Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1872-04-17
GRANTS WAY.
The End Of Liberty i'm south Carolina

| inc Emu O1 AADeEdy IN south carolina
From the Charleston Is. c. Courier, April 6.
The so-calied Ku-Klux crusade has been
re-opened. The days of the Star Chamber
have been renewed. The evil time of Ire
land, when the informer, with his false
testimony, rendered all persons and liberty
unsafe, pales its Intellectual fires before the
oppressive misrule and arbitrary power
which now prevails in South Carolina The
wrongs against which the eloquenca and
abilities of CurTan, Phillips, and others,
protested, are more than demonstrated in
our own day and generation.
History, it is said, repeats itself. But
never was it supposed that in the nine
tenth century, and before the very pres
enee of the civilized world, wrongs would
be perpctrated, and under cover of false
accusation, of which even Jelfries would
have felt abashed, and before which the
historic conspiracy of Titus Oates diminishes
its Intellectual fires. We are clearly not liv-
ing under constitutional government. If
we were, then law and net military force
would prevail.
Unfortunately for the people Of the
South, Presidential election is al band.
1t is necessary to copy the example of Mex
leo, and use all means, right or wrong, for
the retention Of power. The inviolability
of the Republic and of the rights of its citi-
Zens, is subordinate. President Grant and
his supporters desire the succession. And
hence when the most profound quiet and
peace prevails, when there is neither arm
nor hostility against the General Govern
ment, when the citizens of South Carolina
are in complete and peaceful allegiance to
the Constitution and laws of the United
States, the word for party purposes is
spoken, and the State and its people are de-
prived of all rights, placed beyond the pale of
law, and held as mere captives of the sword
and spear, whose allegation of innocence is
entitled to no credence, and whose protest
is to be trampled under foot. In our Jadg-
ment the whole charge of the existence Of
Ku-Kluxism in South Carolina is, were it
not for the bloody tragedy thereby sought
to be enacted, one Of the most flimsy and
ludicrous of farces. False witnesses no
doubt now, as in all ages, may be obtained,
whose testimony will correspond with the
edicts and wishes of the government as the
superior power. 1t was so eighteen hun
dred and seventy-two years ago. 1t has
been so from the foundation of the world.
1t will be so to the end.
The laws are silent in the midst of arms,
The constitution of the United States de-
clares the right of every American citizen
to be secure in his person, purse, papers and |
effects. Before the arbitrary arrests of
United States soldiers the fields and plough
shares are abandoned, and the citizens are
everywhere flying from the military arrests |
of that government whose laws prOmiS ed |
to them protection.
The constitution guarantees to every CT |
izen to be arrested only on due warrant of |
law, and to be informed at the time of his |
arrest of the nature and cause of his accu- !
satiOn. This is openly violated and set at |
defiance. Counties are surrounded by mil |
itary troops and citizens are every day ar |
rested in South Carolina without min |
ute's notice, without any known warrant |
of law, and dragged from the bosom of |
their families and from their hearthstones, !
incarcerated in dungeons and denied all |
knowledge of the nature Of their accusa-
ton. The constitution requires that Excess
Sive bail shall not be required, and that the |
habeaS corpus shall not be suspended, unless
when the case Of rebellion, or invasion, the
public safety may require it. There is no
invasion of the United States by any for
eign power. There is no rebellion, or the
taking up of arms traitorously to resist the
authority of lawful government. And yet
bail on unknown charges is either denied,
or when granted, is placed at such an ex-
cessive extent as amounts TO prohibition,
and the habeas corpus suspended in time
Of the profoundest peace.
We plead for the government itself, for
its institutions, and for the whole American
people, in this most fatal stab at their vital
freedom and rights.
In this State there has been inaugurated
,,oFA al,
stitutiOn and puts an end to all law and
liberty. And this, simply for the advance
Of party purposes, and the promotion of
party ends.
We present the following account from
Spartanburg, one of the counties of the
State, as fit and sad illustration Of the
condition of affairs.
"For some time up to the past week,
Spartanburg, the center Of military opera
lions in the South, has been comparatively
quiet. The people had taken heart and
gone to work in good earnest. Even a few
who had left the county to save their liber-
ty had returned, and all were looking for
ward to better days. But the Presidential
canvass approaches; there is great need of
political capital, and the army of the South
begins to move. The three hundred troops
CHARTERED at this place have now over thirty
captives in the county Jail. Here is a
sample case: Mr.. John Zimmerman, man
over seventy years old, wealthy,
and ofthe highest responsibility, is reported
by a freedman who once lived on
his plantation as having turned him off be-
cause of his politics. One Casey, mar
shall, takes file of soldiers, goes to the old
gentleman's house, under protest tears him
away from his family, and drags him Y
miles to town to await an investigation
The investigation is held and here are the
facts: In 1868, two years before the Ku-
Klux act was passed, Mr.. Zimmerman dis
misses this freedman for stealing sheep.
On this showing Mr.. Zimmerman, giving
bond with security, is allowed to return to
his agitated and distressed family.
"What would the Northern people think
of this if it occurred in their midst? The
spectacle of an old and respectable man,
one whom they had been accustomed to
look to and respect, taken by file of SOL
diars under arms twelve miles, accused of
an act alleged to have been committed two
years before the law making II a crime had
passed, and which on investigation was