The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1871-10-20
C lLUMBIA, S. C.
Frilay Morning. October 20. 1871.
Suspension OF tho Writ OF IInbens Cor
pus-..Tho Coll OF tho Empire"

As our readers observed in our telc-
graphic columns on yesterday, the Pro
sident or the Emperor, General Grant,
has suspended in nine Counties OF South
Carolina tho writ OF ha6eas corpus Tho
independence OF the judiciary, trial by
jury and habeas corpus are among tue
great principles of civil liberty that we
derived from our English ancestors.
Among the great principles OK liberty
that freemen hold dear, that embodied
in the writ of ha6eas corpus stands pre-
eminent. It is held to bo the best safe
guard, the highest privilege Of the citi-
zen. This great writ General Grant, rs
we hold, for party purposes, tramples
under foot. Under the pretence Of ere
bellion," nine Counties in South Caro-
lima aro placed under martial law, and
her citizens made liable to NIL the perse-
cntions, oil the wrongs, all the false
swearing, that are possible uuder the
Infamous Ku Klnx Act Of Congress
sional majority. This net Of Gen. Graut
was uncalled for. There is no robellion,
or anything like it, in any County in
South Carolina. If this proceeding did
not originate in the military instincts OF
Grant himself, it camo doubtless from
the Vaccinations and Misrepresentation
of designing politicians. Such men as
Wallace, and Elliott, and Worthington,
and Hoge have no doubt made their
contributions to this end. Such jour.
nails rs the Union here have been only
too successful. Nor do we think it at
all unlikely that this martial law in
South Carolina is the suggestion of
Gov. Scott himself.
tial law for South Carolina, and then
again to oppose it, we deem it quite
probable that he-the Governor of South
Carolina in full accord with the Go
vernment at Washington. This s,lspen-
sion of the writ of ha6ees corpus is q
grievous wrong to the citizens of South
Carolina. It will no doubt affect our
material interests, and injnre our State
generally. We are wounded, and our
foes are our rulers and their confederatcs
in our midst. What a commentary
upon the State Government is afforded! |!
Statel did we say? We withdraw the
word. What q commentary upon the
proUince of South Cnrolinn! Here, in
South Caroline, in the midst of peace,
I, Il a. IS
enters, and the baton of the civil mngis-
trate is contemptuously thrust aside
No good citizen in South Carolina can
object TO the enforcement of law and
order by proper means and agencies in
every County OF South Carolina. But
the point We make is that, to effect this
end, there was no necessity to resort to
the extremity of martial law. In por-
tions OF South Carolina, there hive been
violations Of the law. But these viola
tions, it should be borne in mind, how
ever actually indefensible. have been
largely the result OF the corruption of
Office holders and the plunder of the
people at the capital and in the Coun-
ties-from the highest State officials
down to the most petty County officer.
If there have been outlaws in the com.
munity, there have been outlaws in the
Government and outlaws in the Legisla-
ture. Indeed, we do not hesitate where
to fix the chief responsibility for the
disorders that have occurred in this
State. And here let us be understood.
We do not deny that disorders have
occurred in this State, but we do affirm
that they have been greatly exaggerated.
But we repsat, it is obvious where the re-
sponsibility rests. It is with the corrupt
and inefficient regime that We have, and
have had in this State. That this
regime is grossly corrupt, wo hayo the
admissions of such men of the
Radioal party as Mr.. Chamberlain,
the Attorney General. When, then,
tho President Of the United States
declares nine Counties in South Ca
rolina under martial law, and under
=