The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1870-03-02
The Three Black crop,-A Tale of Woe

raj Assembly is no more.
The Three Black Crows-A Tale of Woe.
In March last the Legislature appointed
committee to investigate the condition of
affairs that existed in the Third Congress
sional District at the time Of the general
elections, in November, 1865. This commit
tee now submit their report, to which are
tackled seven hundred and eighteen mortal
pages Of testimony given by the witnesses
who were examined. The public cannot. OF
course, analyze the evidence, discover the
relative trustworthiness OF the several wit
nesses, or expose the amus;1gly inconse-
quential manner in which the committee de-
clare that two and two make five. The re-
port itself is enough to show that the whole
Job has been curious compound of igno-
rance, malice, political heat and party pre-
judice
The names of the committee are Joseph
Crews, white; J. J. Wright, colored; Smalls,
colored; Elliott, colored; Mcintyre, white,
anu Bryant, white; the last named being .
Democrat Crews is too notorious charac-
ter to need sketching here. Wright when
appointed, was senator, and is now Judge
OF the Supreme Court. Smalls is the col
orei man who ran away with the steamer
Planter during the war. Elliott is a leading
Radical negro from Massachusetts, and the
Assistant Adjutant-General of the State.
Their report covers twenty-five closely print
ed pages, AMI is divided into chapters,
whose heads, which we reproduce, afford
fair sample Of the style and spirit OF the
work:
Killed by unknown parties
II.
The colored people law-abiding citizens.
Il. K. h
".
Associate Justice Hoge in place where nc
did not feel like fighting.
V.
A white man afraid Of being, killed If he voted
in Ncwberry, and another dare not accepts
situation for tear OF being shot.
W.
The plans devised to carry the elections for the
Democrats.
VII.
The murdcrers Of the Hon. B. F. Randolph.
VIII.
Martins murderers-convcrsation heard by
woman.
IX.
Was Joe Davis one Of Martins murderers.
k. I: I: k.
NJ.
One OF tie kiu-KluX reveals secret.
XII.
whipped fOr smartness.
These chapter headings will serve to show
The nature OF the romancing by which the
committee bolster up the conclusion OF their
report, which is given in the following para
graph:
':We have referred to sufficient number Of
witnesses to show that there was party eN-
sting in the Third Congressional District, thor
oughy or 5anized, for the sole purpose of de-
eating the real object of the Reconstruction
,cts of the United States Congress; that their
,lans were well digested and thoroughly car
led out We have spoken of q thoroughly
organized party We refer to the Democratic
party, which party had an offspring, known rs
he Ku-KllX-klan, to carry out the real objects
md intentions of that party, which are to out
age, intlmidate, murder and drive out Of the
State a sufficient number Of white and colored
Republicans, so that they may come into
power"
Going q little deeper into the tragic depths
II the committees revelations, it is found
hat s'it was the intention Of many of the
leading Democrats in Newberry County to
dispense with leading Republicans at all
shazards." OF course it was They were
determined to dispense with them, just as
he honest citizens in the State, white and
black, intend to ''dispense with leading Re-
next fall, because these '.ead-
ing Republicans" have done their best to
.uin our State The committee say that in
NeWD6rry ~ WulIc uiuu uAiou NV WV
either way" which is rather singular
statement in view of the large white vote
,olled at every election. Aud the committee
i'd that sft was said that If he (the white
.mau) voted the Democratic ticket, it would
be because he was afraid to vote the Re-
publican, and '.his life would have been
in danger had be voted the Republican
ticket" The committee declare, in lact'
hat in Newberry the intimidation, on the
part of the Democrats, was 80 great, that
10 Republican could safely vote any other
han the Democratic ticket; and in the very
ace of this they say that the white men
not vote" the Democratic ticket
Why. Because che was afraid to vote the
Republican. And according to the COM
nittee, the one aim and object OF the ''ula-
''bolical schemes" OF the Democrats was to
make men afraid to vote with the RepuOl-
cans. 4 pretty cock-and-bull story!
Abbeville, as might have been expected,
8 set down as dark and bloody ground,
where there was "a more thorough system
'of intimidation organized than in New