The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1871-01-26
Anotrsgn gnttAiget1ttr.
Message of Governor Scott on the Up-Coun'
try Troubles. -,

Il have received the concurrent resolution OF
the Senate and House of Representatives re-
questing me to inform the General Assembly
''why sufficient militia force for the protection
of life, liberty and property have not been sta
toned in such counties in this State as nave
been hitherto riotous and refractory; and, fur-
ther, why. have not the. outlaws, in them been
broug sha condign punishment and why the
provisions of section 2, ofSarhcie 70, af the
Constitution haSe< not been enforced and, also,
to inform the General Assembly what further
legislation is necessary to effect the purpose
an furnishing you such information as it is in
my.poSwer tosnppiy, and while deeply deplore
the disturbances to which your resolution re-
fers, 1 can scarcely venture, IS Executive OF
the State, to pronounce any Of its counties
striotous and refractory" upon the reported
cases of individual outrage, and while no IN
formation has been received in this othce lndl-
eating anything, like q county organization 10
defy or to defeat the law, I am the more eau
tious in this respect, because it will be recol-
lected that very many cases of individual vlo-
.-Ience have, hitherto been reported, both from
the sounties Of Abbeyille and Edgefeld: But
the prompt and impartial administration OF
Justice in these counties has proved that the
civil power was sufficient for the protection OF
the life, liberty and property of eur citizens !;
and these counties are now as quiet peaceaDle
and orderly as any portion of the State. But
if there was any part of the State IN which ylo-
lence and disorder were so general as to disarm
the power of the civil courts, must say, frank
", that have no such militia force as would
be competent to suppress them and if had,
I have no means to place and mainsain such
force in the field.
If by the OUTLAWS who have not been
brought to condign punishment" you mean
those individuals who have lately perpetrated
the outrages in the counties of Spartanburg
and Union,, can only say that every effort has
been made that could lawfully be made by the
Executive, to discover these criminals and
bring them to speedy trial. In some instances,
those suspected of guilt have been committed
for trial, and in their cases, the Executive is
without power, as he ought to be without dis
position, to interfere with the due adlninistra-
ton of the law. In other instances, the perpe--
traitors of these crimes are not known, and
have not been yet discovered: l can only
promise that every effort shall be made to ar
rest and bring them to justice.
/ am not aware that the I'd Section of the
18th Article of the Constitution has not been
enforced That section provides:
''The Governor shall have power to call out
the militia to execute the laws, repel invasion,
repress insurrection, and preserve thepublic
peace"
cannot say with truth, upon any informa-
ton in my possession, that in any section OF
he State, the laws are not executed; for not
single case. has~been reported, in which the
officers of the law have been resisted in the
discharge of their duties. There is no Invasion
which | am called on to repel, no insurrection
which 1 am called on to suppress. =.
While cannot say, that ''the public peace
of the State is threatened to such degree as
to warrant the exercise of the power OF calling
cut the militia, given me in the section of the
Constitution just quoted, deeply regret that it
is my duty to inform you, that the condition OF
several of the counties in this State is disturb
ed and dangerous In Laurens, Union and
Spartanburg, persons and property are not Sc
cure. Repeated instances of violence, disre-
gard of the law, and murder, have been report
ed, and there is well-founded apprehension,
on the part of law-abiding citizens that unless
these outrages are promptly checked, the evil
will have become too great for ordinary reme-
dies. / do not propose at present to refer to
these crimes IN detail, nor to attempt the dis
cussion Of their causes. 1t is enough to say,
that they are so grave, and so numerous, as to
call for unainching application of all the pow
or of repression which the Executive can law
fully exercise.
/. 1t is proper for me to state, and am glad to
be able to do it, that the public sentiment of
these counties seems to be aroused to the char
acter and consequences of this state of affairs,
and public meetings have been held, in which
the responsible and influential citizens of Lau-
rens and Spartauburg have declared, in Ian
guage sufficiently strong, their adherence of
shese crimes, and their willingness to aid the
Executive in the suppression of them. If
these opinions are carried out in action, we
may anticipate the speedy restoration of peace
and order; but something moro is needed than
these resolutions, however Just and generous in
sentiment.
It is my opinion that the civil law of the
State ought to be sufficient, and it is my deter
mination that it shall be sufficient, to protect
the personIand property of every and any citi-
zen of the State, however humble, friendless or
obnoxious i cannot bring myself to contem-
plate the use of an armed force to punish indi-
vidual violations of the law in time of pro-
found peace Such remedy would be as bad
as the disease, and would be public declara-
tion that there was no civil government in
South Carolina, and that we are living in q
condition of social anarchy. / am bound, by
my oath of Office, as the Executive of the State,
and in reverence for those principles of coiisti-
tutional liberty which are the vital force OF
true Republicanism, to see that the law is duly
enforced, before resort to other and dangerous
powers. l dare not and will not, assume that
Justice cannot be administered until the effort
has been made, and the failure evident.
1t is therefore my intention to see that the
law is enforced, and when I fail, in the effort
will unhesitatingiy call upon you for the ex-
traordinary authority to which society must re-
sort for self-protection. But at present, would
call your attention to the fact, that all the cases
of reported violence are individual violations
of the law; that none of them have assumed
the character of public combinations against
the law and that they are all within the reg
ular Jurisdiction of the criminal courts of the
county But do not think that the admins.