The Sumter watchman. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1855-1881, 1871-01-25
COLUMBIA, s. c., January I6

Legislature vas read in both House, to-
day. creating great sensation in the
Radical circles The House referred i,
to the Judiciary aud Military Com
rsittees. 1t is az follcws:
STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA,
EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT,
COLUMBIA, January l6. 1871.
TO the S'nnte and House Of Represen
tatires IL have received the concurrent
resolution of the Senate and House of
Representatives, requesting me to in
form the General Assembly why a sufi.
cient military force for the protection of
life, liberty and property, have not been
stationed in such counties of this State
as have been hitherto riotous and re
fractory and further. why have no.
the outlaws in them been brought to
condign punishment and why the pro
visions OF Section 2 Of Article Is of Tie
Constitution has noi been enforced. ard
also. 10 inform The Genera Assembly
what further legislation is necessary TO
effect the purpose herein stated
In furnishing ycu such Information
as it is in my power 10 supply. and Will
deeply depiorr The disturb .rces TO
which your resolution refers, can
scarcely veLruie, as Exc ccutive of the
State, to pronounce ary Of It's couuii
riot9us and refractory, upon the reported
cases Of individual outrage, and while no
information has heen received in this
cfIice indicating anything Ike county
organization to defy or to defeat the law.
am the more cautious in this respect,
because, il will be recolccted. that yer,
mapy cases of individral violence havc
hitherto been reported both FROM ihr
counties Of Abbcviic and Edgc6~li bnr
the prompt aud imrarliai administration
Of justice in these c. nn'ie> has proved
hat The civil power was suaicieu for
the protection of the iifc, lIhcriy a::d
property Of our ciizr"s; aud 'hr>~ c"u"
ties are now as quiet. praceahe and
orderly as any purtinr of the State -
But if there was any part Of the S ate in
which violence and disorder were So
general as 10 disarm the power Of the
civil Courts. must say. fr ukiy. rha; |
have no such militia inrsc as would BE-
conpetent to suppress them. and i'll had
1 haze 30 means to place AMI maintain
such force in rhe field II b: the out
laws who have not been brought 10
condign punishment, you mean those
iudividGlls who nave lately perpeira:ed
the outrag' in the counties Of Spartan
burg and Union. I can only say thar
every effort has been made. that could
lawfully be made by the Executive. I"
discover these criminals and bring Them
to speedy trial. In some instances those
spected Of gull, have beeu committed
for trial, and in their cases the Execu
tive is without power, as he ought TO
be without disposition, TO interfere with
the due administration of the law In
other instances the perpetrators ofthese
crimes are not known. and have not yet
been discovered. l can only promise
that every effort shall be made to arrest
and bring them to justice.
am not aware that the 2pd Section
of the 18th article Of the Constitution
has not been enforced That section
provides "The Governor shall have
power to call out the militia to execute
the laws, repel invasion, repre>s in>ur-
rectiou, and preserve the public peace.
l cannot say with truth upon any infor-
nation in my possession that in any
section of the State the laws are not
executed, for not single case has been
reported in which the officers Of the
law have been resisted in the discharge
of their duties. There is no invasion
which am called on to repci, no insur
rection which am called en- to 8 P
press.
While 1 cannot say that the public
peace Of the State is threatened to such
degree as to warrant the exercise Of
the power of calling out the militia,
given in the Section ofthe Constitution
just quoted, l deeply regret tina; it Is
my duty to inform you that the condition
of several of the counties in the State is
disturbed aud dangerous. In Laurens,
Union and Spariauburg persons and
property are not secure. Repeated ;n-
stances of violence, disregard of the law
and murder have been reported, and
there is a well founded apprehension On
the part of law abiding citizens that un-
less these outrages are promptly checked,
the evil will have become too great for
ordinary remedies. do not propose at
present to refer to these crimes in detail,
nor to attempt the discussion of their
cases. 1t is enough to say that they are
so grave and so Numerous as to call for
the uuAinchiug application of all the
power of reform which the Executive
can lawfully exercise.
1t is proper for me to state and am
glad to be able to do it, that ths public
sentiment of these Couatiess seems to
be aroused to the character aud COP
sequences of this state Of affairs. aud
public meetings have been held. IN
which the responsible and inauenrlni
citizens of Laurens and Sparlanourg
have declared iu language saficieosly
strong, their abhorrence Of shese crimes
and their willingness TO aid the E1.
ecative 10 the suppression sof them. At
these opinions are carried out IN action.