The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1868-10-22
THE MURDERS IN THE UP-COUNTRK.
A Radical Mass Meeting to Consider the
Subjcct--Speeches and Resolutions.

About hve hunQreu ueSIoeo @i-u q ~"
white men assembled on the battery yesterday
afternoon in response to call which appeared
in the morning papers summoning the Repup-
lican party in this city to meet and consider
what measures 1t were necessary to take IN re-
lation to the death of Randolph and others.
The meeting was called to order by Holmes,
colored man, and MI. G. W. Clark, Mayor OF
the city, was requested to act as chairman.
prayer was then offered up by Rev. Webster,
who in the course of his prayer described Ran
dolph as martyr who had died IN the cause OF
freedom by the hand o. the assassin. he
prayed that the Republicans might be re,
strained from attempting to take tie law IN
their own hands, or indulge in any deeds OF Vi
olence, and that the opposite party might
amend their ways and become good and usefui
citizens.
". Birnie, colored, next read to the meeting
an official announcement of the death OF Kan
dolph, s:gned by A. J. Ransier, colored, as
Acting Chairman OF the Republican State Ex-
ecutive Committee. This statement declared
that Randolph was murdered by assassins in
stigat,d by, if no; in the pay OF, the Demo-
cratic psr.tv. That his assassination was
direct attack upon the right of free speech,
and properly aroused feelings of Indignation
which it was difficult to control. 1t advised,
however, that the Republicans be careful to
refrain from violence, and to wait for few
weeks, when General Grant, the champion OF
peace, would be elected President of the United
States, and would secure justice to al.
Mr.. Clark then addressed the meeting, say
ing that they were assembled to perform
duty which they owed to society and to the
outraged power of civilized community.
That they we're about to pass resolutions con-
demnatory of certain outrages recently COM
mitted upon prominent men in the Republican
party; men who had been killed while IN de-
fence of equal rights and in the exercise OF
free speech; men who had been murdered in
open day, without word Of warning. He
enumerated them-Randolph, Martin, Nance,
Dill, and many others-and called upon God to
know how long the Republicans were to suffer
this martyrdom. But he said that, while con-
demnipg in the strongest manner these cow
ardly and dastardly acts, he would caution the
Republicans not to allow themselves to be en-
trapped into the more dangerous attempt OF
retaliation. he fully realized the temptation
to violence, but he advised them by all means
to obey the laws, and then in Gods own good
time they would he relieved from this unmerit-
ed persecution. !
Mr.. Clark then introduced aIr. F. A. SAWYER,
who said that on the day before few ger.tle-
men of the Republican party had met together
to consult what measures should be taken in
regard to the murder Of Randolph and others,
and that they had resolved to call this meeting
for the purpose of presenting the res olutons
which he was about to read. The resolutions
we're drawn by a distinguished member of the
Republican party, who would address then in
the course OF the proceedings. The resolutions
expressed almost in language, and certainly In
spirit, what he and every other Republican be-
ieved and felt. MIR. S. then read the rcsolu-
tions as follows:
Whereas. Hon. B: F. Randolph, member OF
the State Senate and chairman OF the Republl-
can State Central Committee, was brutally
murdered, publicly and in open day, at Cokes-
bury, in thus State. on the 10th instant; and
Whereas, Hon. Lee Nance, q member or the
late Constitutional Convention, was likewise
murdered by persons designated as :" no
known, at Newberry C. H., on the 18Th in
Whereas, Hon. G. W. Dill and Hon. James
Martin members OF the House Of Representa-
tiycs OF South Carolina. have, in the recent
past, been slain by the hands OF the assassin;
and
Whereas, It is notorious that these citizens
we're stricken down for their political opinions;
be it
1. Resolued, By the Republicans of the City
| Of Charleston, in mass meeting assembled,
that His Excelleney r. Z. Scott Governor OF
South Carolina, be and is most earnestly re-
quested to exhaust all legal resources to bring
the murderers to swift and condign justice.
g. ResoLced, That the numerous murders OF
Republicans ID the upper counties OF this State,
during the last sixty days, are mainly due to
the daily utterancess ofthe Democratic press o.
South Carolina, and are the natural and bloody
fruits of the teachings of some OF the leaders
of the Democratic party.
g. Resolved, That as Republicans we declare
to our fellow-citizens Of the State and OF the
United States, that We are advocates OF law
and order under the justly constituted authori,,
ties OF the State, and that we seek only by legal
means to preserve and defend our vested rights
under the free Constitution of South Carolina;
but that, knowing those rights, we dare main
tain them against party which IS now enact
ing in detail upon the soil Of this State the
wholesale horrors that have stigmatizod Its
career in Louisiana, Tennessee anu Georgia.
4. Resoioed, That should the violators OF law
| and order in this Slate not desist from lnsti-
eating and pract cling tho murder of our Re-
publican tellow-cltizens, we fear that the natu-
raj consequences of oppression must follow IN
retaliation by the oppressed, in manner and
to an extent that the leaders Ct the republican
party will not, however much they desire it as
| law abiding citizens, be abie to prevent; and
we therefore warn the evil disposed OF the De-
mocratic party that q continuance OF their pre-
sent course Of violence and assassination may
awaken o spirit which moderate men in neither
party can then control.
In presenting the resolutions MIR. s. said
that he did so with full sense OF his RESPONSE
biity to the Republican party, and fearing that
on the spur Of tho occasion ne might utter
words which he might afterwards wish to re-
call, be had, contrary to his custom, reduced
what he had to say to writing. He said that ii
was no partisan purpose that called them to-
gether, but an offence against the laws and
against humanity. He could not find words
strong enough to condemn the outrages which
| thew had met to consider. MIR. S. then went on
to throw the whole blame OF the murders upon
the Democratic party, their press and leaders
There were men in the State, recognized Dem
ocratic leaders, whose social position and
whose high character made it impossible that
they should be devoid of the first prin-