The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1872-08-29
For the Anderson hstelIigencer.
Tho Presidential Election VS.. Reform.

Enr fhS ANDERSON INtetGtyefSCef.
Tho Presidential Election VS.. Reform.
MIR. EDITOR: Is it so, as we frequently hear
it remarked, that it matters not who is elected
to the Presidency, it will have no beneficial ef-
feet upon State politics that it cannot posi-
bly, have any tendency in checking the mighty,
appalling and constantly increasing inundation
of moral corruption, which IS inevitably des-
tined ere long, if not promptly and speedily ar
rested in its onward, accelerating and devasta-
ting progress, to eliminate in overwhelming the
State in hopeless bankruptcy and financial !
ruin! ,i.'@
Now, sir, has not Ulysses S. Grant in exer-
cising the functions of Chief Executive OF the
United States given to the people OF South
= Carolina the most conclusive evidence, that he,
like their paragon Governor, has the most un-
bounded faith in the potency and invincibillty
of the q WincAester," and that this taken in
conjunction with the doctrine, "to the victor
belong the spoils," is his polar star In conduc-
ting the great ship of State7 Has not the
whole couSse of the executive career been
marked by the footprints of military despot
rather than by those of a civil, constitutional,
law-abiding President? Is it not a fact potent
to the most obtrse observer, that his admins
tration has been in perfect sympathy and full
accord with Gov. Scott's extravagant dishonest
and Infamous administrations of carpet-bag ra-
pacity and scalawag rascality-of validating
Bills @Blue Ridge swindles," systematic spoil
alton and localized scoundrelism of the most
enormous proportions, malignant type and
blackest k1e? Has not this mcst infamous
despotic reign of terrorism-of negro legisla-
tion to inaugurate and enhance scalawsg pecu-
iation, originated and kept in motion by pc
culiar, premeditated systematic wel-dehned Or
der of carpet:bag manipulation, with which
South Carolina has been so cruelty oppressed,
outrageously pillaged, foully blighsed and sig
nally cursed ever since the day Ola which the
Reconstructed Government of the State went
into operation, been upheld and supported by
Federal bayonets? Has not the free and SOW
ereign State of Hayne, and Marion, OF
Pinckney and Rutledge, been ruled by this
second Washington" but no policy" Eecu-
tive through the instrumentality OF his mer-
cenaries? And has there not been during the
whole time of this diabolical reign of petty ty-
ranny, aclose affinity, yea, perfect coalition
of Federal and State officials, forming perfect
and indissoluble ring, oemented and held TO-
gether, by one and the same common cause,
which has been, is yet, and will continue 70
bean Unsuitable desire to gorn,andizs upon
"the loaves and fishes 2"
But we are very graYely told that the suspen-
sion of the writ of ha6eas corpus, &C., were
rendered absolutely necessary from the anom-
ulous. abnormal state of affairs existing with
in the borders of the State; that had the asili-
tia of the State been called out to arrest and
bring to trial the Ku Klux Klans that were
committing such inhuman atrocities upon col.
ored citizens, that it would have ultimately
eliminated in an intestine war between the
two racesl
Now, we very readily admit the force Of this
argument taken in its unqualified sense; for, no
doubt. if Scott had called out his loyal ~ in
yincibles in order to enforce the law OF his
" JVnchesteridnn Government, that this would
have been the inevitable result! But as there
is never an effect without some cause TO
produce it, it would therefore be we'll for us to
inquire: Why this abnormal, disloyal, insur-
rectionary state of affairs? This inquiry is
easily met and satisfactorily answered, when
we reflect that this Ku Kluxing which has so
seriously disturbed the peace of certain Coun-
lies in our State, was only the natural result
the legitimate offspring of the " Winchester "
theory Of Government when reduced to prac-
tice. And hence,if President Grant had ad-
ministered to our epicket line" hero the proper
rebuke which his Winchester Rifle law speech
so Justly merited, instructing him in the ele-
mentary principles of civil goverlment-tell-
ing him that their Union saving expedition, so
far as the bayonet was concerned, was over; !;
that martial law was no longer applicable; that
conciliatory measures so as to be enabled to gov
ern by civil aaO, were now to be adopted, instead
ofstirring up strife and confusion by making In
fammatory and war-ike speeches, inAaming
the passions and prejudices of the colored citi-
zen against the white citizen, rendering 1t ne
cessary to resort to the bryonet, placed in the
hands of ignorant, malignant, Irresponsible ne
croes. We remark that if the people of the
United States had not been SO unfortunate in
their choice of Chief Executive as to have se-
lected one who had "no policy" but one as
Statesman, who would have inauguratcd and
carried out this policy towards 'the rebel
States" the Ku Kluxing for the suppressing of
which the writ YVES suspended, would in all
probability never have existed; and if it had,
it could have been very easily suppressed by
proper and Constitutional measures-by cor
dial, amicable cooperation of the white and
colored militia of the State.
Now, sir, in view of all this, does it not ap-