The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1869-05-07
CHI A EST N.
FRIDAY MORNING, MAY Z, 1869.
Calling Out tho Militia.

~ Calling Out tho Militia.
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We printed on Monday last circular
signed by. man named Isaac San
dars,, giving notice that q mass meeting
would be held on May 2, to organ
ize the militia. This circular was posted
up st Monck's Corner, on the Northeastern
Railrosd, and was followed by second, in
which the day Of meeting was changed to
May 1. a
The second circular goes far beyond the
first, As it gives not only the purpose for
which the meeting was to be held, but also
the object for which the militia is to be
formed. It is not said that it is done in
obedience to an order Of Governor Scott,
and, except in Abbeville, no such order,
direct or implied, is known to have been
issued. Sanders, however, may be pre-
samed to have had some reason, good or
bad, for the faith that was in him, as he
declares that the militia is "to regulate
..things generally" The peculiar virtue of
this announcement lies in the fact that it
may mean anything and everything. The
oolored people are to take their choice at
the bidding Of the militis Snowman, and
may, as they please, understand that the
new organization is to take tho place ofthe
moribnnd Bureau, and put in their posses
sion ii,nh the never-to. be.forgottsn ''forty acres
.sand mple;" or that they will be paid SO
many dollars monthly for wearing a. uni
form and carrying . rifle of the most i'm.
proved pattern, that work by them and
theirs will be needed never more. Some
Of the leading militia organizers were asked
what was the meaning Of the phrase "to
"regulate things generally" and the an
swer was, s'that ,phen anything was done
"wrong By anybody the company would take
"them up and examine the matter, and
':puniss such as they thought deserved IT,"
According to this, the militiamen expect to
have more power than is confded to the
legislative, Judicial and executive depart
ments Of the State Government. The State
tuition Of the United States; but the militia
company is not restricted in authority, and
may, when "anythipg is done wrong by
anybody" arrest the offender, examine the
matter, and punish 'tsuch as they think de-
sisef1e it."2lAnd doubtless, according to
tie ideas Of Sanders and his mates, any
unfortunate white man who objects to the
formation Of q militia company will be
thought to deserve It. ''
Strange 70 Soy. there still seemed to be
some trouble in bringing the oolored peo-
pie to the scratch. Even the prospect Of
becoming members Of plenary court, with
the privilege Of shooting and being shot,
failed to excite the. expected enthusiasm.
Sanders, therefore, threatened the recu-
SAINTS with the apenitentiary. When remOn-
strstsd with in regard to this and other
illegal acts which he had committed, San
ders ssid-"I AN A RADICAL" This, in
deed, is justification enough.
We do not suppose that any member of
thepresent State Government is particularly
squsamish, or cares very much whether the
negro militiamen do or do not threaten and
abuse the white people. They do not reflect
that these proceedings are more dangerous to
the white Radical than to the oolored man,
because for The last there is some excuse,
while for the first there is none. If the
negroes form organisations to regulate
things gsnerally;-whether with or without
she authority Of this bastard government,
It matters not-the white people will be
tempted to do the same. What is right fol
the one is right for the other. What the
one does under tyrannical law Of the
State, the other will do by authority Of the
first law Of. acknowledgements. The
negroes, for the most part, have nothing to
lose and everything to gain. They are told
constantly that Governor Scott is oil pow
'erful and ell wise, and it will be difficult to
hold them in check, if they are once for
mslly enrolled, either "to regulate things
generally" or "for the preservation of the
"peaoe." 1t is for this reason that we so
strenuously object to this whole business of
calling out the militia. There is no neces-
sitJt say again that the white people will
not serve with or near negro soldiery or
be ruled by them. That declaration has
been re-echoed in every quarter Of the
State, and need not be repeated here. The
ignorance of the negro, and the malice Of
his advisers, are the elements Of danger
If he would take his gun and gay coat and
content himself with prsotioing the "goose
"step" or "right shoulder Shift" allowing
the white people and his own wiser breth-
rem to SOW and reap as they pleased, it
would not be necessary for US to say one
word. But this cannot be. The proceed
ings at Monck's Corner show what the
mihtiamen expect to do, and it may be
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