Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1868-11-25
Letter from Col. D. Wyatt Aiken 10
Gov. Scott.
From lie colnmLia Phmni.r.
CoKEsBURY, Nov. 1G,

From the ColnnJm Phmnir.
CoKEsBURY, Nov. 1G, 1868.
Coz. r. K. ,Scott-SIR: On the morn
ing of the 9th inst, my house was ell
tered By posse, consisting Of two dcp-
utics and three United States soldiers,
armed as if they were about attacking
"a stronghold OF brigands One OF Tie
deputies, addressing me, said, Colonel,
I am sorry to say you are my prisoner. "
Uponqucstioning his authority, learned
he had a warrant, issued by Magistrate
Solomon, Of Columbia, to arrest me in
Abbeville, and deliver me to Constable
Hubbard in Columbia, upon the atli-
davit of said Hubbard. that 7 was ac-
cessory before the fact to the murder Of
one B. F. Randolph.
Under the old regime, this posse
might have been defied, and the conse-
quences would have been upon their
heads, for attempting to execute an lille
gal warrant. But surmising that extra
ordinary powers had been conferred by
the constabulary act OF the recent radi-
cal Legislature, L,clfercd no resistance
hence was taken to Columbia, and with
out an examination was feloniously " in
carcerated and kept in close confne-
ment for two days. Since my release [
have carefully peruscd the act estab-
fishing police force" and discover that
If this ambiguous act means anything
at-all, 1t simply means that the whole
constabularyf6rce have but concurrent
authority with the other,ciViFof6eers Of
the various counties, anG therefore Mag
istrate Solomon had not the semblance
of authority to issue warrant in Rich
land for my arrest in Abbeville.
Now, sir, this Chief Constable is an
hireling of yours and this --enture of
his to exercise autocratical, arbitrary
and illegal powers, seems to imply your
connivance. lit does not, whence his
assumption of power, and why no evi-
dence of your restraining authority =?
Whence does he derive power to arrest
me in Abbevillc and Jail me in Column
bia? Whence his power to arrest two
young men in Newbcrrv and dungeon
them in the capital of the State?
Whence his power to rescue Kelly from
the hands OF the sheriff in Camden, in,
carcerate him in Columbia, and direct
the sheriff Of Richland to shackle him,
as he did while l was there imprisoncl9 ?
Is this what is meant by the words of
the act, which read as follows Said
Chief Constable of the State and Dcpu-
ty Chief and Deputy Constables in the
several counties shall at all times obey
and execute the orders Of the Governor
III relation to the preservation of the
public peace and the execution OF the
laws throughout the State
Think YOU sir, that in the intense
ness of your determination to preserve
the public peace you, should cruelty
treat a single unoffending citizen, you
ere appeasing the wrath Of an opprcss-
ed but gallant people, Does the tram
scendant authority of our Executive
justify acts Of violence ON the part Of
his hirelings? Are these deeds inlica-
tive Of your future policy? If SO, sir,
let me bcseccll you delay not revoke
that proclamation in which YOU speak
with hypocritical affection Of our be-
loved State and once again proclaim,
" the State being without law is u law
unto itself, and l AN THE STATE.
| am told YOU are now beyond the lin
IFS of the State, and upon the eve Of
your departure You expresseda satisfac-
ton st the peaccablc condition of the
State. Sir, were YOU of US, and not
over us, You would readily discern that
South Carolina has no peace but that
which once I" rcigned in Warsaw" and
should my conviction prove prophetic,
that a rigid adherence toNthe scheme of
tyrannyl-which You have inaugurated
will rebound with serious consequences
upon the heads of higher officers than
the Chief Constable Of the State, you
will not charge me with being acces-
sorry before tile fact. for the exaspera-
ton consequent upon such cruelty is
wide spread and not confined to SIN
gle race. Very respectfully,
D. WYATT AIKEN.
-