The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1872-01-04
HoYT & CO., Proprietors.

e. ia "' i'- =. AND
tion7" They replied that they had been in,
formed. some time before, that the negroes OF
the county intended to rise against the whites
THE apprehension, may remark, was excited
| in the np.country by the fact that the Governor
had been organizing and armlng the negroes,
while he refused to arm any companies COM
posed of white men,. The youths further
said that they had then Joined an ASSOCIATION
of mutual defence. Among other applicants,
they had received into their membership many
"poor wbites.'. who had now, ty some means,
been led to denounce 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
incarceration. In short, these worthy young
men were driven out of the Stste, just because
they had pledged themselves to fight, If the
negroes should undertake to burn the houses
| kill the men and ravish the women OF Spartan
burg. Rev. DIR. William Curtis informs me
that this unhappy county has been decimated.
In Richland, Mr.. John Scott guards his
mules and hogs within a stockade fence at
least fifteen feet high, and overlooked by
window where two double-barrelled guns are
ALWAYS leaning. He told me that he was the
only planter on the fork IA settlement OF
wealthy and cultivated persons, below Column
bia.) who had been able to preserve his stock,
and this he had done by the aid OF his pail
sades and by the maintenance of ceaseiess Wig
lance. For weeks he and his son-in law had
been obliged to keep alternate watch every
night.
HOW IT Is IN CHARLESTON.
Let such facts illustrate the chaotic state OF
IL
might add corroberative notes from city pas
TORS experiences. / have buried q peaceable
Young man who had been beaten to death by
q mob organized for the purpose OF clearing
the whites out of the streets of Charleston"
have seen our citizens, black and white going
armed to the polls, that they might not be
prevented from casting their ballots for munic.
tpal officers and the bayonets of the United
States army invoked and arrayed to guard the
sacred right of suffrage. have seen tremen-
dous rab6le traversing our streets, with faring
torches and barbarous yells and execrations,
and as they went breaking windows, plunder-
ing shops and stoning by-standers, along their
line of march. 1 have seen an official OF the
State discharge six or seven shots at press re,
porter; and although the crime was committed
i1st by the Guard House, the criminal way not
arrested until his revolver was empty, nef has
he up to this mmoent been dismissed from the
Office of trying offenders against the laws OF the
State. But let me add, that have never seen
the white people interfere with negro at the
ballot-box, or endeavor to forbid or trammel,
in any way, his lawful right to vote On the
contrary. it is well.established fact, univer-
sally conceded, that the negroes have inter
fered 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 blacks of Charles
ton at liberty to vote as they pleased-a privi-
lese then, for the first time, secured to them by
the presence cf United States soldiers, who had
been summoned there at the request of the
white citizens.
THE ATTITUDE OF THE GOVERNMENT.
give YOU these particulars for what they are
worth. do not pretend 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 great government, possessed
of unresisted and unquestioned power, ought
not to take one side-and that the part of the
aggressor-in a case like this. Nay, more, 1
cannot but express my amazement that the use
of the United States forces, marshals and courts,
by the notoriously corrupt officials of the State
Governments that the extension of the rlgors
of martial law solely to the counties opposed to
their administration; that midnight intruslons
into chambers inhabited by trembling women,
and Sabbath investments of churches-a COM
mon custom ia Spartanburg; that captures OF
Youths scarce in their teens, and of old men tar
advanced into decrepitude, as midnight marau-
ders; that the despair of whole counties who
see their lawyers, doctors, ministers-their best
and pursst men, swept into jails upon the most
preposterous charges, and these urged by the
most yenal and depraved of the people, am
amazed. say, that all this should not awaken
the grief and indignation of every generous
heart of the North. Oh, ye that dwell in ceiled
houses, is it nothing to you that our homes are
desolate; that criminals make laws for your
brethren here; that character, culture and piety
are suffering here that one of the old immor-
tai Thirteen" emblazoned upon your starry
flag, is sucked to death by vampyresl Surely
this ought not to be, in land OF liberty and
Justice, under the egis of that great Republic
with whose fortunes the Providence of God
has linked us heretofore, and henceforth and
forever!
If it be urged that many of these prisoners
sympathized with the klan, and some of them
confessedly belonged to it, | reply, that such
specification ought only to increase the doubts
and misgivipgs of all thoughtful men. For
they know very we'll that character and proper.
ty are conservative; no slight cause would lead
these vested interests to favor any movement
inclining to anarchy.
VIGILANCE COMMITTEES.
The persons who are now in bonds are not
conspirators against the National Government;
on the contrary, they have always, heretofore,
welcomed the United States soldier as the con-
seryator of the public order. Nor are they Or
ganized to prevent the colored citizen from ex-
ercising his political franchise; on the contra
ry, his political equality is conceded, and they