The Fairfield herald. [volume] (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1849-1876, 1868-11-25
Letter from Col incl D. Wyatt Aiken
CNk E.SllI1RY, Nov lG lSGS

| rd ny posse, consisting OF two depu-
! lies and three United S,,trs soldiers,
armed a. iIilIry were about attacking Il
stronghold Of hrigands. One of the
deputies, addressing me, said, "Coloncl
| am sorry to say you are my prisoner"
Upon questioning his authority I learn
cd he had a warrant, issued by Magis-
tratc Solomon. Of Columbia, TO arrest
me in AbbevIllc, and deliver me 10
Constable Hubbard IN Columbia, upon
the affidavit Of said Hubbard. that | was
! accessory before the fact to tile murder
[ OF one B Il. Randolph:
1, Under the Old regime, this posse
might have been dvfctl, aud the conse-
qncpccs would have been upon their
head: for attempting to execute nn iile-
gal warrant. But surmising that extra.
ordinary powers had been conferred by
The coIlStabnlary act Of the recent radical
Legislature. l offered no resistance ;
hence was iakei. To Columbia, and with
out an examination was feluno,sly in-
carc"rated and kept in close confinement
lor'wo days. Since my release l have
carefully l"rnsrd The ''act establishing
n police force, and discover that if this
Ambiguous act mems anything at all, it
| simply means that the whole .constuhu.
larry force have but concurrent authority
with The other civil officers Of the va.
| rionss scouuirs, and, therefore Magistrate
Solomon had not the semblance of an-
horiy ioissuea warrant III Richland
for my arrest in Abbev,lc.
Now, sir, this Chief Constable ,s an
lireling OF yours and this venture of his
TO exercise auIocratica, arbitrary aud
illegal powers, seems to2 imply your
cOnnivance, lfit'docs not, whence his
assumption OF power. aud why no evi.
drnce ot your restraining authority p
Whencr does he derive power TO ar
rest me III y bb will and Ill me in Co.
lnmbla ? Whence his power to arrest
two young men III Newbelry and dun.
geon Them IN The capital Of the State 4?
Whenc" his power 10 rescue Kelly from
! he hands Of the sheriff in Camden, incar.
ceratr hin in Columbia. and direct The
slierlffof Rlchland TO ,sl'ackle him, as he
did while was here imprisoned ? Is
! his what IS nl"alt by the words OF the
nct. whicl, read as folows: ''Soaid Chief
Cons,aLl. Of the Stale and Deputy Con.
s'ablcs in lhe several counties shall nt
all times obey and execute the orders Of
tile Governor III relation to The preser.
vation Of the public peace aud The
| execution Of the laws throughout The
St.,e." hHt
Thank yol,, sir, That If in the intense
ness ofyonr determination to preserve
tie Spablic pence yo,i, should cruelty
treat n single uno(fending citizen, you
are npppasng The wratl, Of nm oppressed
but gallant ptople7 Does the transccn-
dant authority OF our Executive jnstify
acts ot violence OH the part of lis hire.
lmgs? Are these deeds indicative of
your future rolicy2 II 80, sir, let me
beseeuh you delay not to revoke that
proclamation in which You speak with
hypocriLical affection of "our beloved
Sra:c,' and once again proclaim. ."the
State being w,thon, law is law unto
ITSELF" and i AN THE STATE. I
amiold yon arclioW beyond the limits
Of the State. and upon the eve Of your
,,,a ao.t, i,,;,,s, - soo" ,Im "'
S;n g." r."oe"oo Lo'a"'o ~, t"e ,o'"se'
@ ,.n mr'Jlu" o,,j s.d;, A. "'' ,; inv ~. VS. US,
i,soi;. ~ Mo.''u H. 'e"us o's't. Wa" La % .,p;,
once '.rsignsd s p IN Wa Wor,a @ ~ - @ amS shonla @
''Ss, ,u.e's".a "nau 80 ~" :, 1o
riyid adhprpucp IN tl,u scleme of iyrannv
vI;h n6n ,"ve u ,"u su,,s1 nd ,l
dn"nd ,s;,h so,inns c',nsnouonco. ,r,,,
M iI,sM MIsld, nf l;;alsr oficars i'm, 'i f."
sS;ssf ,nns,s H.. Il ,he S,a,e w nn,, w;ll iii
naa i;a ra.. n,S ,.;s,, ..bs'nr l, oa occ.oonr"
lf lsfnyaS tJIS tac, q, ! M s syasnero,;nn sn
c6nsso,'sn, m z a,h sa,,,ch ct"sil,v I q ,Y,,le.
snrosad oSaa mn r,nfn.a 4 I s;nni,,