The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1866-1891, 1872-06-27
Grants Rccord-Part 1.

Grants Rccord-Part
Before proceeding to discuss our subject,
it may be well to state what is almost too
well known to say l. e., this paper has always
opposed the operations Of the Ku-Klux and
any and all such organizations. This leaves
us free to place ourselves at the standpoint
occupied By Republicans en- that subject, as
near as is:possiblc under the circumstances,
which consist chiefly ir our being politically
opposed.
Now to Mr.. Grants record
On the Goth day of April, 1871, the EN-
forccment Act" more generally known as
the "Ku-Klux Act" was adopted by Con-
gress. As has keen well said, "this bill
gives the President Of the United States abb
solute and despotic power over the people Of
any and every State. lie can select for the
exercise ofthis power any stronghold of his
political opponents aud exclude those where
his friends may appear to be in the ascend
ency. 1t substitutes his irresponsible will
for the safeguards of the Constitution. lie
can suspend the privileges Of the Wit Of
haJcas corpus in his discretion"
What did Grant by virtue of the power
thus invested in him !? lie declared 'lnartal
law" in nine counties Of this State suspend
ed the writ of "habcas corpus" and proceed
ed d:indiscriminately to arrest white and color
cd men as the Ku-Klux-klan he sent his
henchman Judge Bond to play the rolc of
Jefrys' which he did to pcrfection;- ;-amd to
day nearly oncfourth Of the area Of South
Carolina locks like a deserted country, smit-
teen by tho plague or devastated by it's rava-
ges. Shcrman's march to the sea scarce
left behind greater OF more terrible ruin,
terror or decentralization. This is 4 fccbly
drawn picture Of one comparatively small To-
cality, in which Grant exercised the cn0r
nous power conferred upon him.
Such is the record of Grant which recon-
mends him to the whites of the South.
While the investigating committee, or
'smeNing committee" as it was called, COM
posed of Congressman, majority of whom
were Republicans, were in the South, exam
lining into the Ku-Klux outrages, an old sto-
ry was revived and is now spread upon the
pages of the report Of that committee. The
story is as follows: In 1868, man named
Ashburn, formerly slavc-drivcr and very
cruel, was killed III brothel where he was
living in shame Previous to his death he
had become leader Of the colorcd people.
1t was exceedingly difficult to dctec. the
murderers, but the following means, among
many Others were rcsortcd to, to discover
them. John Wcls, a colorcd man,
ON June II, 1868, in giving his tcs-
timony, said that he and others, men Of
color and white men, were arrested and
taken down to Fort Pulaski, tDclom Savan-
nah, Ga and treated as follows: Each man
was put into cell by himself; the cells be-
Ing four feet by six, with avery narrow Open
ing for ventilation. One vacant cell Twas left be-
tween those occupied b. prisoners, so that
no two prisoners occupied adjoining cells
Soon after our arrival, persons appareutly
ia authority inquired in the hearing Of Wit
nesscs. whether ';the razors" were ready to
shave the heads Of prisoners. Being answer
ed afirmat;velv, witness was biindioldcd and
carried to another portion Of tie Tort; his
head was lathcrel; two men held him. while
others standing around prepared to shave
his head, while others spoke Of what was to
be done. They drew his head back and in
an effort to put himself into moro comfort
able position, the bandagc fell from his eyes
and he saw that cannon Lad been trained
unon him and that man seemed to be in
the very act of firing it directly at him. lie
was very much alarmed and begged to mako
a statement before they took his life. He
was then asked if he knew anything Of Ash
burns murder, to which he responded, tell
ing all he did know, which was very little.
They cndcayored to make him impllcatc 9TH
ers but he refused to do So" Others were
treated in the same manner. All this was
embodied in the report Of the Committee Ct
which we are speaking, though it was three
years old.
This is one Of the means used by Grant to
throw disgrace upon cur people aud this is
the manner in which Republican Govern
mcut suffered the cviorcl man to bc treated.