Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1868-07-01
The. Torch=of the.zIncendiarysinyr
Charleston.

~. The Torch OIL the sE1nc enQlarys:1n5ES
Charleston.
There were two large fires in Charleston on Sat-
urday and Sunday nights, the 10Th and 2lst,
which were evidently the work of the incendiary.
Messrs. HOLMES & CALDER and W: L. WEpB were
theprincipal sufferers OF the frstfrc-their stocks
being almost ta;totalloss. They were however in
sured to q considerable extent. Tho Gre on Sun
day night entirely consumed the extensive Drug
House of GooDRoa. & WrsENls, and considera-
bly, damaged. the large stock of books:of 3. j..
DAWSON & CO. These gentlemen were also in
sured. The ioss of property by these two fires
must have approximatod S15O,0OO.
The Charleston Ne,os, alluding to these devas.
tating conaagrations, nnd the probability of thoir
being the work of the cowardly incendiary, says /:
at is not our custom to give netOriety to the ne
gro papers published in this city, and as long as
they conine themselves to abusing white men and
The DAILY Nrws they will receive no attention
at our hands. But one of these papers-the Mis-
sionary Record-under the guidance of R. H.
Cain, one of the negro Aldermen of Charleston,
has gone out of its usual path, md now stands be-
fore this community and its military rulers, as d-
recty responsible for all that is not accidental in
the fires of Saturday and Sunday last.
To the Missionary Record; published ON Satur-
day morning last, is nm editorial under the cnp-
ton, "The whirlwind concth-Beware." Thi,
article opens By declaring that the white oppo-
nents of Reconstruction are SO intent on punish
ing the poor man, white and black, for voting the
Republican ticket, that thuy forget that such q
course may cost them their future prospectsi in bn-
siness." Here is q plain and direct menace !; aud
the writer goes on to say that the merchants have
thrown oil their weight against the laboring man,
and that the merchants and business men gene
rally have brought to the city country negroes
who will work for mere song go as to make
ninety per cent over the cost Of citizen labor, and
put it into their own pockets" The article then
speaks of the coiored men without work-the
starving wives and ohldren-the businessleeches
less" landlord, and says they-the Radicals
have been turned away from every employment,
by those who are opposed to them in politics, as
punishment for using their liberty. We appeal to
that class Of men to be,0are Of too thousand
in a state of deportation, maddcnel by the cries
for bread coming from their children, frsnzied by
the sight Of the hunger smitten wife, goaded by
the merciless landlord, and then when he rsmem-
to all this missry, simply on political grounds,
they piH 'oreak their. terrible vengeance on their
heads" Further on, it says: While We write
the fearful scenes of the French Revolution stand
spectre.like before US, as We contemplate the
thousands Of men, women and children in this
city who are thrown into q state of want and suf-
fering by the actions of those who have it in their
power to oppress thom, and as we pass the motley
and sullen crowds that occupy the corners and
walk the streets ousting an eye of yJfre at these
gentlemen-merchants contractors, spectators in
their bones and sinews-we exclaim, God save ns
from the sight ,rhich cra=ea France and III the fires
of destruction ,Ohich swept ouer that country. u
such fire should be kindled in this city, who will
suffer the most? Let the merchant, the property
holder, the men who are in power, remember that
the rich alioays suffer the most ,chere the raIble
rule. This is no fancy sketch the FIRE burns now,
*@ when the wild passions are once
aroused, you cannot easily aliay them" For us
this is more than enough, but we print the whole
infamous harangue in full, SO that it may .ellits
tale.
The Missionary Record IS published on Sat.
urday morning, and on Saturday night fire
broke out in house filed with paints and oils,
next door to building crammed with dry goods and
clothing. The night fire brokeou. in On un-
occupied house in the midst of shoemerchants and
dry goods merchants, and next to the Telegssph
and Express Offices. Wero these things accidEHi
tai? Was it mere coincidence that the flames
should have followed so soon the article pub
lished by the Record? Was itchance that this
alderman" Cain should goad on the colored
men to madness in the morning, and that by night
the fires of destruction should hold high carnival
in the city?
Was an accident that the city engine houses
have been broken into twice within the last week,
and that on each occasion the hose was cut, and
that the couplings we're carried away' Was it
chance that thus thing was done, which might
have made an engine useless if called suddenly
to fre7 Was it a coincidence that the hose of
the engines was cut at the fire on Sunday night p?
Was it fate that each of the two fires VIC have
chronicled burst out in positions where the flames
might bo expected to spread rapidly, and give
abundant room for picking and for pillage? We
say that 1t was not accident coincidence or chance.
It was done deliberately and calmly, with full
knowledge of the natural result, and we ask Cen
eral Canby whether ho will allow this man Cain,
his appointce, to sit any longer in the Council of
the city be is cndearoring to destroy by melting
incendilrism, riot and wrong?
EN- Democrats Mon,hiy for July, prompt as
usual, and with an additional quantity of Summer
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