The Greenville enterprise. [volume] (Greenville, S.C.) 1870-1873, 1871-01-18
I. GREENyIELE SOUTH CAROLINA JANUARY l8 isaiL1I,'
Fsors the L.ursn.yille Herald.

- A
aa, aFsop tho Lsurensyille Hsrsld.. b, ID;
;a The undersigned were appoint
cd a committee. by the citizens of
iEaurens County, ito 'await upon
Governor Scott, and lay before
him. what we regarded, the true
history f6t the unfortunate occnr
.rences Of the 2Oth October last.
THIS we did on the 5.h Of Novem
Der, at no little personal inc6nv en-
.icice, and as the sole object OF our
mission was to give correct infor-
:nation to the Executive, we sim
ply reported, on our return, that
we bad discharged this duty fully
and frankly. Ne find, however,
that there are rumors circulating
through the country, seriously af.
fecting tlIe1good taitlr of Governor,
Scott. in reference to this mission,
and as we know them TO be unau.
thorized and urfounded, we deem
1t an act Of simple Justice both TO
the Governor and the Committee,
to make tho following r. H
ryftu 81 - STATEMENT. ..s, ,..,-. ga
'a'' The Governor received us with
Tho utmost consideration, in his
own House, and listened With the
greatest respectend commendabie
patience. to all We read aloud to
him and to all we had to say. Tn
reply he expressed his qualification
in thus meeting ns, rernarking that
if the same confidence had been
manifested in times past, on the
part of tie citizens OF. the State,
much of the troubles, of which we
complained, would have been
a, oided. Capt. Estes. at that time
commanding the U. S. troops at
this place, accompanied US to CO.
.lnmbia, and was present at this in
terview. The first, practical point
discussed, was the disposition To be
made Of the public arms, seized 10y
order of the Court, and at that
time scattered shrough the coun-
try. The committee assured the
Governor that these arms were re,
tained by the citizens mainly
through the fear that they would
be re issued to the colored militia
comf1anips if -es.---.~d.F Iie Then
directed Capt. Estes, to box and
forwa d them to Columbia, as fast
rs they should come in, ands the
committee on their part, pledged
Themselves to tuse all their nfiueIice
TO have them Drought inas soon as
possible. This was cer tainly car.
ried ont in good faith, as the com
;mi;tee know that all the arms. thus
Teturned-some hundred or more
were promptly forwarded to Co.
lumbia.r We also believe THAT
most, if not all these arms, would
now be safely boxed i'm COlumbia.
but for subsequent developments
over which the Governor had no
control. > = g.Tr' H.a rs
The committee also assured the
Governor that onr citizens had
ceased to look upan the Constabn.
.Iary force as legitimate peace off.
GERS. and torespect their authority
'as such. 10 That they had suffered
themselves to be used as mere par.
tyttools in the hands of dcspicaLle
political leaders, and any eff;srt to
make arrests by them would jiievi-
tably lead to further acts Of vio-
hence. Ontlse otherhand, they as.
sured him that the us Marshal
conid ride through the length aud
breadth ofithe County, in perfect
security, and make whatever ar.
rests he pleased 10 make.
-, The Governor then assured us
that it was his purpose to disband
the whole Constabulary force in. the
State, and that Bope of them would
be sent TO make arrests in Lau-
rens. Tins promise too, Ire has
faithfully observed. He then, ask
led the very natural question, why
the citizens themselves had made
ne effort to arrest those accused of
murder and other outrages in the
coun,ry4 The committee replied
that these parties were unknown
to the public, and that the rcliarac
ter ofanfihformer has always been
regarded as odious ir fifis- State.
That wheHeyer . felosIops killing
occurred, il was expected that the
friends OF the deceased would take
the, necessary Steps TO bring the
guilty parties TO justice. The Trial
Justices were ali of his own ap
pointment, and the sheriff and 9th.
Per peace officers, ,Nere ready to
execute any warrants that might
be placed in their hands. But no
each efforts had .heretofDre, been
made "..." "..-.... saos . 'sT@4.3la2
: With the most positive adeclara. :.
|tion on the part Of the committee,
bthak Onr citizene would ratla onur