The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1872-03-16
From he Hnrfe,a co.n.e,ieut rim...
A Plain Talk with Christian Gentlemen.

A Plain Talk withChrlstian Gentlemen.
We desire to call the attention Of those
Christian gentlemen who vote the Republican
ticket to the following extracts from a letter
written by Rev. L. 7. Wrinkle, d. D., Of South
Carolina, and FIRST published (about four weeks
since) in the leading paper of the Baptist
church, the Eramaier and Chronicle, of New
York. Mr.. Wrinkle, in social and ecclesiasti-
cal stand ing, in purity of life and intellectual
ability, is the equal Of any one of the clergy of
this city. which, we take 1t, is all that need be
said in the praise of any one. His letter in sub
stance, is this
/. set Of Adventures having obtained con-
troll Of the State government, by fair promises
to the negro voters and Misrepresentation,
have impoverished the State by well organ.
lied system Of robbery, aud for the purpose Of
covering their tracks, have employed the
negroes to wage war against tho whites, which,
as a matter of fact, has resulted in the burning
Of their dwellings, their barns, their corn and
their cotton. Their families have been beg
CARED, their children starved, and their wives
rayshcd by the same brutal crew.
federal or State governments, these men have
formed secret societies to defend ihenselves-
to prevent the starvation Of their children and
ayenge the insults TO their wives. As worms
will squirm when trod upon, these men have
sought to strike the helhounds as they have
approach ed them in search Of prey.
). Instead Of protecting these men in their
rights, the federal government has sent the
army into the State, and struck them down
because they dare to resent the intolerable in
suits Of the williams who have control Of the
State government and is even now engaged in
dragging them from the homes they sought to
protect aud the wives whom they had been
compelled to see rayished by the negro, pro-
teoted by his company Of militia, and lodged
in Jail, while the air Of the whole north is filed
with the cry Of Ku.Klux.
These are facts. They have been stated
thousand times, and now comes the clergyman,
known to be man of truth aud iobcrness,
who repeats them 10 a manner that must carry
conviction Of their truth to every mind. He
does not speak as partisan, but as man and
a Christian.
Extract from Rer. E. \. Wiukls's Letter.
Just look at "the situation" The bet
citizens Of the State are constantly despOiled.
Their cotton is plundsrcd at night, and sold in
the seed To "oOrner ships" Their stock Is
butcbered in the woods. Their property is
assessed above it's mark 1 value. and h st,inr.
times taxed beyond what it produces, or would
sell for. Many persons have cvaded taxat ion
by Offering their plantations TO the tax
gathcrcr! This has been frequently done in
Batnwell county. And crimes 90 unpublished.
1t Is not easy to arrest a criminal; 1t is harder
to keep him in jail; harder still To secure his
conviction, and impossible to keep the Cover.
nor from pardOning him. A voter is rarely al.
lowed 10 serve out his time in the penitentiary.
ltmatters not what he has donc-whether he has
broken into house or burnt il down whether
he has committed rape or murder-in any
event his right tn vote at the merit ,l.ction
must be secured by the exercise of Executive
clemcncy. Nay, more-as all Wall street
knows by thi. timc--our state is largely under
the control of criminals. MANY OF our highest
Offices are hlcd by men once Of broken for
tunes aud broken Characters, but now invested
with authority, clothed in purple and fine
linen, aud taring sutnptuuusly every day. Our
Governor Is = scedy doctor from Ohio; now
become a millionaire.
Our leading lobbyist il a Jockey rider from
Jerome Park. The leader of the Senate is a
convicted bride taker. Tho leader Of the
House Is a pafdpned bigAnist On my way 10
Il
delegates, saw Judge of the State embracing
prostitute in the public cars, and near him
was legislator engaged In like obscene aud
shameless, dallitLcc. We were all thankful
when these wreiehed people, with their women,
left the cas- at Braniteyille During the la,t
year our corrupt State government has robbed
aud impoverished the people OF more than
S23OUO per day and the estimate must be low
tor It is found Ia Gov. SCOTS message to the
Legislature.
In state Of society where lhare is no law,
and where men must lnrm temporary organ.
cations for the redress Of intUlcfable grleyan.
ces aud the maintenance Of social order, ius.
Uce Is Itself perverted to an attack upon these
organizations. Hero, tor example, il John
Doe whose daughter has been ruined by Rich
ard Zoe, whose crop has been stolen or pur-
chased in the seed by Richard Roe. whose PIN
house had been burned down with The Who'll,
crop of the year by Richard Roe, whose life
has been ambuscaded by Richard aoc-but who
has at last turned upOh his enemy, as even a
worm Will turn against a crushing foot and
who has scourged his oppressur with forty
lashes save one Does IL become great gov
eminent, In such an Instance, to chastisc John
Doe, who looked in vain To it for protection,
and To let Richard Roe 20 free Yet this ia
precisely what the United States government
Is now doing IN South Carolina The national
otlcials are hunting down and imprisonins the
beat citizens Of northern counties at the in
whose lives defy the law, and who would not
DO believed on their Oaths 10 any other case.
We who have no connection with ku.Klur-
ism, look with wonder and CONSERVATION upon
sharp dragonnade, such as once decimated
franec,.and Is now wasting South Carolina for
me enrichment tneighboring and even foreign
Statee. We encounter among the United
States soldiers, SCARED, triumphant veterans Of
war, who feel US keenly as we do that they have
now been assigned to service painful aud de-
grading-now, when the clash of arms had
ceAsed-and they feel their hearts melting
with fraternity. They are required to deal
win an association Of neighbors, who are pledg-
cd to mutual protection against the burners Of
their houses and the plundercrs of their crops,
si II these were an armed and foreign foe.
These soldiers, under whatever pretext sent,
do actually drive from ields ripe Tor the har-
vest, yonng aud old planter and lab0rer; do
spend tie Industries of whole counties, aud do
immune the proprietors OF the soil aud the tar
payers OF Lhe country in crowded and filthy
Jails. In a time of profound peace they are
called upon to deprive free citizens Of the i'm
muniues Of the common law; and 10 regions
all astir with barbarous ierOeity aud licentious-
ness, they are compelled tn tear away from
helpless wives and virgins their natural pro-
tectOrs.
-. -
y Brownsville despatch saws that