The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1868-09-17
Breakers Ahead.


The recent letters of Messrs PILLsBURY
and EpP1NG indicate that these gentlemen
are beginning to feel the terrible response
bility of the position in which they have
placed themselves. They have been gravely
compromised by the efforts they have made
to distance all other aspirants to the lead
ership of.the negro; Radical party. If the
leaders are not responsible for the growing
hostility of the race which they have taken
in Charge hostility apparent to anybody
who traverses the streets Of Charleston
upon whom, then, does the responsibility
rest? Under whose auspices have their
dusky legions marched in disorderly pro-
cessions through the streets, stoning win
dows, knocking down peaceful citizens,
besieging the police inEthe guard house,.
Who encourages themto disturb Democratic
meetings with jeera and threats and NUT
tered curses !? --;.. 81 ....s 2-..--..-: :.
Again, if their leaders are not RESPONSE
BILE for the secret military organizations
spreading like network over the State,
all in easy and frequent communication
with each other, who is Who is the pres
ident of the Union Leagues Of South Caro-
lina-the spider who lies, perdu, st the
centre of that wide-reaohing, slimy mesh ?
Can Mr.. PILLsBUnY say that he has
nothing to do. with this wretched juggle
of flags and arms, of darkened rooms and
deadly oaths, and flashing and smoking
powder? Who, then, has prepared this
explosive mine? In whose hauds is the
fuse held to day, thai applied will involve
the colored people of the State in destruc-
tion :.-i.i.l .>.-.-.i .s.ilf-.l-., -,
Certainly Mr.. EpPIsG does all he can to
fix the responsibility upon himself. His
disclaimer in the Courier is simply con-
fession. He even contradicts himself in
terms. He states that, in his last speech at
the Club House, he told the Republicans
(blacks) present that he had good reason to
believe thatthe hremen whites were armed;
but assured them that there was no danger
to be apprehended, inasmuch as Militia
bill was then under consideration in the
(RadicaD Legislature. Yet even that pro-
vision to subject the State to armed Radi-
calism would not be sufficient, he said, for
it would only give Charleston one regiment
Of infantry and one battery of artillery,
"while we needed two regiments and two
batteries !" On the score that an ounce of
prevention is better than pound of cure,
he therefore recommended "a fully organ
ICED brigade of militia (cOlorcd, Of course),
commanded by an experienced officer and
good staff (white, of course). 1t is no fer
tile reporter, but Mr.. Epr1Sc himself, who
avows that he made this speech to the rab-
BILE Mt the Club House. This is substantially
what our reporter stated, and when the i'm
ported demagogue who made Ties speech
ayers that he did rot charge ",hc Fire De-
partment," but only the ''frcmen" with
being armed, and when he insists that his
appeals were not "incenIiary," what is
this but the most contemplate evasion and
shufling with words? Mr.. ErrING must
esteem the Charleston public to be quite On
a level, as 10 intelligence, With Lis own con-
s,iiuency, when, confessing that he urged
one class of the community to arm its.lf
.cuiast another. he argues that this was