The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1871-01-19
The South Carolina OutrageS-.Mes-
sage From Governor Scott-.Why he
Does Not Call Ont the Troops
CHARLESTON, Jan. /


Governor Scott yesterday sent . mes
sage 10 the Legislature In reply to the con
current resolution asking why o military
force for the protection Ofiiiea proper.
ty had not been sent into the riOtous md
refractory counties Of the State, apd why
the outlaws in these counties have moi
been brought to condign punishment
The Governor saysGE While l deeply de-
plOre the disturbances 10 which your resO
luton refers ! can hardly venture, as the
executive Of the State, to pronounce any
ofits counties riotousand refractory, upOll
the reported cases Of individual outrage
and while no information has been re-
ceived In this office indicating anything
like a county organization To defy or de-
feat the law. ICannot say, with truth
upon any information lip my possession
that in any section Of the State that the
laws arG not executed; ior, not n, single
case has been reported Id which thGotllCerS
Of the law have been resisted In the dis
charge oftheir duties. There Is no invasion
which am called upon to repel; no In.
surrection which l am called upon to sup.
press. But II there was afly portion Of
tho State in which violence and disorders
were so general ,as to disaIm the power
OF the civil courts, ! must say frankly that
Iliave no such militia force as would be
competent to suppress them, and II ! had
l have no means TO place and maintain
such u force in the field. II by tho out.
laws, who have not been brought to con.
dign punishment, you mean those indl'
yiluals who have lately pefpetrated the
Outrages In the counties OF Spartan6urg
and Union, l can only say that every ei.
fort has been made that could lawfully be
made by tho Executive to discover these
criminals and bring them 10 speedy tri.
al. 1t Is my opinion that the civil law ot
the State ought to be sufficient, md Il Is
my determination that 1t shall be sufll.
Cicnt 10 protect the person and property
Of any aud every citizen Of the State, how.
ever humble, friendlcss, or obnoxious. |
cannot bring myself to contemplate the
use Oi an armed force 10 punish individu-
ii violation Of the law In u time Ofpr1.
louEd peace. Such q remedy would be
rs bad Ms the disease, and would hC
u public declaration That there was no
civil government In South Caroline, and
that we are living In a condition Of social
anarchy. am bound by my oath Of Office
as the executive Of this Saie and in rev.
crence for the principles Of constitutional
liberty, which ale the, vital force Of tric
Republicanism, 10 see that the law Is duly
enforced before resort 10 other and dan.
gcrous powers. l dare not and will not
assume that Justice cannot DO administer.
cd, until the effort has been made and the
failure evident. II Is, therefore, my In
tcntiOn TO sec that the law Is enforced (;
and when | fail In the effort, will un.
hesitatingly call upon you for tho extraor-
binary powers 10 which society must re-
sort for selE:protection. But at present, l
would call your attention to the flCt that
all the cases OF reported violence arc indl.
vidual violations Of the law; that none ol
them have assumed the character ot pub.
lie combinations against the law, and that
they are within the regular Jurisdiction Of
the criminal courts. Tho Governor con.
cludcs by suggesting measures Tor q more
Vigorous, complete and efficient organiza-
1iOn Of the machinery necessary for the
administration Of criminal Justice.