The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1871-11-02
THE REIGN OF TERROR.
FURTHER ACCOUNTS FROM THE PRO
CLAIMED COUNTIES.
A Powerful Letter to the Hon. keverdy
johnson.
From the Baltimore Sun. ]

From the Baltimore Sun
The following letter was received on Satur'
day by the Hon. Reverdy Johnson, to whom it
was written. He has placed it in our hands.
at the request Of the writer, and tells US that
he knows that he is a gentleman of high char
acter, and that his statements may be conh-
IDENTITY relied upon. Although Mr.. johnson is
authorized to give the name of the writer, ne
deems it proper to withhold it from the fear
that it migst subject him to the tyranny which
now prevails in many portions OF his State.
After referring to some matters of personal
business, and stating that he is deeply inter-
ested in the proceedings now going on in his
State, he writes as follows:
ROCK HILL YORK DISTRICT, S. c..
October 26. 1871.
Hon. Rererdy johnson, Baltimore. Nd:
DEAR SIR: One of my brothers has
been arrested and thrown into the common
Jail by the United States soldiers without
chAfge or accusation, without form or war
rant Of law. without the shadow OF right or
justice. Before the suspension Of the writ OF
hQUeQS corpus profound quiet prevailed In this
section of country; men were pursuing their
business avocations in the most peaceful man.
ner, and season Of prosperity was beginning
TO dawn upon us; but now words are almost
inadequate to describe the reign OF terror that
Is existing among us. Bands OF UnlteG states
soldiers are riding tine country, arrestinS cti-
Zens by the wholesale, tearing them from
their homes in the night time, terrifying wo.
men and children. hurrying the prisoners on
to jail, and cramming them in dungeons and
0ihy cells. These arrests are made without
warrant. Men are ignorant OF the offences ior
A. To toll N0nynlQnQf10n
is given the prisoner as to the Cause OF MS ar
resi-; no hearing is allowed him. The innocent
and the guilty fare alike. The fury OF the
Radicals is lerelled against the oest OF our
citizens. Old and young, gray-haired men IN
capable OF committing outraSes, mere ooTs
innocent OF crime. are arrestso lnusscrin,, sa
nately. In time Of profound peace, Shen
farmers are engaged in gathering IN their corn
and cotton, we are declared to be IN q state OF
war. We are suffering for crimes that nave
never been committed. We are punished LOT
offences of which we are not guilty. we are
warred upon by the United States Govern,
ment on account of q rebellion which-God
cave the mark-has existence only In the I'M
aginations OF President Grant and the vie
polilicians who have poisoned his ears with
false and malicious reports. There Is no re-
bellion; there Is no hostility to the United
States Government; there is no resistance 70
lawful authority, either State or Federal; tns
T6pOEUS VI CUulSiOuS OCGWOCh ohoASN "
Ku-Klux and Federal troops are utterly false,
base and slanderous fabrications, uttered for
purpose. At,
The cruelty, the inhuman barbarity of this
most unr,@hteous war upon us is enough 10
bring the blush Of shame to the cheek OF
Nero, and soften the heart OF Tioerlus; Our
women and children are the greatest sufferers
by this monstrous act of wanton oppression.
They are pale with alright; they are distract
ed with grief and anguish; those loved ones
upon whom they lean for support are torn
from them, and they are left defenceless and
at the mercy OF brutal, lawless negroes. And
all this suffering Is entailed upon our people
that few wicked politicians may continue in
power and batten on the spoils OF ot1"'
Grants proclamation, alleging that the upper
districts OF South Carolina are In state OF
rebellion, Is the most stupendous I've that was
ever promulgated to the world; the most IN.
famous document thst ever bore an offclal
SEAL In Its utter falsehood its cool audacity, Its
Earring assumption, It's sublime mendacity and
It's damnable lnlquity, It Is without precedent or
parallel in history. There Is no document on
record comparable to 1t. The cruel tyranny OF
the measure Is only equalled by the arbitrary
despolism which has been practiced upon
Poland or Hungary, Greece or an Ireland.
And the worse of it is there Is no help for US.
When the President Of a free country, IN q
time of profound peace, deliberately turas his
Htdogs OF war" loose upon an unofendtng, de.
fenceless people, and the cold eye of the world
bears In 1t no sympathy for us, there Is no
help for us under the sun, and little hope.
Pardon me for trespassing upon yoHr time,
and believe me to be, with the highest senti-
ments of esteem and regard, your obedient
servant.
More Arrests-Depopulati and Fears
OF Guerilla Warfare.
The New York Herald has the following spe-
cial dispatch from Newberry, s. c., of the 9th
October:
Affairs in Laurens County are the same as In
Newberry-there has never been Ku-klux
raid in the county. At the election last year
there was riot between the whites and negro
militia, in which several were killed, but since
then there have been no trouble whatever A
negro schoolh0use was recently burned, and
both races charge each other with the incendi-
arism. Cases OF negro criminals having been
whipped are also reported, but no politicai
outrages. The whites feel no confidence In the
State officials, because OF the partisan spirit
they exhibit. For some months past, however,
Laurens has been perfectly quiet. Radicals
themselves admit that there has never been
single case Of resistance to the enforce 'ent
OF either State or Federal laws.
The proclamation of martial law created
much surprise, and the people are exceedingly
indignant. United States cavalry continues 10
ScOur tne upper cOuQtlSS, dtTtSllpS uumcIOuo
persons. Thus far they have not met with any
resistance. Some of the arrested confess to
belonging to the ku-Klux, but deny that they
any political object. The majority OF pris-
.ers assert their Innocence. Some Radicals
nave voluntarily come forward and declared
that they belong to the Ku-Klux, which Is be-
leved to be for political effect at the North. 1t
is asserted that ex-Lieutenant Governor Ga
briel Cannon, of Spartanburg, has been arrest.
ed. He is an old man, one OF the most infu-
ential citizens Of South Carolina. Making all
allowance for exaggeration, there is no doubt
TINT the military are displaying great severity.
Almost all the arrests are made In the night,
and 1t Is believed that two-thirds Of the prls.
oners are victims of perjury.
Thus tar Spartanburg. Union and York coun-
ties have been the principal country Of opera
ton, but learn that the black lists for the
other counties are made out, and that arrests
will begin in few days. The excitement con-
tinues unabated, but nothing like hostility has
been yet exhibited.
Evidence of the purely political character OF
the martial law accumulates cl all sides. The
people speak with great bitterness OF It as
deliberate attempt to place them wholly IN the
power of negroes and disreputable white men.
The exodus into Georgia and North Carolina
continues, and unless stop Is put TO the mill
tary operations this portion OF the State Wh;
lose all its valuable citizens. Already there
has been an almost complete suspension OIL
business, while terror, anxiety cud excitement
prevail Ia the entire district. Apprehensions
are expressed lest the young men who have
been driven from their homes, or whose rela-
tives have been arrested, become desperate