Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1868-10-29
MURDERS AND oUTRAGEs.

1t is matter of sincere regret that few per-
sons in this State, cha6ng under the continued In
suits and outrages of domineering majority, have
committed acts of violence ip retaliation for which
there is neither justification nor excuse The
murders of one James Martin, in Laurens, on the
5th inst, and of B. F. Randolph, on the 10th, in
stant at Hodges Depot, have led to other out
RACES equally to be deplored .,-. -.a ...
On Sunday, the 18th instant, white man was
fired upon by negroes, near Newberry, U. b., and
wounded; and on the same day another white man
was shot and seriously wounded near Clinton, in
aurens District These acts were doubtless COIN
mitted by negroes in retaliation for the killing Of
Randolph and Martin. ..- ....- ."
On Monday morning following, one Lee Nance,
oolored, who was identified as the leader Of the
party who fired upon the white man at Newberry,
on Sunday, was killed by persons unknown ; and
on Monday night mob of negroes assembled at
the Depot in Columbia, for the purpose Of killing
one James Minor, conservative freedman who
was expected down upon the train, and against
whom the negroes seemed to have special
gudge: -r~ '1' '-r "
It will thus be seen that the indscreet action of
two or three persons, who do not represent the
views or feelings of the people Of the State at large,
have precipitated condition of disorder, blood
shed and crime which is revolving to the instincts
of humanity, and the lovers of order and law.
On the 10Th instant, Robert K. Scott, Governor,
issued proclamation, We would fain believe un-
der the influences of undue excitement, and q mis-
apprehension of the feelings of the people of the
State, but which bears strong marks of being in
tended as an electoneeriDg document setting forth
the murders of Martin and Randolph, and also of
one Simpson, and Glascoe, and offering rewards
of $4,000 for the apprehension of the murderers of
the first two, and s25OO for those of the latter.
On the same day another paper is Illuminated from
the same source, which charges that in the Coun-
ties of Abbeville, Anderson, Edge6eld, Lexington,
Newberry, Chester, Laurens, Union, York, and
Darlington, the laws are being violated and the
officers of the law set at defiance that the peace
full citizens are murdered in cold blood, and the
murderers not only permitted but assisted to es.
cape from justice; that families have been forced
to abandon their homes from fear of violence, and
the utterance of political opinions stihed by threats
of violence, &C. and that to carry out these prin
ciples, large quantities of firearms, of the most
improved patterns have been secretly brought into
the State and distributed
While we deplore the circumstances that acts oi
violence have been committed by parties on either
side of the political question, without justification
or excuse, we reprobate the action of one styling
himself the Governor of the State in drawing q
wholesale bill of Indictment against the Demo
crats of ten Districts for the violent acts of few
persons, who are not known to be residents of eth
or of them.
So far as we can learn, no official investigation
warranted such chargei and we are warranted in
saying that 50 far as it relates to the people called
"Democrats" in some of the Districts enumerated,
its charges are false and scandulous In times Of
great political excitement like the present. it is wise
to abstain from the use of expressions calculated
to engender strife or fire the passions of those op-
posed to each other Entertaining such views, we
pass by, without further comment, the wicked full,
mination of Gov. Scott which, for purposes best
known to himself, he has seen proper to launch a,
gainst large class Of unoffendng and law-loving
people. Such documents are not calculated to pre-
serve the peace!