The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1872-01-04

8uy OIilef secret OfS8ulZdllOu 4ucy
replied that they had been informed,
some time before, that the negroes of
the county intended to rise against the
whites. [The apprehension, l may
remark, was excited in the up country,
II by the fact that the Governor had
been organizing and arming the me-,
groes, W hile he refused to arm any
companies composed of white men,
The youths further said, that they had
then Joined an association for mutual
defence. Among other applicants,
they had received into their member
ship many poor. whites" who had
now by some means been led to de-
nounce them. And so, although they
themselves had done nothing against
the peace of the country or the laws
of the State, they were compelled to
flee. in order to escape incarcei iation.
In short, these worthy young men
were driven out of the State just be-
cause they had pledged themselves to
fight if the negroes should undertake
to burn the houses, kill the men, and
rayish the women of Spartansburg.
Rev. Dr. William Curtiss informs me
that the unhappy county has been dec
| mated. In Richland, Mr.. John Scott
f-cldTUm ct Uefaerdbite 7,onaen! !-guards
his mules and hogs within a stockade
| fence at least fifteen feet high, and
overlooked by window where two
double barr elled guns are always
leaning. He told me that he was the
only farmer on the Fork "a settlement
of wealthy and cultivated persons,
below Columbia) who had been able
to preserve his stock, and this he had
done by the aid of his palisades and
by the maintenance of ceaselessi Wig.
lance. For weeks, he and his son-in-
law had been obliged to keep alterate
watch every night. 2iiaiaio9 1859
HOW IT IS IN CHARLESTON. -
Let such facts illustrate the chaotic
state of society out of which Ku-
Kluxism springs. / might add cor
iroborative notes from a city pastors
experiences. L have buried peacea-
BILE young man who was beaten to
death by mob organized for the pur-
pose of "clearing the whites oat of
the streets of Charleston" I have
seen our citizens, black and white, go-
ing armed to the polls, that they might
not be prevented from casting their
ballots for municipal officers and the
bayonets of the United States army,
invoked to guard the sacred right of
suffrage. have seen a tumuitu0us
rabble traversing our streets, with
fiaring torches and barbarous yells
and execrations, and as they went
breaking windows plundering shops,
and stoning bystanders along their
line of march. : Iehave seen an official
of the State discharge six or seven
shots at press-reporter; and although
Z Sr,a 1xr -
guard -hOuse, the criminal was not ar
rested until his revolver was empty,
nor has he up to this moment been
dismissed from the Office of trying of
tenders against the laws of the State.
But let me add, that have never seen
the white people interfere with q me-
gro at the ballot-box,7or or endeavor to-
forbid or trammel in any way his law
full right to vote. On the contrary, it
is well established fact. universally
conceded, that the negroes have in-
terfered with such of their own race
as were not in favor of our oppressors.
Some they kept away by menaces, and
some they drove away by violence
from the polls. Never until our late
city election were the negroes allowed
20 vote as they pleased--a privilege
then, for the first time secured to them
by the presence of United States sol-
diers who had been summoned there
at the request of a white citizens. T.,
THE ATTITUDE OF THE GOVERNMENT.
/ give you these particulars for
what they are WORTH l do not pre-
tend to say that there may not have
been outrages on the other side which
have not come to my knowledge, for
when mems blood is up they are prone
to exceed the bounds of wisdom and
justice. But it does seem to me that
a great government, possessed of un-
resisted and unquestioned power,
ought not to take one side, and that
the part of the aggressor, in a case
like fhis. Nay, more, l cannot but
express my amazenient that the use OF
the United States forces, marshals,
and courts by the notoriously corrupt
officials of the State government that
the extension of the rigors of martial
law solely to the counties opposed to
their administration that midnight
intrusions into chambers inhabited by
trembling women, and Sabbath in
vestments of churches-a common
custom in Spartansburg that captures
OF youths scarce in their teens and of
old men far advanced in decrepitude
as midniget marauders that the des-.
pair of whole counties who see their
lawyers, doctors, ministeTs--their best
and purest men, swept into Jail upon
the most preposterous charges, and
these urged by the most venal and de-
praved OF the peopfe--4 am amazed, II
say that all this should not awaken
the grief and indignation of every
generous heart at the north. . ye
hot 4 L. -. u
ing to you that our homes are desolate;
that criminals make laws for your
brethren here that character, culture,
of the old, immortal " Thirteen" en-
sucked to death by vampyres? Sure
ly this ought not to be in land of
liberty and Justice, under the agis ofl
that great Republic with whose for |
tunes the providence of God has linked |
us heretofore and henceforth and for-s
ever. If it be urged that many of
these prisoners sympathize with the |
Khan, and some Of them professedly
belong to it, Ireplyl that such q speci-(
fication ought only to. increase the !
doubts and misgivings of all thought |
full men. For they know very well
that character and property are con-
no slight cause would lead !
these vested interests to favor any /
movement inclining to anarchy. r'aE
81 VIGILANCE COMMITTEES. u2
The persons who are now in bonds
are not conspirators against the ma
tional government; on the contrary 7
they have always heretofore welcomed
the United States soldier as the con-
servator of public order. Nor are
they organized to prevent the eolored
citizen from exercising his political
on the contrary his political
is conceded, and they have
even offered to divide with him the
offices of the State. But they contend
that under the present system of mis-
rule and lawlessness life, liberty and
the pursuit of happiness" were left In
some parts of the country without any Y