Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1868-10-27


rided and denied" The Governor then
decends into the dirty pool of partisan
politics to charge that threats Of vio-
Ience and even Of death, are uttered
against prominent members Of the Re-
publican party, If they shall attempt TO
visit their districts, for the purpose of dis
cussing the political questions Of the day;
that declarations are openly made by
persons calling themselves Democrats, of
their determination not to permit their
political opponents to vote at the ensuing
election" Governor Scott charges his
political opponents with importing into
the State largo quantities of firearms of
the most improved descriptions and
secretly distributed so as to enable them
the more effectually to carry out their
purposes of preventing Radicals from ad-
dressing public assemblages, and Of in
timidating cOlored persons" from voting.
These are, grave charges to make, and
yet they are made upon the unsupported
assertion Of a partisan Governor who
winds up by threatening to'arm and or
ganizc a sufficient force of loyal citizens"
to carry out his purposes, which he
mildly terms executing the laws and
preserving the peace. The Governor
should have had decency enough to have
supported the serious charges he made
against his political opponents by some
evidence that there was some foundation
for them. He takes no notice Of the
notorious fact that the negroes belonging
to the Loyal Leagues in that State, have
been armed and drilling loT several
months, and that the speeches of the
most violent and incendiary character,
have been made by white and black Radi-
Gals in all portions Of the State. In a
notice of this proclamation, the Charles
NeUS of the 22d instant, says:
1--WE also desire to call the attention of
Gov. Scott to the obvious truth, that yiO-
lent and incendlary speeches have much
| to do with the troubles which now dis
tract our usually quiet State. If the
white people goaded on by a myriad
wrongs, have sometimes been at fault, the
colored people have been at fault infinite
" more often. The Republican speakers,
| whether they meant much or little, have
used language that would have fired the
heart OF a stone, and it was Onlya day or
two before his death that Randolph told
the citizens Of Abbevllle that if they did
not take heed the torch would be applied
to every house in the village occupied by
white men,"
It is in the full light Of these exciting
causes for tumult and disorder that Gov.
Scott issues partisan proclamation, threat
ening to inhict upon the people Of that
State the loyal militia" He has quietly
permitted white and black Radicals to go
on with their violent and incendiary ha-
rangues, until they have raised storm
which they cannot control, and then he
flies at the men who have had no agency
in provoking this storm. As specimen
of the want Of fairness and candor on the
part of GOV. Scott, the Charleston Ne,CS
mentions these facts
Large rewards have been offered for
the apprehension Of the murdererS Of the
negro Randolph, and that two white men
have been arrested for completely in the
murder OF the negro Nance; while we
have no knowledge that any attempt has
been made to arrest the negroes who at
tempted to aSsasSinate a white man at
| Newberry on Sunday, who seriously
| wounded 4 white man at Clinton on Sun
day afternoon, or who assembled in Co
lumbia on Monday with the avowed pur-
pose of taking the life Of prominent
cOlored Democrat"
How does Gov. Scott expect with such
a record as this to command even the re-
Spect much less the confidence Of those
to whom he is politically opposed /
he pursues this course, he must expect
it to produce its legitimate fruits. The
| NewS, speaking for the white people o
the State, says they will support the
civil authorities in such measures as may
be necessary for preserving the public
peace, and will discountenance and con
denim all violations of the law; and thai
paper adds with much significance tina
they look to the law for their protec
ton, as well as for their vindicatiOn, wheI
insulted or wronged and if they arr
ever convinced that the law, as now ad
ministered, lavors the one race at the eX
penSo Of the other, and that what is ;
crime in the white man is not punished
as crime in the negro. they cannot b,
reasonably blamed if they are tempted
to constitute themselves at once Judge
and excutioners." We entertain bat lit
tie doubt that the feelings and intentions
of the white men of South Carolina ar
correctly represented by the Ne'cS il
this declaration Of their purpose. Tn
Radicals in South Carolina have Sowl
the wind and are about TO reap the whirl
wind. They have sought TO provoke
war orraces, and now that that terribl
scourgc imminently mcnaccs the peac
and good order of the State, the Govcmo
with a dcspicably wicked interest, seek
TO fasten the responsibility of this State
affairs upon the Democratic party. Tha
old and reliable journal, the Charleston
Courier, gives in its issue Of the %
inst, what we have not a doubt is a cor
rect version of affairs in South Carolina
That paper says:
"Tho Republican party prolcssed tina
their meeting on Wednesday afteTnOO
u would be in the interest of peace. Tn
@ whole proceeding show it to have been
SANDER upon the Democratic party, an
upon the State and its communities
c Randolph had been killed. No on
c iuslified the act Men of all parties alil
h condemned the deed. The Democrat
- Clubs of the District of Abbeville, wher
he met his death, disavOwed any sym
' pathv with the act, and declared as alon
{ responsible the desperate men en-
IS gagged, whom they characterized as alik
- "dcafto the suggestions of prudence a