The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1871-10-24
Ns In York-Businass Paralyxed-
Intense Excitement.

= We beg leave to call attention to the
following extract from the letter Of q
citizen Of Yorkvilie, addressed to o gem
tleman OF this city. The writer is q
gentleman of the highest character.
His letter will give some idea Of the
scenes enacting in York. Nor will our
readers fail to appreciate the indignant
emotions evinoed by the writer, whom
we know to be quiet. law-abiding mnu:
IonKv1L1E, 8. O., October 21, 1871.
Although I feel secure in my own in
nocenoe of any oomplicity in the causes
which have been made the pretext for
the infamous proceedings inaugurated
here by the party in power, yet can
not but be shocked, and feel nneasiness,
at the total overthrow of all my prccon-
ceptions of republicnnism, freedom and
law. Indeed, no stranger to our com
munity could remain here unaffected by
the prevailing gloom and sonse Of inse-
ourity. Every bulwark of civil protcc-
ton seems levoled, and personal liberty
appears now to depend entirely upon
the absence of malice Oh the part Of the
ignorant and depraved. No warrants
nre issued. no charges specified, no nn-
thority exhibited; soldier nnler arms.
sometimes o commissioned or non-com-
missioned officer, sometimes merely u
private, presents himself and orders IL
march to Jail. Arrived there, the pri-
soner is searched, and then locked up in
a cell and told thnt he can have no
source OF amusement to wile away the
time. rs he is placed there for punisA-
ment, and not for pleasure. In some
cases, little consideration has been
shown, such as time to take leave Of wife
and children, aoten Convenient; in many
others. the summary process" is most
scrupulously adhered to. A case Of this
kind took place in town, to-day. which
illustrates well "the changes aud variety
of untried being we must pass" a Mr.
Mitchell, highly esteemed as u straight
forward, upright man. by all who know
him, camo to town last night to attend
Masonic meeting. This morning, while
standing in store, he WIS arrested by
common soldier, who, after cooking his
musket aud putting on fresh cap,
ordered him to hold up his hands, aud
told negro to search his pockets and
disaFm him. This being done. the
doughty soldier, with his sable assistant
carried the prisoner to jail What adds
poignanoy to this shameful indignity, is
the fact that the black rascal who took
part in it has been strongly suspected OF
having been one of Roses gang Of barn
burners. There are now some thirty
two or three in Jail; but this number
will. doubtless, be- largely increased by
morning, us nearly all of the cavalry
companies are ranging over the country.
and night arrests seem to be in special
favor.
All this is bad enough, God knows,
but there are consequent evils to be ap.
pretended, which dwarfs it into petty
annoyance. The County is being depo-
pulated. Numbers Of farmers and other
citizens, innocent as we'll as guilty, ap-
palled at the prospect Of long incarce-
fation, packed jury, an unscrupulous
Judge, and ready host OF accusing wit
nesses, eager to swear according to in
structions, for ''$2 day and expenses
paid" have left homes and families just
as the threatened danger found them.
The matured crops are but half gathered,
and the unprotected farms stand as
tempting bats for the idle negro. 1t
will not be long before larceny, arson
and outrage of every sort will be com
mitted throughout this helpless section.
Already the signs of exultation are
shown on the faces of the negroes. The
town is daily filed with them-m many
coming to sell their concocted tales Of
Ku Klux injuries, or to seize the chance
of easy vengeance upon those whom
they dislike. This very afternoon, my
friend was subjected tc annoyance
of this kind. About month ago, he
informed worthless negro tenant on
his mothers farm that he must make
other arrangements for next Year. To-
day the rascal came to town to report
him as ga XII Klux and friend tn Kn
Klu1." Knowing Mr.. --I was in
town, lie actually rode up here to brng
to Mrs. -, his wife, about what ho
had done. Fortunately, his tale was so
ridiculous and 80 badly told. that it was
rejected at headquarters. This is n
straw. bnt it shows the drift Of negro
feeling. It is needless to add that oil
business and industry are paralyzed.
Through oil this, A. s. Wallace, direct
ing and controlling spirit of this scheme
of infamous Outrage. remains in our
midst He daily airs himself upon our
streets. here in the very heart of murder
and couspirncy, as he calls it, and goats
over the verifcation of his prophetic
threat that "he would yet have this peo-
- 4 Al L.. l..