The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1871-12-19
Mr.. Book and Military Law In ,hi.
State.


Mr.. Book .nd military Law In ,hs.
State.
Among the best and ablest members
Of the United States House Of Repre-.
sentatiyes IL the Hon. james B. Beck. OF
Kentucky. On the first day OF the pre-
sent session OF Congress, he introduced
tn the House the following resolution:
''Resoloed, That tho President of the
United States be, and he is hereby. re-
quested to inform this House nuder
what provisions Of the law OF April 20.
IS. i, If any. and il not under that law.
BY what authority, he has caused the
Constitution and laws Of the United
States. and the Constitution and laws OF
the State OF South Carolina, to be SO.
aside. and martial law declared, and the
writ OF h0baas corpus suspended in Spar
tanburg. Union and seven other Coun-
ties in the State Of South Carolina,
whereby the courts and civil authorities
are unable to afford protection to the
lives. liberties and rights of the people
therein, and all of them left at the mercy
of such military subordinates as he has
seen or may see at to place over them.
He is specially requested to lay before
this House all the acts of insurrectiop,
resistance or opposition to the laws OF
the United States, committed in each OF
those Counties at any time after the Doth
OF April, 1871. prior to the date OF his
proclamation OF martial lay. giving the
character of the offences, the facts rels-
tive thereto, and the names of the offend.
ers, so far as asoertained. He is further
requested to lay before tho House any
cases OF resistance to the execution OF
the process of the civil courts, or the
officers either OF the United States or OF
the State of South Oar olina, by any OF
the citizens Of any Of the Counties in
which the guarantees OF constitutional
liberty have been annulled by his procla-
nation aforesaid, since the passage of
the Act OF April 20. 1871, aforesaid; and
that he give the names Of all OF said ci.i-
zens who have been arrested or impri-
soned under and by virtue Of the autho.
rity conferred by his proclamation, With
the violation of law with which each is
charged, and the dates at which it is al
ieged they committed the offences for
which they were so arrested and impri-
soned; and that he give this House full
information as to ali the statements Of
fact on which he acted in issuing his
proclamation aforesaid, giving the names
OF his informants. their statements when
made to him in writing, and the snb.
stance OF them when made verbally, 30
that this House can determine what
steps are necessary to restore to the citi.
zens Of the Counties aforesaid, and espe-
oialiy to those who are not guilty OF
offences against the United States, the
equal protection OF the Laws With the
people Of other PORTIONS OF the country,
under the forms prescribed by the Con-
stitution of the United States"
We hope that the House nay adopt
this resolution. We feel satisfed that
tho country does not appreciate the
enormity Of the military proceedings
that have been carried out Ia this State.
Consider the Presidents two proclama.
tions and the facts of the case, and the
whole proceedings in this State will be
deemed most extraordinary. Proceed.
ings that would have set all England all
ablase have. however. been reoeived thus
far quietly in this so.called land OF con-
stitutional liberty. We have said it, and
we repeat it, that Grants military inter.
vention in this State was without Just
cause, ana that serious responsibility
now rests upon him and those who
bounded on this war upon South CARROLL
ma, for the serious damage inflicted upon
the industrial interests Of the State, to
say nothing OF the disregard of the
usoal privileges Of freemen. Let the
country have tho facts that Mr.. Beck
calls for. and then let the country Judge
between rs and our foes.
A VBRY PROPER RsMINDRR. The
New York World very nronarly raminds