The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1869-08-02
THE EDG EFIELD OUTRAGE.
A Nice State OF Affairs.


Nicc State OF Affairs.
An Edgetieid correspondent Of the Augusta
Constitutionalist writes to that paper, uHder
date Of July 81, giving the following account
of the invasion Of Edgefeld by Scot,'s negro
militia:
On Thursday, late in the evening two haL-
dred and forty Winchester rifles under The es-
cOrt Of abort thirty armed negroes arrived in
our town. Some dis:anc, in advance !f AS
escort, mounted OH gallant steeo, dashed a
little man or white complexion. lunl ing as tx-
cited as pig at slop time; nexs rode ail
abreast four Northmen, evidently having no
music in their souls; and far in the rear, bear
ing close resemblance to q demoralized strag-
gler, suddenly conver ted into hiHeous, bloa:-
ed. brutal hummer, marched Eicheberger.
The arms were deposited in tho Jail, thoSNhite
1aior; ordered out. and the sheriff. it is said,
has been ordered TO appoint negro jailer.
A qua ID. entirely of negroes, was immediately
formed. mounted end sentinels posted Illus
has the peace and quiet OF our town been
rudely broken, by Cdav and by night, bv the
The jail fronts ahet Publie Square,l aud about
twenty yards distant from it is stone, wall.
upon winch ls erected an IRON railing enclo.
boundaries Of the Public Square The space
Immediately IN trout Of this Wall IS q thorough.
fare. In the day time sentinels are posted at
the door OF the jail oIit; ~ night, i'll this thor
oughfare also, very much to the annoyance Of
the people. M II
Governor Scott told Bonham and Butler.
who went to hum in behalf Of tha people, that
he had not bor1zed the formation Of COM
pany of militia, but that he had authorized
the formation OF guard for the arme; he also
said that the arms were tor the use Of the
whites as we'll as blacks. BslIenger who
styles himself capt ain, says he was authorized
to raise q company. and. that the arms are for
the negroes exclusively. One thing IS certain,
that up to this writing no white man has been
allowed no. an any palt or lot IN these arms; For my
arms are for the use OF the negroes only, and
that the negro guard is for general police pur-
poses. Ii other words, that the civil authority
Is to be superseded by the military power.
On Saturday last SIX boys, the youngest Six
and the eldest thirteen years old, sat upon the
walt described above. outside Of the railing at
place common to all ages o nj races. IMme.
dlatey in front of the jail door about twonty
yards distant, there marched an armed negro
q sentinel on post. These boys, innocent OF
any wrong, were suddenly alarmed by the per-
emPttory order OF this armed negro to get down
and leave or be would shoot them. aud this
negro soldier, suiting the aclon to the word.
drew down his gun and cooked it and actually
drove them away. sN
All OF these boys descended from those who
dld their full duty IN conquerlng this country
from the Indians. in opening it up to civiiizu-
tion and tho Christian religion. and i'll achlev-
ing independence for the ''Oid Thirteen In
Butler and Plckens Of revolutionary fame, and
ofParry. The hero of the baltic of ake Erie,
ls commingled.
Thus, in broad daylight, and in time of pro-
found peace, has the best blood Of the South
and Of the North been Inundated and tyran-
nized over by the armed negro. The eople of
the State have patiently, and, I may say.
ttamely submitted to odious and tyrannlcai
laws, passed by negro Legislature and exc
cuted by tldlcal civil officers, aud they are
now called upon to snbmit to military law, en-
forced by the bayonet, iu the haods Of the
men. Can the people. will the people, ought
the people to stand this Give us, o CO..
strength and courage to do our whole du Y in
this hour OF supreme peril and deep. deep
Governor Scott, by placing armed negroes In
our midst, has dsorganized labor, increased
es R1eksn ss .hS ssa
for years has exasperated the whites, and 10
oil intents and purposes has made war,upon
me rights OF the people, which must !aad will
% be met. 1t is well known here that Cain, the
mulatto Legislator, said. months ago that he
would not be satisfied till negro troops were
quartered in this town; that three OF the guard
at the Jail are worthless sous Of Harris, the
negro member of the Legislature. IL IA also
known that Elchelberger went 10 see Scott
some months ago, and when he returned said
that he would have. in sixty days, q company
or negroes IN our midst, armed with the best
party was in power and in the majority, and
would come out victors. 1t is also well known
here that the sheriff o few days ago, recelved
a letter from the Governor, threatening to sus-
pend him rom his Office and put the coroner
in. and that Eichelberger is the coroDer
1t is plain that this action Of the Governor
was taken, not in reference to the coalition of
long ago. If any evil flows ftom this action.
the responsibility will properly rest with him.
His Imperial Highness, under the protecting
power OF President Grant. plays well the rart
power ls ever withdrawn from HIM, and he ia
forced back upon his own manhood, ne will. /
doubt net, prove himself the veriest g Eachin
MacIan." st : -f'.'-
deem it q Christian duty to remind his
Highness that CromweVn who was q truly
brave man, quailed and pefished away when It
was writ, "Killing is no murder"
PALMETTO.