Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1871-12-14

report, ,of-the-C Committee to Invest-
gate Southern Outrages.
I Under The provisions ofahe above
Act issued proclamasoh calling
the attention Of ths. people Of the
United States to The same and de-
elarsng myBreluctalce toexercise any
Of thssextraordinary powers -thsfeby.
conferred upon me, except in eases OF
imperative necessity; but making
known my purpose to exercise such
rower whenever it should become
anecessarg.to.doso-for- the nrpose-ots
securing to all; citizens Of the United
States, the peaceful enjoyment Of the the
rights, guaranteed. to them. by, the
Constitution and the laws. = ,3t q,
After the 'l passage Of this law lsw7a in n
formation was received from time to
time that combinations Of the char
acter referred to in this law existed.
and were powerful in many parts Of
the Southern States, particularly, in
certain. counties OF the State of. South
Carolina; Careful investigation was
made, and it was ascertained that in
nine Inc { counties Of that State such COM
biinations were active and powerful,
embracing a. sufficient portion of the
citizens, isiti to control the local authori7
ties, and having, among other things.
the object of depriying the telnaapci-,
pated class Of The substantial benefits
of freedom. and Of preventing the
free political action of those citizens
who did not sympathize, with their
own views. Among their operations
were frequent seourging and occasion
al asssassinatiols. generally perpetra-
ted at night by disguised persons, the
victims in almost all cases being citi-
zens Of different political, sentiments
from their own, Of. freed persons who
had shown a disposition to claim
equal. rights, with other. citizens.
Thousands Of, inoffensive and we'll
disposed citizens we're the sufferers BY
this lawless violence. -oi5.xa. .
! Thereupon. upon the. 18th of octo,,
ber, 1871, a proclamation was issued
lin the terms of the law, calling upon
members of those combinations to
disperse within FIVE. days, and to de-
liver to the marshal or military Off
GERS of the United States all arms.
ammunition, uniforms, disguises and
other means and implements used by
them for carrying, out their unlawful
purposes, This warning not having
been needed, on the 18th of. October
another proclamation was issued. sus-
pending the. privilege Of the writ. Of
Habeas Corpus in nine counties In
that State. Direction WAS given that
within the counties SO designated per-
sons supposed, upon creditable in
formation, to;be members of such un-
lawful combinations should be arrest
|, ed blythe military, forces Of, the Uni.
ted States, and delivered to the Mar
shal, to be- dealt! with according to
law In two Of said counties, York
and Spartanburgn many arrests have
been made. -At the last account the
number Of, persons thus arrested was
one hundred and ty-eight.
Several hundred, whose criminality
was ascertained to be of an. inferior
.degree,:we released for the present.
These have generally made .confes-
sions sof their guilt. Great caution
has. been exercised; lin; making: these
arrests and. Notwithstanding the
large. number, it,is-belieyed THAT no
innocent person. is, noz in; custody.
The prisonersiSill be aehifor regular
trial insthe judicial tribunals of the
United States. AS soon as it appear
ed that the.authorities Of the United
States were about to take vigorous
measures: to enforce the law, many
parsons absconded, and thers6s good
grounds forf supposing: tt of
slch sperson,haye violated t law
full report of what has been done
under this law will be- submitted to
Congress by the Acknowledgement.