The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1871-10-25
THE CLIMAX OF TYRANNY.
4 REIGN OF TERROR " THE UP
COUNTRY COCNTIES.

How the Operations OF the
Hunters are CoHducted-A Specimen
Arrest-DIsastrous Effect on the Conn
munity-Demoralfzat of the Ne.
groes-A Gloomy Picture.
From the Columbia Phoenix october "a
We call attention to the following extract
from the letter of citizen OF YorkVllle, ao-
dressed to a gentleman OF this city. The wrl-
fer ia a gentleman of the highest character.
His letter will give some idea of the scenes en-
acting in York. Nor will our readers fail to
appreciate the indignant emotions eVinced
by this writer, whom we know TO be quiet,
law-abidlng man:
YoRKv1LLE, S. c., October 81.
Although I feel secure IN my own lnno-
cence of any completely in the causes which
have been made the pretext tor the infamous
proceedings inaugurated here by the party Id
power, yet cannot bnt De snoGkeo, anu ~, ieei
upeasiness, at the total overthrow OF all my
preconceptions of republicanism, freedom
and law. Indeed, no stranger to our COM
munity could remain here unafected oy the
prevailing gloom and sense OF insecurity.
Every bulwark of civil protection seems
levelled, and personal liberty appears now 10
depend entirely upon the absence OF malice on
the part of the ignorant and depraved. No
warrants are issued, no charges speclned, no
authority exhibited; a soldier under arms,
sometimes q commissioned or non-commls-
stoned officer, sometimes merely private,
presents himself and orders marcn 10 jail;
Arrived there, the prisoner Is searched, ana
kRen locked up in cell and tod tnat me ne
can have no source of amusement to vile
away the time, as he Is placed there for pun
ishnlent, and not for pleasure. IN some
cases q little consideration has been
shown. such as time to take leave OF vile
and children, ,ohen convenient; in many
others, the summary process" is most
scrupulously adhered TO-. case OF THIS KIND
we'll "the changes and variety OF untried
being we must pass" A Mr.. Mitchell, highly
esteemed as straightforward. upright man
by all who know him, came to town last night
to attend Masonic meeting. This morning
while standing In store he was arrested oy
common soldier, who, after cooking his mus
ket and putting on fresh cap, ordered hlm
search his pockets and disarm him: This
being done, the doughty soldier, with hs
sable assistant, carried the prisoner to Jail.
What adds poignancy to this shameful indignl-
ty, is the fact that the black rascal who TOOK
part in it has been strongly suspected OF nav
ing been one Of Roses gang OF barn-ourners.
There are now some thirty-two or three In jail; ;
but this number will, doubtless, be largely In
creased by morning, as nearly all of the caval-
ry companies are ranging over the county,
andAight arrests seem to be In special favor.
All this is bad enough, God knows, but there
are consequent evils to be appfehended, which
dwarfs It into petty annoyance. The county
Is being depopulated. Numbers Of farmers
and other citizens, innocent as well as guilty,
appalled, at the prospect OF long incarcera-
ton, packed jury, an unscrlpulous Judge,
and ready host of accusing witnesses, eager
to swear, according to Instructions, for Two
dollars o day and expenses paid" have LETT
homes and families Just as the threatened dan.
ger found them. The matured crops are out
half gathered, and che unprotected farms stand
as tempting bajts for the Idle negro. 1t Will
MOI be long before larceny, arson and outrage
of every sort will be committed throughout
this helpless section. Already the signs OF
exultadon are shown on the faces OF the
pegroes. The town is daily filed with them
3 Eny coming to sell their concocted tales
Of Ku-Klux injuries, or to seize the
Chance Of easy vengeance rpou those whom
they dislike. This very Afternoon, my friend
- was subjected to annoyance OF this
kind About month ego, he informed
worthless negro tenant en- his mothers farm
next year. To-day the rascal came to town to
report him as "a Ku-Klux and friend to ku-
Klux." Knowing Mrs. was IN town,
he actually rode up here to brag to Mrs. -,
his wife, about what he had done. fortunate
ly, his tale was 80 ridiculous and 80 badly told,
that 1t was rejected at headquarters. Tals .l Is
q straw, but 1t shows the DRIFT OF negro feel
ing. It Is needless to add that all business
and industry are paralyzed. Through all this,
A. 8. Wallace, directing and controlling spirit
of this scheme Of Infamous outrage, remains
In our midst. He daily airs himself upon our
streets, here In the very heart of murder and
conspiracy, as he calls 1t, and gloats over the
,,orIA ootJop ~ hio nrophottc throat that she
would yet have this people beneath bis heel"
Bug must stop before grind my teeth to
the roots.
The Reign OF Tcrror-Shameful Con-
ductof the Federal Officers.
From the Camden Journal
In Spartanburg we are informed that the
jail Is 30 full of so-called Ku-Klux that many
are camped outside under guard. In York
we are told that all the roads leading to the
courthouse are picketed by soldiers, and any
one attempting to pass either way Is arrested,
and In many Instances thrown into Jail, and
that in one case where q party had gone to
make an arrest at night they intruded upon
the privacy of young ladies' chambers, and
pulled the covering from their bodies, pre-
tending to search for their Victim. We are
further informed that many persons are leay.
ing their homes in order to avoid these arrests,
not that they feel themselves guilty, but because
idle accusation, audprt to great trouble and
expense to procure bail, a. perhaps by per-
jury be convicted of the crime alleged, and
sent TO the penitentiary, all Of which Is not
only possible, but very probable.
The Supreme Issue--Liberty or Des-
potism.
From the Barnwell Sentlnell
The question naturally arises, why should
General Grant assume such grave response
bllity? The answer Is, the country ls about
to fater upon the most important political
struggle that has ev er been agitated since the
formation of the government. 1t Is q contest
between constitutional liberty and central des-
potism. This Is the supreme Issue. We be-
lieve that General Grant intends to hold the
be can carry this election by popular vote,
he will not call into exercise the dictatorial
powers conferred on him by the Ku.Klux bill;
but in the meantime he Is preparing and using
the machinery of that bill in these reconstruct
ed States, to familiarize the public mind with
this mode Of usurpation, 80 that II 1t be-
comes necessary, he can apply 1t to the large
States of the North and West, should he
be convinced the majorities there are like.
ly to be turned against his reelection. The
single question to be presented to the popular
mind OF the American people at the next gen.
eral election will be, ls this confederacy W
independent States, united under written
constitution, clearly defining the rights of the
States, and the powers of the General Govern
ment, or Is it centralized despousm at Wash.
ingtcn, to be used for the aggrandizement OF
Gen. Gran. and his supporters We think the
signs are unmistakable; they foreshadow the
march of Gen. Grant TO imperial power, for
xk .oIf n fol RI