The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1871-01-25


hThexnndessienea were ysppointed. TO
committee, by the citizens of Laurens
County, fo wait upon Governor Scott.
and, lay before him what we regarded
the true history of the unfortunate
occurrences OF tho Goth October last.
This we did On the 9Th of November,
at no little personal Inconvenience, and
as the sole object Of our mission was to
give correct information to the Exccu-
tive, we simply reported, on our return,
that we had discharged this duty fully
and frankly. Wo find. however, that
there are rumors circulating through the
country, seriously affecting the good
faith of Governor Scott, in reference to
this mission, and ne we know them to
be unauthorized and unfounded, we
deem it an act of simple justice both to
the Governor and the committee. to
make the following 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 him and to all we had to
say. In reply, he expressed his gratifi-
cation In thus meeting us, remarking
that it the same confidence had been
manifested in times past, on the part of
the citizens Of the State, much of the
troubles, Of which we complained. would
have been avoided. Capt. Estes, at
that time commanding the United States
troops at this place, accompanied us to
Columbia, and was present Mt this inter-
view. The first practical point discussed
was the disposition to be made of the
public arms, seized by order of the
Court, and ut that time scattered through
the country. The committee assured
the Governor that these arms were re-
tanned by the citizens, mainly through
the fear that they would be re-issued to
the colored militia companies, if re-
turned. He then directed Capt Estes
to box and forward them to Columbia,
as fast as they should come in, and the
committee, on their part, pledged thcm-
selves to use all their influence to have
them brought in rs soon ns possible.
This was certainly carried out in good
faith, as the committee know that all the
arms thus returned-some hundred or
more-were promptly forwarded to Co.
lumbia. 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 Go
vernon that our citizens had ceased to
look upon the constabulary force rs legi-
innate peace officers, and to respect their
authority as such. That they had suf-
tered themselves to be used rs mere
party tools in the hands Of lespicabe
political leaders, and any effort to make
arrests by them would inevitably lead to
fnrfhnr re nf x,.clo ii.
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 ar
rests he pleased to make.
The Governor then assured us TINT it
was his purpose to disband the whole
constabulnry force in the State, and that
none of them would be sent to mako ar
rests in Laurens. This promise, too. he
has faithfully observed. He then asked
the very natural question, why the citi-
zens themselves had made no effort to
arrest those accused of murder and other
outrages in the country? The commit
tee replied that these parties were un-
known to the public, aud that the cha
racter of an informer has always been
regarded as odious in this State. That
whenever felonious killing occurred, it
was expected that the friends of the de-
ceased would take the necessary steps to
bring the guilty parties to justice The
trial Justices were all of his own ap-
pointhent, and the sheriff and other
peace officers we're ready to execute any
warrants that might be placed in their
hands. But no such efforts had hereto
fore been made.
With the most positive declaration on
the part of the committee that our citi-
zens would rather court than shun q fair
judicial Investigation into all the facts of
the recent deplorable outbreak, and with
nm assurance, on his part, that the cases
would be tried in our own County, the
conference closed.
The committee left the Governor in-
pressed with the belief that he was only
anxious, faithfully and impartially, to
discharge his Executive functions; and
they bespeak for him, a, in duty bound,
an open approval of all such nets.
JOHN w. SIMPSON,
SAMUEL r. TODD, Sn,
J. A. LELAND,
Committee