The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1871-04-04
Gen. Kel.haass's RspIyS 90 10 senator sa Ia : sIio.s !.
Sa-.e s5a,s- bertsoA. ~
GAMDEa, g.. O.. iMareh 2s 1871. s
Hon. e j. Robertson. Il Unifed 'SStdtes Sonds

the 18th Instant, and, after giving it that
consideration which its grave importance
demands, proceed to ppswer it. This I
am compelled to do without that confer
enoe with those gentlemen with whom
you have associatdd me. III the address OF
your letter. which T would gladly have
had, If it. had been practicable.
I need not assure SonS Of my earnest
desire to Secure peace and order, aud
Just and faithful administration Of the
laws in this ruined and desolate State.
The aacrifoes I have made OF timo and
labor, sentiment and feeling, and even Of
the regard of valued friends to promote
those ends, are we'll known to you. Nor
need do moro to vindicate the earnest
he:rt yearningsI of onr good people for
unanimous support of party which
sought, last year, e balm for the healing
of the hideous diseases OF society, in n
concession OF legal efficacy and obliga-
ton to the amendments of the constitn-
tion and the so-called reconstruction
Acts, aiiking nothing in return but on
honest aud just administration OF affairs.
These concessions aud all ovortures
for peace were scornfully rejected by the
colored people and their leaders, Under
the high. sounding and pretentious title
of National Guards" the negroes were
armed and equipped with the deadliest
and costliest weapons aud munitions of
war, at the expense Of the people. They
were excited, incensed and infuriated by
the speeches OF false aud unsorupulous
demagogues, who played upon their blind
passions aud prejudices, as q skilful
harper upon the passive and obodiont
chords Of his instrument, until they were
ready for carnival of blood at the bid
ding Of their leaders. The commission
ers. managers and boards OF election
were 30 selected, and tho election laws so
cunningly devised, as to secure the re.
snlt Of the ballot irrespective of tho will
of the people. Thus by fraud, by forco
and by cunning artifue, negro domina-
practically disfranchised. Tho Legisla-
ture thus constituted, and many Of the
public officials openly, notoriously and
ehamelessiy plundered the people of the
State, recklessly squantlered the public
money, approprianng it to their own
uses, and selling their votes and their
influence for the passage Of laws to open
tho treusury to corrnpt 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
Ut the paople have correspondingly di-
minished. The taxes for two years, ag-
gregating more than $4,000, 900, are ex-
acted in this year. o period of greater
financial distress than this people hns en-
countered since 1865. Swarms of high
saiaried Offices ihave been created before
unknown to us, and, for the most part,
filled with incompetent negroes or ma
lignant and corrupt white men, who
seek to perpetnate their power by TO-
menting discord between the racea.
Under these oorrupting Influences, tho
negroes, In many places, hive become
violent, threatening aud dangerous.
Murder, arson and pillage have stalked
through the land almost unrebuked of
Justice, while every defensive act of the
white victims has been magnitied into q
national crime. All these aro facts
known TO Jou. Tha. in consequence
there should be disturbed condition of
affairs in some localities, dep.orable
though it DO. is MOTTO be wondered at
Let us rather be thankful that it has been
coufued to the Counties Of Laurens,
Uaion, Spartanburg, York and Chester.
We will consider these disturbances for q
moment. SE%
In Laurens and Chester there were
collisions between the armed militia, or
National Guards, (negroes.) and the
whites, in open daylight, the oircum-
stances of which are well known to you.
In the other Counties, disguised parties
have, from time to timo. within the last
three months. administered Lynch Law
in certain cases. While these OCCUR
renoes nre greatly to be deplored, and
some of thom merit md have received
almost universal condemnation, tho col
iisions in Lnurens and Chester, by fur
the most serious Of them all, arc regard
I'd by the best men who know the fucts,
as necessary and justyaable acts Of self
defence on the parl Of the .ohites. Nis
cery generally belieued that their prompt
action preusnted The general ara,. Of races.
,cAich MouqhTM s'aen haze regarded immi-
ment for some years past.
While these things have occurred in
the Counties mentioned, which are all
now quieted by the disarming Of the mi.
litia, in other Counties profound peace
has prevailed. Hero, for instance, we
havo enjoyed an unbroken reign OF quiet
and order. There was, at the last Oonrt
Of Sessions, not one act of violence de-
manding investigation. circumstance
I sIS 1ts SA<,l \. =. II