The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1871-04-03
THE CRISIS IN THE STATE.
GEyERI1 KERsHA WIS REPLY TO
SENATOR ROBERTSON.
The Ku.KIux the Direct and Natural
Result Of Aiming the Negro Militia.

The Ku-KIux Ia Direct and Natural
Result of Aiming the Negro Militia.
CAMDEN, S. c., March 25, 1871.
Hon. I. j. Robertson, United States Senator:
DEAR Sri have the honor to acknowledge
the receipt OF y6ur favor OF the 18th instant,
and, alter giving it that consideration which
Its grave Importance demands, proceed to an
swer it. This I am compelled 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 it had been practicable.
need not assure you Of my earnest desire
to secure peace and order, and a just and
faithful administration of the laws in this ru-
ined and desolated State. The sacrifices Il
have made of time and labor, sentiment and
feeling, and even Of the regard OF valued
friends to promote those ends, are well known
to you. Nor need I do more to vindicate the
earnesfheart yearnings Of our good people for
peace and security, than to point to their
unanimous support of a party. which sought,
last year, a balm for the healing Of the hfd-
eous diseases of society, in a concession of
legal efficacy and obligation 10 the amend
ments of the constitution and the so-called re-
reconstruction acts, asking nothing in return
but an honest and just administration of
affairs.
These concessions and all overtures 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 and NUM-
tions of war, at the expense of the people.
They were excited, incensed ndinturiated by
the speeches of false and inscriptions dema-
gogues, who played upon theTr blind passions
and prejudices, as a skilful harper upon the
passive and obedfent chords of his instrument,
unit. they were ready for a carnival OF bloods
at the bidding OF their leaders. The commits
sioners, managers and boards OF election were
go selected, and the election laws so cunning
" devised, as to secure the result of the ballos
irrespective Of the will of the people. Thus by
fraud, by force and by9cunning article, negro
domination was secured, and the whites were
practically DISTINGUISHED. The Legislature thus
constituted, and many of the public officials,
openly, VIGOROUSLY and shamelessly plumber
ed the people Of the State, recklessly squan-
dereA the public money, %appropriating it to
their own uses, and selling their voies and
their influence for the passage Of laws to open
the treasury to corrupt spectators. BY these
means the expenditures of the State Govern
ment have been increased to more than five
times the amount required before the war,
while the means OF the people have cores
~pondingly diminished. The taxes for two
years, aggregating more than -four milionstof
dollars, are exactedin this year, q period of
greater financial distress than this people has
encounteredsinc 1855. Swarms OF high salaried
offices have beencreated before unknown to us,
and, for the most part, filed with Incompetent
negroes or malignant and corrupt white men,
who seek to perpetuate their power by TO
menting discord between the races. Under
these corrupting influences, the negroes, IN
many places, have become violent, threatening
and dangerous. Murder, arson and phlage
have stalked through the land almost unre-
buked of justice, willie every defensive act OF
the white victims has been maSni1ed into a
national crime. All these are facts known to
you. That in consequence there should be Q
disturbed condition Of affairs in some local.
ties, deplorable though 1t be, is not to be Won
dered at. Let us rather be thankful that it has
been confined To- the Counties of Laurens,
Union, Spartanburg, York and Chester. We
will consider these disturbances for a mo-
ment.
In Laurens and Chester there were collisions
between the armed militia, or national guards
(negr6es,) 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 in Laurens and Chester, by far the
most serious OF them all, are regarded by the
best men who know the facts, as necessary
and .juslisaole acts Of selfdgsnce on the part
of the rhites. 1t is uery generally 6eliered that
their prompt action prevented the general aoar
OF races, tohich thoughtful men hare regarded
imminent for some gears past.
While these things have occurred in the
counties mentioned, which are all now quiet
ed by the disarming of the militia, in other
counties, profound peace has prevailed.
Here, for instance, We have enjoyed an I'M
broken reign of quiet and order. There was,
at the last Court Of Sessions. not one act OF
violence demanding investigations, a circum-
stance which elected the. congratulations OF
the presiding judge.
Here there has been no organized and
threatening demonstration OF the militia, who,
though armed, have not, I am informed, been
furnished with ball cartridges. On the other
hand, l am satisfied there has never been IN
this county any organization corresponding IN
any way to what is termed the "ku-Klux
Klan... or any other unlawful association. 1
take 4 that this condition of things exists in
by far the larger portion OF the Stale. But
like causes produce like results, and, therefore,
any demonstration on The part ofthe negroes,
and especially the armed militia, a0hich 'ooutd
render our people apprehenStre of an attack,
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