ana not over us, you would readily
discern that South Carolina has no peace but
that which once ''reienei in Warsaw, and
should my conviction prove prophetic, that
rigid adherence 10 the scheme OF tyranny
which you have inaug1rated will redound with
serious consequences upon the heads Of high |
er officers than the Chiet Constable of the
State, you will not charge me with being ac-
cessory before the fact. for the exasperatio9
CONSEQUENT upon such cruelty is widespread |
and not confined to single race.
Very respectfully, - -