The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1871-04-06
Letter from Gen. Kershaw in Reply to
Senator Robertson.

the following able and exhaustive review of
the situation from the pen of Gen. ]. B. Ker-
shaw, one of South Carolinas noblest and most
patriotic sons:
CAMDEN, s. c., March 25, 1871.
Hon. T. J. ROBERTSON, U. S. S.
Dear Sri have the honor to acknowledge
the receipt of your favor of the 18th inst, and
after giving it that consideration which Its
grave Importance demands, proceed to answer
it. This 1 am compelled to do without that
conference with those gentlemen with whom
you have associated me, in the address of your
letter, which would gladly have had, 1t 1t had
been practicable.
need not assure you of my earnest desire
to secure peace and order, and a just and faith
full administration Of the laws in this ruined
and desolated State. The sacrifices l have
and even the regard of valued friends to pro-
moto those ends, are well known to you. Nor
need do more to vindicate the earnest heart
yearnings of our good people for peace and Sc
curity, than to point to their unanimous support
of that party which sought, last year, balm
for the healing of the hideous diseases of So
ciety, in concession of legal efficacy and OBJ
legation to the amendments of the ConsJitu-
tion and the so-callcd reconstruction acts,
asking nothing III return but an honest and
just administration of affairs.
These concessions and all overtures for peace
were scornfully rejected by the colored people
and their leaders. Under the high sounding
and pretentious title of National Guards" the
negroes were armed and equipped with the
deadliest and costliest weapons and munitions
of war, at the expense of the people. They were
excited, inccnsed and infuriated by the speeches
of false and unscrupulous demagogues, who
played upon their blind passions and prejudices,
as skilful harper upon the passive and obe-
dient chords of his instrument, until they We're
ready for a carnival of blood at the bidding OF
their leaders. The Commissioners, managers
and boards of election were so selected, and
the election laws so cunningly devised, as to
secure the result of the ballot irrespective of
the will of the people. Thus by fraud, by force
and by cunning artifce, negro domination was
secured, and the whites were practically dis
franchised. The Legislature thus constituted,
and many of the public officials, openly, noto-
riously and shamelessly plundered the people
of the State, recklcssly squandered the public
money, aappropriating, it to their own uses, and
selling their votes and their influence for the
Spectators. BY these means the expeditures
TO more than five times the amount required
before the war, while the means of the people
have correspondngly diminished. The taxes
for two years, aggregating more than four mil
lions of dollars are eXacted In this year, pc
riod of greater financial distress than this peo-
pie has encountered since 1865. Swarms of
high salaried offices have been created before
unknown to us, and for the most part, filled
with incompetent negroes or malignant and
corrupt white men, who seek to perpetuate
their power by fomenting discord between the
races. Under these corrupting influences, the
negroes, in many places, have become violent,
threatening and dangerous. Murder, arson
and pillage have stalked through the land al
most unrebuked Of justice, while every defen-
sve act of the white victims, has been magni-
fed into national crime. All these are facts
known to you. That in consequence, there
should be disturbed condition of affairs in
some localities, deplorable though it be, is not
to be admired. Let us rather'be thankful that
it has been confined to the counties of Laurens,
Union, Spartanbnrg, York and Chester. We
will consider these disturbances for a moment.
In Laurens and Chester, there were collisions
between the armed militia, or national guards,
(negroesl and the whites, in open daylight, the
circumstances of which are well known to you.
In the other counties disguised parties have,
from time to time, within the astthree months,
administered Lynch law in certain cases. s.
While these occurrences are greatly to be de-
plorcd, and some of them merit and have re-
ceived almost universal condemnation the col
lisions in Laurens and Chester, by far the most
serious of them ALL are regarded by the best
men who know the facts, as necessary and JUS
tifablc acts of self-de fence on the part of the
whites. 1t is very generally believed that their
prompt action prevented that general war of
races, which thoughtful men have regarded i'm
minent for some years past.
While these things have occurred in the
counties mentioned which are all now quieted
by the disarming of the militia in other coun-
ties profound peace has prevailed. Here, for
instance, VIC have enjoyed an unbroken reign
of quiet and order. There was, at the last
Court of Sessions, not one act Of violence de-
manding investigation, circumstance which
elected the congratulations of the presiding
Judge.
Here there has been no: organized and
threatening demonstration of the militia who
though armed, have not, am informed, been
furnished with ball-cartridges. On the other
hand, am satisfied there has never been in
this county, any organization corresponding in
any way, to what is termed the "ku Klux
klan, or any other unlawful ASSOCIATION. 4
take it that this condition Of things exists in by
far the larger portion of this State. But, like
causes produce like results, and therefore, any
demonstration on the part of the negroes, and
especially the armed militia, which would rem
der our people apprehensive Of an attack,
would very probably induce organizations for
defensive or preventive operations, and possibly
lead to similar disastrous conflicts as ensued at
Laurens and Chester.
Now you desire my aid in arousing and con-
centrating the opinion of all good citizens, in
common with the other gentlemen whom You gu
have addressed, intelligence and good inten-
tions" Let me remark, by the way, as illus
trating one of the many anomalies of the day,
that, Notwithstanding the confidence thus ex-
pressed, the most liberal amnesty bill yet re-
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