Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1869-01-13
THE ADVERTISER.
EDGEFIELD, S. c., JAN. IS, 1869.
Reign of Terror in Arkansas.

.rf- r
Reign. of Terror in Arkansas.
NIEMrlIs..!au. The Gi!ia OF Marioncoun-
Is, Arkansas, drumhead c urt NARRATED tve "iti-
ze, S and shot them. Among ;he victims nre DR..
Mckenzie and John Thorpe. both we'll known
citizens.
The above horriblc tciegram illuetrates most
attingly the triumph of the Radical Iarty. We
! have been shocked and outraged lately by the
os.eechee troubles in Gsorgia, whero tho inhabi
llnts of of the richest sections werc delioer-
a:sly driyea from their homcs, these homes being
robbed, pi.lagel, ana burned, by an organized
gang cf nogroet, urgedon by sc. OF unprinel-
pied cnrpct-bag politicians. But what is this
compared to the state of affairs in Arkansas,
where Clay tons militil make no more of shoot
ing respectable citzsnsth than they would OF shoot
ing mad dogs? This ,nan Clayton-Powoil Clay
ton, so-called Goverpss Of Arkansas-was. it
seems, a few years age alasy and not overly re.
spectcd citizen Of L,avenrworth, Kansas. Since
then, however, as is the case with many triflins
men all over the South, things have changed with
him: lie is now Governor Of Arkansas; and
not gwen Brownlow of Tennessee can equal him
l
cause, the naincso civil war in Arkansas, and
the suffering people have no redress. Even Grant,
the telegraph says, has no power to control his
nets.
The following article from the Memphis Appeal
of the 4th inst, yiss-ssH how R.dioa'ism is
Aeurixhins in all its hideouz cnormity in Arkan-
sas: "a gentlem IN just from the dark and body
ground across the river, furnishes US, in terms
brief and startling, with information from the
den of thieves aud murierers in Marion which
shows that they will not stop short of the utmost
extremes in the vlainies and outrages which
they are visiting upon dcfensc!ess people.
The statement to us is to the effect that for
five successive nights they have taken from his
place of confinement in the Jail one Of the citi-
zens they hold as prisoners, aud after the mockery
tho least delay or time for preparation to meet
tho awful change from time to eternity. Our in
fornant was able to give the names of but two of
these unfortunate vctns-Dr. Mckenzie and
Mr.. John Thorpe. The other three are probably
wcll known if not prominent citizens, but the
difficulty of obtaining information from place
jealously guarded from th intrusion of any but
the friends and ab.ttors Of the mi.croants in pos
session, and the watch they place upon the move
ments of all who are not Of them, prevented our
informant from obtaining tho names of others.
Comment upon this rcd handed atrocity rs un-
necessary. Every man can frame, in his own
mind, the eXccrations which such mcrci!ess deeds
inspire. But tho question necessarily arises:
When and where is this saturnalia of outrage
aud murder in our ssts, State to stop? Far and
wide the black ienis arc desolatins tho country
round about Marion, and, from other parts of
the country which have been turned over to them
to run riot in, the same story comss-they lay
waste everything bcforo them and murder every
man they can lay hands on if it so pleases them.
At latest accounts body of Claytons militia
had taken possession Of Jacksonport, town on
White river, sevcnty-six miles above Augusta.
OF their doings there we have yet no account,
but of course none is needed. Riot and plumber,
destruction of property, insult and outrage, fol-
lowed by murder, is the programme wherever
they 60, and it is faithfully carried out"
Vel! may Gen. Grant say, Let us haze peace !"
But as well might he hopc to quiet the convpl-
sions of an earthquake by bathing the soil with
ointment, as expect peace while the eternal prin-
ciplcs OF nature arc subverted, audthe race which
God ordained to rule, is subjected to the tyranny
of their late slaves whose fathers hayebeen bond
men from the earliest period of recorded time. If
there is ever any peace again id this country, it
can only bc by return to the principles of ctcr-
nal justice, as stated in the constitution framed
by our fathers"