The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1869-08-05
Anoerso1 ynteQigenftr,
THE EnaEF1ELp AFFAIR.


ticulars of the outrage perpetrated upon the peo-
pie of that town, to which alluson was made in
pnr columns last week:
A little more whiskey and cajolery for the isno-
rant and misguided blacks, and a little more un-
provoked provocation for the astonished and IN
suited whites, and the quiet village of Edgeheld
would, last week, have been the scene or 1ear1ul
and sanguinary transactions. Edgeheld, recon-
structed las is all South Carollna) IN the most ap
broyetl Radical STYLE is now victim to the hate,
venom. the depravity of set of men who care
hot for the prosperity and happiness of herself
and her children, but whose sole objects are
place. plunder and revenge The treachery, the
ivinp. the contemplate meanness, the entire alb
sence of everything manly or honorable, that
characterize the proceedings of this set Of raen,
almost surpass belief.
For the last month, four or FIVE deputy State
constables have been sojourning in our midst,
said to have been sent here by Governor Scott,
upon the wilful and malicious representation of
the renegade Eichelberger, as kind OF body
guard for the latter. Eichelberger having desert
ed his own race, and his own race having openly
and very appropriately signifed their inexpressi-
BILE contempt for him. is prey to mingled feelings
of fear and revenge. But that any one wishes TO
take his fe or has threatened to do so, IS all non
sense. lie was burned in efigy some time ago,
contempt And there the matter ends. He has
not been in the slightest degree moested, and his
body guard are enjoying comfortable sinecure,
for which our overburdened people must pay
And for the last four Saturdays our town has
been thronged with negroes, men, women, chill
dren, idle gaping, evidently expecting the occur
renee of something unwonted. During this time
we have heard that a negro company was being
raised by Eichelberger. Indeed we know that many
g,o Dod n
as members of this company. On the 4th OF July,
much Of the day was spent in drilling.
On Thursday afternoon last, to the utter as
Punishment of the peaceable and law abiding citi
zens of our town, two hundred and forty guns,
with ammunition according, escorted by Elchel'
berger, Hubbard, and some forty or fifty negroes,
arrived in Edge6eld. These negroes had been
previously warned to meet these arms at the Pine
House Depot And many of them, deliberately
and without word of warning, Quilted the ser
vice of honest white men and repaired to guard
the arms which are to enforce respect from the
people of Edge6eld towards Eichelberger and his
minions Nor is this the worst. After they had
guarded the arms into the town, they quietly re.
turned to the service they had SO deliberately
Quilted Pretty business truly and yet the whites
said nothing, and stood it as best they could:
Stood it with calm dignity, just as they have STOOD
the many incendiary harangues and yelling moos
streets, our park, our Court House.
The arms having been escorted in triumph to
the public square, one of the State Consables,
Bellinger by name, said to be commissioned by
Scott as Captain of Eichelberger's company, pre-
sented to the sheriff an order from the Governor
for portion of the Jail, as depository for the
guns This order was complied with. And now,
day aud night the Jail is guarded by negro SOL
liers with arms in their hands Fifteen or twenty
srfo oh.
ed business They are in regular military ser
vice, receiving lawful pay and rations. God help
them when they shall be out Of military service,
for in these regions they will not fnd-nor should
they-either friend or service. This S16 month
which the white people are paying them now, for
guarding the arms which to cut their throats,
is quite enough. When we are done paying these
doughty negroes for their military service, we
should certainly wash our hands of them. Let them
live upon their military glory. Perchaps Eschel-
berger will take them all out to his home and sup
port them forever. We have no doubt he will.
AS regards the militia company of one hundred
ALI neqroes-they have not yet actually appeared
upon the field. We understand, however, that they
are to be diligently drilled during the latter three
days of the present week
And thus matters stand in Edgefeld; and,
without o doubt, all these proceedings are high
handed and unjustifable outrages upon an un-
thority for calling out the militia by virtue of
"joint resolution authorizing the Governor to en-
ploy an armed force for the preservation of the
pcace;' and he is therein authorized to coll out
the militia "when in any county in this State 1t
shall become impossible, from any cause, to en-
force the laws and keep the peace BY the ordinary
civil Irocess," whose duty it shall be TO "queil
such disturbances and arrest the guilty parties.
Now. when has the Sheriff of this District failed
to enforce the laws? Never We defy Governor
Scott, Eichelberger, Hubbard, or any of the crew,
to show one instance OF the Sheriff having failed
to make arrests where warrants were lodged In
his hands. The white people and the black peo-
pie Of this community and this District live, and
have lived, in peace and harmony and We chnl-
lenge these fomenters of discord to produce eyi-
dence TO show that single murder has been COM
mitted in Edgefeld District within the last three
years on account of political riers.
BAH the upshot Of the whole abominable mat
ter is, that this mischievous and mercenary man,
Eichelberger, wants the sheriff's office and has
been al work with that view. He and others of
the mongrel clan, have told Mr. McDavit, the
sheriff, he must appoint q negro jailor, which Mr..
MeDayit refused, and still refuses to do. And
now we hear that young Covar, the jaior, is no
torious bushwhacker, &C., and Gov Scott joins his
order to that of Eicheberger s. Co., that he be
dismissed. So young Covar goes by the Board.
He is not and never has been, q bushwhacker;
those who tell this lie know it to be lie.
This negro guard around our JAIL and this con-
templated negro militia, will do no good in Edge
field They are emphatically uncalled for and un-
necessary. Already the feeling of bitterness and
evaporation is greater than at any time since the
close of the war.
The Advertiser invokes Governor Scott To- visit
Edgefeld and examine for himself.
INTERVIEW WITH GOVERNOR SCOTT.
Two of the distinguished citizens of Edgefeld,
Ex-Governor Bonham and General Butler, visited
Governor Scott, at Columbia, to represent to him
how totally unnecessary were the arms, the SOL
diers and the constables lately imposed upon the
people of that County. They have returned Of
the interview, the Edgeheld Adrertiser remarks:
Gov Scott received them with courtesy and
heard them with consideration. He assured them
IL Al nirni Of N "