The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1872-03-02


Of South Carolina" It's 10 form a general
law, and, OF course, To be valid, must apply ~ |
all the citizens Of the Commonwealth OF ths |
prescribed age. white as we'll as black. The |
statute was permitted 10 lie dormant until the |
spring Of 1870. A. that period the corruptions
Of the State government In ali It's various de- |
partmenis had so culminnted and become
known 10 the people that an attempt was ma te |
70 unite the elements Of opposition in what Is |
known as the "reform" movement.
ARRiEs THn NEaEoEs.
This condition Of things alarmed Scott and |
bis followers. Then II WAS that the terrible |
and infamous scheme Of arming the negroes
was inaFgdrsledby these political dosperadoes,
Who were throttilng the white people of the |
State In every furm OF power they could make |
use bf. Scott, under the Law uf 1868, well |
understanding the covert provisions OF Its |
iourteenth section, eorraptly aud secretly senl
bis emissaries through the State to enroll and |
organize the negro population, and fourteen
fall regiments were thus organized in the sew
erai counties Of the State. As badge OF the
fraud and iufamy Of this action of the Gov
ernor, the secrecy Of the enrolment stands
prominent And althoagh the statue only
authorized him 70 purchase 1000 stands OF
arms, he purchased 10, 900 stands Of brooch.
loading and Winchester rifles and ZOO 900
| Of centre-eoppered eartridges at a cost be-
sides commissions and stealings, of S202 900 O6,
10 be paid for exclusively out Of the pockets OF
| again Il whose bosObss these very guns " ere 10
be pointed, in the hands of an ignorant and
brutal race; excited against them by the
scoundreis and demagogues who we're the
authors Of the infamy. We take the sum Of
/ $207, ,602. &C, as paid for arms and Ammunition
| from the account rendered by II. II. Kimpton,
financial agent Of South Carolina in New
York. Whittemors's Republican COMMITTEES
| Of inVestiga assert that this Is not a full
statement OF the cost to the people Of the negro
militia, and charge that the true amount Is
$Ial, l59.7L fa
coEsrsRsArIoS OF TIE WHITES.
When the white people Of the State became
aware o: the secret srming Of the negroes,
alarm aud CONSERVATION spread through the
land. ID will be readily understood what req
son they bad for this alarm, when il Is known
that the census tables for 1870 show an excess
Of black population over the whites Of l33, I2s.
Feeling and knowing that they were as much
entitled, under the general militia law. 10
be enrolled and organized we're the ne
| arOes, they commenced TO enroll and organize
themselves into companies in the more threat
ened counties Of the State. They respectfully
and in due form Of law rendered their enroll
| ments tO the Governor, who had the supreme
audacity, in every instance. to refuse TO re-
eeive them, and they were rejected We have
not the roOm 10 accumulate the testimony
No member 81 the majority OF the committee
will assume mat this armlng Of the negro mi
Iitia, ts the very marked and Insulting exelu-
sion Of the white people, WAS not one Of the
main causes Of all the Disturbances which
occurred In the State Afterwards. The weight
| Of the evidence shows that cotemporanenus as
with the arming Of the blacks the Ku-Klux
outrages began. As disturbers OF the public
peace, the two organizations stand together.
Par sob,ls (rasrGs..
| THE RIors.
We shall now proceed IN show, as briefly as
| baf he af nj
Chester and Lsurens, about which the Repub-
licau press every where have been So loud In
their denuneiations, were the direct and im-
mediate consequence Of placing arms in the
hands ofsuch reckless, lawless and transl cent
ings As are the negroes Of South Carolina
There is not the slightest evidence that polit-
ieal feeling had anything 10 do with these two
riots at Union Court House. IL was Just one
OF those spontaneous outbreaks Of human pas
sion and vengeance which occasionally occur
in any community. IL Is evident that these
lawless avengers Of the murder of Stevens and
Smith apprehended that these negroes would
escape punishment through the pardonng
power Of the Governor, or that BY some other
mode, through the action Of the Legislature,
composed OF large majority Of the infuriated
negroes, the course Of Justice would be impe-
ded. Had they any reasonable grounds to
think sol The State records will show. or
the 2Ot pardoned by the Governor for that
year 1870 were negroes. A Eery earnest effort
was made BY the majority Of the sub-committee
sent 70 south Carolina " establish the fact
that In the election Of 1870 force and intimida-
tion were resorted to in order TO carry the
election in favor Of the reform party, and that
IN some counties the negroes were, In fact,
intim;dated and staid away from the polls.
The oibeial election returns OF their own
CON missioners-for there To-, or was in 1870,
scarcely Conservative OF Democratic election
commissioner in all South CarolinA--dissipate
into smoke and vspor all these oft-repeated
charges Of intimidating the negroes, and in
terfering with full and decoroas expression
OF their political opinions, either on the hust-
ings or through the press. II is painful duty
TO srraign the Chief hagistrate Of the Repab-
! lie before the great tribunal OF the people.
II would have been a much more pleasant task,
In . crisis which should hush into silence all
mere party criticisms, 10 represent him 10 that
court OF last resort as having performed bis
high trust, in relation TO these southern trou-
tetest impariialityj and that under broad
and large-hearted administration Of the gov
ernment, peace and harmouy had been re-.
stored between the people Of the two sections ;
and that all the bitterness and ranking ami
mosities Of great civil war had been lost and
absorbed In the proud recollections OF A joint
struggle for Independence aud liberty, and the
common glory of the earlier and better days
Of the Republic.
What se oonplain Of, and what the great
body OF the American people should visit with
their censure and condemnation, Is the indif-
ference and the positive inattention Of the fed
erai Executive 10 the terrible results which
may follow the maladministrntiono Of affairs in
the southern States and that he seems go far
forgetfal OF his duties TO all the pcopl, as 10
submit himself, perhaps unconsciously, to the
dictates OF party vengeance, or the accomplish
uent Of party ends in the future, rather than
70 do equal and exact jastice 10 all classes Of
citizens.
The foregoing Is a hurried, but, as We be
heve, q truthful statement of the political,
moral and financial condition Of the State OF
gro, and the '.reconstructive" policy Of Con
gress. We feal conscious that we have han-
sstiy endesvored to discharge our duty in the
premises, having "nothing extenuated or
aught Get down 10 malice" and respectfully
submit the whole matter TO the consideration
OF Congress, and the people.