Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1871-04-13
General KershaW's Reply to Sena-
tor Robertson.
CAMDEN, S. C., March. 25, 1911.

CAMDEN, S. c., March 25, 1871.
Hon. T. j. Robertson, United States
|. Senator - ..,
DEAR SIR have the honor to ac-
knowledge the receipt Of your favor
of the 18th instant, and, after giving
it that consideration which its grave
Importance demands, proceed to answer
it. This I am. coiipehed to do without
that conference with those gentlemen
with whom you have associated me, in
the address of your letter, which I
would gladly have had, if had been
practicable.
I need not assure you of my earnest
Edesire to secure peace and order, and a
|iust. and faithful administration of laws
|in this ruined and desolated State. The
laacrifces i have made of time and la
bor, sentiment and feeling, and even of
the regard Of valued friends to promote
those ends, are well known to you.
Nor need l do more to vindicate, the
earnest heart yearnings of our good
people for peace AMI security, than to
point to their unanimous support of a
party which sought, last year, a balm
for,the healing Of the hideous diseases
Df society, in a concession of legal eff
eacy and obligation to the amendments
Of the constitution and the so-called
reconstruction acts, asking nothing in
return but an honest and just admins
ration of affairs.
These concessions and all overtures
:or peace were scornfully rejected by
The colored people and their leaders.
Jnder the high-sounding and preten-
ious title of National Guards" the
negroes were armed and equipped with
the deadliest and costliest weapons and
munitions of war, at the expense of the
people. They were excited, incensed
land infuriated by the speeches of false
and unscrupulous demagogues, who
played upon their blind passions and
preiudices, as a skillful harper upon the
passive and obedient chords of his in
strument, until they were ready for
carnival ofblood at the bidding Of their
leaders. The commissioners, managers
and boards of election were SO selected,
and the election laws so cunningly de-
vised, rs to secure the result of the bal
lot irrespective of the will of the peo-
pie. Thus by fraud, by force and by
cunning artifce, negro domination was
secured, and the whites were practical
ly disfranchised. The Legislature thus
constituted, and many Of the public
officials, openly, VIGOROUSLY and shame
lessly plundered thepeople of the State,
recklessly squandered the public money,
iappropriating it to their own uses, and
selling their votes and their influence
fo: the passage Of laws to open the
treasury to corrupt spectators: By
these means the expenditures of the
State Government have been increased
to more than five times the amount re-
quired before the war. while the means
Of the people have correspondingly
diminished. The taxes for two years,
aggregating more than four millions Of
dollars, are exacted in this year, pc
riod of greater financial distress than
this people has encountered since 1855.
Swarms of high salaried Offices have
been created before unknown to us,
and, for the most part, filled with in
competent negroes or malignant and
corrupt white men, who seek to perpet-
uate their power by fomenting discord
between the races. Under these cor
rupting influences, thenegroes, in many
places, have become violent, threaten
ing and dangerous. Murder, arson and
pillage have stalked through the land
almost unrebuked Of justice, while eve
y defensive act of the white victims
aas been magnifed into national
prime. All these are facts known. to
you. That in consequence there should
be disturbed condition of affairs iii
some localities, deplorable though it
be, is not to be wondered at. Let US
rather be thankful thatit has been con-
lined to the Counties of Laurens, Union,
Bpartanburg, York and Chester. We
will consider these disturbances for a
moment.
In Laurens and Chester there were
collisions between the armed militia, or
nationalguards (negroes, and the whites.
in open daylight, the circumstances of
which are well known to you. In the
other counties disguised parties have,
from time to time, within the last three
months, administered Lynch law in
certain cases. While these occurrences
are greatly to be deplored, and some of
them merit and have received almost
universal condemnation, the collisions
nLaurens and Chester, by far the most
serious of them all, are regarded by the
best men who know the facts, as neces-
sary and 5ustyfable acts Of segdeence
on the part Of the whites. 1t as vcy
generally 6chercd that their prompt ac-
tioaa prevented tile general aoar Of races,
sohics t'..,: ;. y1gul men haze regarded
iaama: sent toa. some gears past.
While these things have occurred in
the counties mentioned, which are all
now quieted by the disarming of the
militia, in other counties, profound peace
has prevailed. Here, for instance, we
have enjoyed an unbroken reign of
quiet and order. There was, at the last
Court of Sessions, not one act of vio-
lence demanding investigation, a cir
cumstance which elected the congratu-
lations of the presiding. Judge.