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

A Nice State OF Affairs.
An EdgefeId correspondent Of the Augusta
Constitutionalist writes &c that paper, under
date Of July q, giving the following account
Of the invasion of Edgefeld by Scot,'s negro
militia:
On Thursday, late in the evening. two hun
dred and forty Winchester rifles, under The es-
cort Of abo1t thirty armed negroes arrived IN
our town. Some distance in advance % his
escort, mounted on gallant steed, oasled
httle man OF white complexion, ioohinH as e1,
CITED as q pig at siop time; next RODE all
abreast four Northmen, evidently having no
music in their souls; and far IN the rear, bear
ine a close resemblance to demoraiized strag-
eler. suddenly converted into hiueous, bloa--
ed, brutal hummer, marched Eiche'berger.
The arms were deposited in the jail, the white
TAILOR ordered out, and the sheriff, it is said,
has been ordered to appoint negro jailer.
A qua d. entirely Of negroes, WIS immediately
formed, mounted and seutinels posted. Ihus
has the peace and quiet OF our town been
rudely broken, by day and by night, bv the
tramp, tramp Of the armed nesro soldier:
The jail fronts the Public Square, aud about
twenty yards distant from Il is stone wall.
upon which ls erected an iron railing enclo-
sure. The jail and this wall is one Of the
borndsrles of the Public Square. The space
immediately IN front Of this Nali IS q thorough.
fare. In the day time sentinels are posted at
the door of the all oDl,; st night, in this thor.
oughfare also, very much TO the annoyance OF
the people.
who went to hum IN behalf OF the people, tnat
he had not authorized the formation OF q COM
pany Of militia, but that he had authorized
the formation OF guard for the arms; he also
said that the arms wers Tor the use OF ne
whites as we'll as blacks. Bsllenger. who
styles nimself captain, says he was authorized
to raise q company, and that tue arms are for
the negroes exclusively. One thing Is certain,
that up to this writing no white uan has been
allowed any part or lot in these arms. For my
part. am thoroughly convinced that these
arms are foI the use OF the negroes only, aud
that the negro guard is for general police pur-
poses. In 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Is to be superseded by the military power.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
wall described above, outside Of the railing at
q place common 10 all ages a1d races. lmme
dlately in front Of the jan door. about twenty
wards distant, there msIched an armed negro,
q sentinel on post. These boys, innocent OF
any wrong, were suddenly alarmed by the per-
emptory order OF this armed negro to get down
and leave or he would shoot them and this
drew down his gun ana cooked 1t and actually
drove them away.
All ol these boys descended from those who
did their full duty IN conquerlng this country
from the Indians, in opening it up to ciViiiza-
ton and the Christian religion. and III ac:iley-
ing independence for the "Od Thirteen. In
the VEINS Of some of these boys the blood Of
Butler and Plckens, Of revolutionary fame, and
OF Perry. the hero Of the baltic OF Lake Erie,
Is comuingled.
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-
niged over by the armed negro. The ;eople oil
the State have PATIENTLY, and, 1 may say.
tamely submitted to odious aud t,rannlcal
cuted by Radical civil officers. and they are
now called upon to submit to military law, en-
forced by the bayonet, in the ha0ds of the
brutal negro, headed BY some mean white
men. Can the people, will the people, ought
the people to stand this :? Give us, Q Go l,
strength and courage to do our whole du,y IN
this hour of supreme peril and deep. deep
humiliation.
Governor Scott, bY placing armed negroes in
our midst, has disorganIzed labor, increased
the insolepce OF the negro, broken the rela
tion of master and servant that has subslsted
for years has eKaepefated the. whites, anu TO
all intents and purposes has made war upon
the rights OF the people, which must aod wlli
be met. It is. well known here that Cain, the
mulatto legislator, said, months ago. that he
would not be satisfied till negro troops were
ouartered in this town; ;ithst three OF the guard
at the jail are yorthlusa sobs VI Hsrris, the
negro member Of the Legislature. It ls also
known that EIchelberger went TO- see Scott
some months ago, and when be returned said
that be. would have. in sixty days, % company
OF negroes in our midst, armed with the best
rifles, aud that, ccnne riot, come bloodshed, his
party was in power and in the majority. and
would come out victors. It is also vel, known
here that the sheriff, q few days ago, received
q letter from the Governor, threatening to sus-
pend him from his Office and put the coroner
In. and that Eichelberger is the coroner. Z {.
It is plain that this action Of the Governor
was taken, not in reference to the condition OF
our district at this time. but was resolved on
long ago. II any evil flows nom thus action.
the responsibility viii properly rest with him.
His Imperial H,ghness, under the protecting
power OF President Grant. plays well the Fart
of '.Oliver Proudfute," and II this protecting
power Is ever Withdrawn from HIM, and be is
forced back upon his own manhood, ne will, l
doubt not, prove himself the veIiest Eachln
MacIan." ..,r = sx:.,s =!
deem it a Christian duty to remind his
Highness that Cromwell, who was 8 truly
brave man, quailed and perished away when it
was writ, "Kilhng isno murder"
..sc,. -, :, PALMETTO