The Sumter watchman. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1855-1881, 1870-12-21
An Appeal 10 ConRress--An Investigu
tton Prayed tor. -
UNITED sTArKs up ANEaIcA,
STATE oi SourB Carolina.

IT, the Honorable ike Senate and House of Rec
p'esent"tires of'he United State. of Amsricn:
The ps,itlon Of tho undersigned, cjssaus ofsbe
State OF South Cnrolins, shOweth to yoIr hon.
ornhlo bodies that they frnnkly and without
rcse, vat,on adopted the consequences of defsnt,
snd hnvO endeav"red, since the. war,.to conduct
themselves rs good c'tizens, obedient to Inv,
under whatever government has BEEN impossd on
them, whether military or civil. That reeoyniz
ing tho chunses in tho Constitution, and the
va ious lnws passed Tor tho reconstruction Of tho
States. tloy hive willingly aud without ,nurmur
rendered obedience to the snmc. That tIIoy have
patiently endured tho stae Of affairs he, ,er
sct forth, In the hope that when tho preiudicos
sncrcedng tho war abatcd Congress would pro.
vide far them the benefits secured 10 tho States
in the fourth section of the fourth article of the
Constitution. which guarantees to every State In
'hc 'Uni"n republican form, Of government.
AMI shall protect oncb Of tbom against iuvasion."
fbns soon after the war the state was invs,ied
by a sct Of unp'inoipled adventursts. who, BY
panlsring to tho prcjudiccs and passions Of the
uneducnted c0lOrcd race. obtained con troll Of the
| r., vunii"n. Lcgislnturo. executive and judicial
departments. ani hpve administered the govern.
mrnt To tho great oppression Of tho State, antf
utterly obiteraied oil forms Of republican gov.
ornment. nsng tho taxes. finances. aud laws fur
their porsonal advancement and the injury Of the
people. -; ~
1. That the governor hss sn manipulated tho
finances that he hns made a. large fortune, w
speculation In Siate bonds, State moneys, and
public property.
Q. That he lI,s maintained a State oons,nbulnry
and armed tho cn'urcd militia, oxcludin thore.
from the whito for the express purpnsc Of foment
ing iisscnsion AMI aning"nisin between the races,
In Ordcr TO SECURE Ills re election.
3. Tint ho has shancfully abnsed tho pnrdon.
Ing power, by letting looso upon the community
pUrsous convicted ut tho most hclnops crlmes for
tho solo purpose "f omnb'ing them To vnte.
4. That tho nprointcd trini Justice. In eyoryl
county and townshp OF the State Ia violation Z
the Constitution. who orc generally Ign int and
unscrupul0us, and who oppress the peoplo by
co'le'lingcosa aud fncs, HPpropriutfpg the Iati,r
to their own aso instead Of paying the same into
tl,o rcasnry. TT -
3 That the whole Executive napsrtusnt. IN
clnd'ng tho Attorney. .General, p~jthuut. a sinale
exception. have systcunsiicaliy , plundatcd tha,
sac, "nd appropriated to their own urs moneys
which shoa'a havo been used 10 Slisvjnt, The
oxce1'ivc and Oppressive taxs,ion under which
tho pcople now labor, !, IN 81, ,ggl n :,
y. Tint The Lcgislnture cpmpossd, OF the
most ignorant and Vicious nom 81 hoth rsolS,
have passed laws ~ secure theJr own
have accepted hribes for ltle passsgspE Jaws to
advance s:,,s.s interests, andlh aheyr ef sBSs
q ThstthsS bsss ssssyd hasss u S$IcsssAtt js.
gard charAotsr Or DUAL SDf u u lustcs
I: delayed or iily adrI6istsrcd, md 6egst are Dc
reaohing The ends Of jasl,ss !. u s'' 5"
1hat sfder this condition Of thitrrs pto
pcfy has dsprSuisisd "a ysiae, dAaasIryssu Il On !.
ergy arc paraysed, vtcs Id a. INN oSaltSy suoouk
aged, ard life Is not pSoispe - ~ .l'iF
Whe'si.re your rrstltiniIsrs pray thst The poll !,
acst ooadidoh Of South carSfiSa ". tsy &Md d aS