The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1871-11-29

On NEWS: WEDNESDAY,, n
munIcatlon. In such conflict 1t was evident
that the militia would have been beaten.
either driven back or Slaughtered. In that
event, feared general retaliation, which
would have speedily made the entire state the
theatre Of an interneclne war.
But, supposing the militia successful in SUCH
conflict The opposition papers and the Asso-
clated Press agents in this State would have
proclaimed to the country that tne state ad-
ministration had, for a political purpose, inau-
gurated p "war of races" and even loyal men
Of both parties In the North, who have no SYM
pathy with the perpetrators of these unnatural
crimes, would have been led to believe that
the contest here was one between the NEGRO
and the white man." instead OF being, as II Is,
an issue between the loyal friends OF the gov
ernment and its disloyal enemies.
Such an impression IN the country 'Would
have had a peculiarly disastrous effect upon
the future of the colored populatlon through
out the entire South.
In addition to these considerations, l
thought, and still think, that 1t was the para
mount duty of the Government OF the uniteo
States to protect its loyal citizens IN the ENJOY
ment of ''life, liberty and the pursuit Oh nap
piness."
The negro vas a slave by virtue of the Con.
stttution Of the United States. By the Gov
ernment of the United States he was emancl-
mated and made free. American citizen. The
Government of the United states ls, tnere.
fore, morally bound to protect nlm IN the iuli
exercise of his vested rlshts, ana: II neeu oe,
N educate him to exercise those rights under
standinely, for he was kept IN ignorance pur-
suant to its laws. If the Government OF tne
United States, fails, when necessary, TO dis
charge this duty, then emancipation was
political crime, and the negro Is lett to become
the obedient tool or wretched victim OF the
disloya enemies Of the government, ana 10
suffer oltrages because ne Is lts lrleno. more
execution of the laws with extreme repug-
nance, and required that the civil authorities
should first exhaust their powers through the
1,osse conitatus. In the following letter, ad-
dressed to the sheriff of Fairfield County, and
published for the Information ana guidance OF
peace officers In other counties, enl0lned
upon the local magistrates ana peace onlcers
of That county to ect with vlgor, and, at all
hazards. 10 bring these criminals to justice, at
least such of them as were known, ana Wnere
there was proper evidence on which warrant
estate OF SOUTH CAROLINA,
'ExECUTTvE DBPARTMEST. I
"CoLUMBIA, May I'd, lS7l)
"7o the Sheriff of Fairfield COUNTY
"SIR-I have been credlbly Informed Dy num-
ber OF citizens OF Fairfield County, as wen as oy
your own official communication, tnat on tne
night Of the 29th ultimo, body OF armed men, IN
disguise rode into the Town OF Winnsboro' and
left at the houses OF several county of1cers 9
written paper, In which they were commanded
to resign and threatened with violence II tney
failed to obey AS you are the chief eXecttve ofa-
Ger OF the county, It's your duty TO take meas
ure, to ascertain and bring to Justice these mask
ed violators OF the public peace and, Sr tais pur
pose, you shall promptly invoke an the resources
which the law places at your disposal: In the
last resort should the ordinary service OF process
prove inadequate to make the necessary arrests,
OF any armed Gom9Ihao1, ,eS ro 10Y bSve S
no doubt, will be responded to by al GOOD cltl.
|.Zens. In all cases OF this character, Wnere
citizens are put In terror by armed bands OF
cal authorities should exhaust all legal
resources to give adequate protection to life and
property before the State Executive can properly
intervene by extraordinary exhibitions Of force,
hitherto unknown to the administration OF the
laws In civilized communities. The failure OF TIE
proper county officers to exert tnelr utmost vgl
lance 10 detect, and their most vigorous enorts 10
bring TO puni,hm all dlstu oers OF tne peace.
will be deemed evidence OF their nagrant neglect
Of duty or 81 oss neclency. 1t Is grave reproacn
to the people Of Winnsboro'. that q band OF flty
disguised horsemen should have been permitted
| to Enter their town, and occupy II for several a.
hours, with the declared purpose OF putting In
terror or innicting violence upon, the sworn pub
lie officers Of the county.
HIQ this cOlneCllOQ, IL IL pEoVcE tuat L ououlu
call your attention to the recent act OF Congress
which makes all citizens who are prlVy 70 any
acts OF organized violence. and fail to give any
Information In their possession that may lead 70
the arrest Of the perpetrators partceps canltnts
In their guilt,
tsipned) "RoBsRT E SCOTT Governor"
The officers did not act. being either para
lived by fear or in sympathy with the crlml-
nais. In common. with many others, the
loyal men among them seemed to regard this
as purely personal government. and to ex-
duties of all the departments of the State.
At this juncture I determined to make q
final effort 10 restore public order without
military force, and therefore invited promi-
nent citizens OF the disaffected section 10
conference with me at the capital. They
and of acknowledged influence In their re.
spective counties. / had hoped much from
their cooperation In the interest OF law and
order which they professed to advocate, know
ing, as did, that the masses Of the whites IN
this State would, from the mere force OF for
mer discipline, heed their admonitions. The
conference was held. All Of these gentlemen
deprecated acts OF violence, but denied the ex-
istence of the Ku-Klux organization In South
Carolina, while some of them Indirectly sought
to extenuate acts Of violence. that they could
not well deny, By referring them to what they
were falsely pleased to term "negro rule"
They alleged numerous acts OF lncendlarlsm
by negroes, which allegations, derived from
the opposition press, and often repeated, have
been proved base tabricatloEs. In the main.
designed to Offset or palliate the burning of
school houses erected for the instruction OF
colored children.
These gentlemen, however, promised me
their cooperation TO the end In view, and
believed them. I am not advised that any
effort was made to fulfil those promises. Ger
tainly they effected nothing. Having exhaust
ed ali the civil power under my control to sup
press this nsurrectlon against the constituted
authorities, made application, In accordance
with the Constitution of the United States, to
the National Government 10 protect the State
ssagalnst domestic violence
The magnitude of this organized system OF
crime was made apparent to Congress, the
evidence in the possession of the government
showing that the Ku-Klux bands, In South
Carolina, were shut parts of a stupendous
whole" having o broader scope than the re-
dress OF mere local grievance. Congress,
''by appropriate legislation" having granted
the necessary powers, his Excellency the Pres.
ident of the United States, on the 18th day Of
October, 1871, suspended the writ oil haoeas
corpus In the CouuLies of Spartanburg, York,