The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1871-10-28
Let the Radicals Listen TO Their Own
Witnesses.


The laws which regulate the drawing OF
iuries in South Carolina were framed oy our
Radical Legislature, with the settled deter
mination to give their colored constituents
the fullest possible protection. Most OF the
officers OF the different courts, and all the
Judges, are members of the Republican
party, and we have the right to assume that
their deliberate utterances are at least i'm
partial in whatever may effect the we'll
being Of Republicanism. Nor do we see
that the bitterest Radicals can consistently
decline to repose confidence in the state
ments OF the judges whom they have placed
upon the bench, or OF the mixed juries
whom their own commissioners select. And
vet, if the words OF these judges and juries,
as far as they have spoken, are accepted as
the truth, we have the clearest evidence
that the conspiracies and unlawful combina-
tions, upon which the suspension OF the
writ of habeaS corpus is based, do not e'etSf.
We have already printed the charge OF
Judge Thomas to the grand jury OF Chester
County, which jury consists OF six whites
and six blacks. Judge Thomas told the
Jury that she had no knowledge himself Of
''any obstruction of the la@S," and urged
upon them the importance OF making 'a
searching investigation" of all the viola
tlons Of law that were alleged to have been
committed in the county. The grand jury
(six whites and six blacks) did make a
searching investigation. They examined
the commandant OF the post, and sifted the
evidence which they gave The result is
that the grand jury report to the court that
they have heard Of only two murders since
the court was last in session. They, further
more, declare upon their oaths, from the
testimony they have taken and from their
knowledge Of the different parts OF the
county, that "the allegations contained in
"the proclamation OF the President OF the
"United States are aoihom foundation,
''and must be the result OF ialsehood COM
''municated to him by persons equally re-
"sardless OF good order and the peace OF
society" This solemn presentment OF
facts (Which is elsewhere printed in fully
must be taken as complete refutation OF
the false charges which have brought down
upon Chester The vengeance Of the admin
istration.
The grand jury Of York County have,
also, taken cognizance OF what is called Ku-
Kluxlsm. They hint at no distractions OF
the law, although their presentment was
made before the appearance OF the Presi-
dents proclamation. They examined Col
onel Merrill, the post commandant, Con-
gresham Wallace, and cloud OF other
witnesses. The examination occupied them
eight days, and they then formally informed |
the court that, since the first OF July, the |
only violations Of the peace in the county |
were the burning OF the school-house, two |
cases Of assault and battery and q riot
which last consisted Of the firing Of pistol,
and the use Of boisterous language.
Now, if we add to the strong evidence
which comes from Chester and York the as.
founding fact that Marion County was
included By mistake in the list OF insnrgent
we have proof enough that the
privilege Of the writ OF ha6eas corpus has
been suspended without sufficient cause and
without sufficient delberation. We waive,
Tor the moment, all question as to The con-
of the Ku-Klux law. We
,ontne ourselves to the simple declaration
hat clerical error is allowed to strip
whole county Of the protection Of the civil
aw. and that the administration of the laws is
said to be obstructed in the very counties
where Republican judges and mixed juries
without thought OF hindrance, the
usual business of the term. Whether Ches-
er and York are, also, the victims of ga
clerical error, we do not pretend to say.
Their partners in misfortune are as tranquil
and law-abiding. What two counties have
lone the rest will do, in like manner, when
hey have chance. But it is useless to
1t is poor South Carolina which
nuddies the stream, although far above US
stand the spies and fanatics who stir the
waters ut their source.