The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1871-01-13
THE LAURENsIILLB RIOT
Interview of the Committee of Citizens
with Governor Scott.

4 committee of citizens Of Lauens County,
consisting of Messrs. W. Simpson, Samuel
L. Todd, sr., and ]. A. Leland, was appointed
to walt on Governor Scott and lay before him
true account of the unfortunate occurrences
of the Goth of October. This was done on the
5th of November, and as rumors are in circu-
lation affecting the good faith Of Governor
Scott, in reference to this mission, the COM
mittee print in the Laurensville Herald the
following interesting statement:
STATEMENT.
The Governor received US with the utmost
consideration, in his own house, and listened
with the greatest respect and commendable
patience TO all we read aloud to hiIn, and to all
we had to say. In reply he expressed his
qualification In thus meeting us. remarktng
that If the same confidence had been manifest.
ed In times past on the part OF the citizens of
the State, much OF the troubles OF which we
complained would have been avoided. Cap
tain Estes, at that time commanding the
United States troops at this place, accompanied
us to Columbia, and was present at this In
was the disposition TO be made OF the public
arms, seized by order of the court, and at
that time scattered through the country.
The committee assured the Governor
that these arms were retained by the citizens
mainly through the fear that they would be re-
issued to the colored militia companies If re-
box and forward them to Columbia as fast as
thew should come in, and the committee on
their part pledged themselves TO use all their
influence TO have them brought In as soon as
possible. This was certainly carried out IN
rood faith, as the committee know that oil the
AIMS thus returned-some hundred or more
,,ono Hnru-arfod IN G0lumhia We
also believe that most, If not all these arms,
would now be safely boxed in Columbia, but
for subsequent developments, over which the
Governor had no control.
The committee also assured the Governor
that our citizens had ceased to look upon the
constabulary force as legitimate peace officers,
and to respect their authority as such. That
they had offered themselves to be used as
mere party tools In the hands OF despicable
political leaders, and any effort to make arrests
by them would inevitably lead to further acts
OF violence. On the other hand, they assured
him that the United States marshal could ride
through the length and breadth of the county,
in perfect security, and make whatever arrests
he pleased to make.
The Governor then assured us that 1t was his
purpose to dsband the whole constabulary
force in the State, and that none OF them
would be sent 10 make arrests In LaurenS.
This promise, too. he has faithfully observed.
He then asked the very natural question, why
the citizens themselves had made no effort to
arrest those accused OF murder and other out
RACES in the country? The committee replied
that these parties were unknown to the pub
lie, and that the character OF an iniormer has
always been regarded as odious in this State.
That whenever feonious killing occurred, 1t
was expected that Tie friends Of the deceased
would take the necessary steps to bring the
guilty parties to justice. The trial justices
were all of his own appointment, and the
sheriff and other peace officers were ready
to execute any warrants that might be placed
in their hands. But no such efforts had here
tofore been made.
with the most positive declaration on the
part of the committee that our citizens would
rather court than shun q fair judicial investiga-
ton into oil the facts Of the recent deplorable
outbreak, and with an assurance on his part
that the cases would be tried in our own
county, the conference closed.
The committee left his Excellency Impressed
with the belief that he was only anxious,
faithfully and impartially, to discharge his eX-
ecntive functions, ana they bespeak for him,
as in duty bound, an open approval OF all such
acts,