Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1873-03-06
They Honor Thsis Names

The six subscribing Senator'S en-
phatically honor their names by prompt
iy recording their protest against This
disgraceful, disgusting, plundering, par
tisan measure:
In the Senate, on the 25th, the Bill ap-
oropristing $685. 900 to pay the Ku-Klux
hunters received its final reading, and was
ordered to be enrolled.
The following protest was entered upon
the Journal
We, the undersigned Senators, in &C
cordance with previous notice, enter our
protest against the passage of the Bill
entitled "a Bill to make "a appropriation
to pay claims arising under the proclama-
ton Of the Government of this State, dated
July 2Sth, 1871" on thefollowing grounds:
i. Because the proclamation Of the
Governor is so broad and indefinite in its
terms as 10 be void for generality. No
county is mentioned. and no act Of vio-
lence Of murder specified, so as to enable
parties claiming the reward to establish
their,right to it. The power of the Gov
ernor to offer rewards, in our judgment,
loes not authorize him to bankrupt the
State by proclamation so broad as to
cover every section and every crime IN the
State A proclamation must specify the
particular crime, the place where commit
ted, and the time when, as nearly as pos
sible, and in no other way can any one
identity particular arrest with the arrest
for which the reward may be offered. In
the present case, every thing Ii left to
inference.
2. Because, granting the proclamation
70 be valid, it was not the duty Of the
Governor. nor is it the duty of the State,
nor has the Governor the power to offer
anv reward for the violation Of the laws
Of the United States, and we submit that
very few, if any, persons, undes the al
legged proclamation, have been arrested by
State authority, and as yet convicted or
held amenable TO the State laws, either
for murder or other act of violence; and
hence that, there being no one entitled to
a reward under the proclamation as yet,
no appropriation can be Justly made:
3. That the contingent fund of the
Governor is designed to cover rewards OF
fered by him. aud if both the foregoing
reasops be overthro Sn, then these rewards
should have been paid from that fund
and the Governor had no power to create
lny debt beyond Its amount without au-
thoritv of the General Assembly.
/. Because in no seGse can any. legal or
moral obligation rest upon the State to
pav for any arrest made under the alleged
purpose Of this proclamation. On the
contrary, after all.efforts Of the State au-
thorities with and without reward. had
failed to break up the ku-Klux organiza-
tions, the General Government, through
Its Chief Magistrate, inter,ered to protect
the people of the State, issued its procla-
nation, suspended the writ of Habcas
Corpus, and sent its officers. supported
by the military arm Of the Government,
to take possession of the disaffected sec
tions and arrest offenders and hold them
for trial before it's tribunals. That the ar
rests were made under and by virtue Of
he express authority of the General Gov
rnment and without reference to the
reclamation of the Governor Of South
.arolina, which was thereby superseded
hat the officers making these arrests were
n the pay Of the United States, and exc
..uted its orders. and were not as much
untitled TO reward for the discharge OF
their dutv as the soldiers on the frontier
protecting citizens of the frontier States
from the depredations Of the Indians.
5. Because there being no moral or le-
gal obligation growing out OF the procta.
nation n favor OF any known person, and
i he State being already heavily oppressed
with debt, however benelicla! to her in
srests the acts. of the General Govern
uent through its paid officers may appear
in suppressing the great conspiracy Known
..s the Ku-Klux. no more than gratuity
rs compliment to Colonel Merrill could
be expected, and even this under our pres
ent embarrassed condition, should, If moth
ing else, be postponed
6. If the appropriation can be sustained
IS claim, growing out Of legal oblga-
lion of the State, then, from statements
made on the floor of the Senate, thirty
five thousand dollars do not and cannot
satisfy the case, and we doubtif FIVE hum
dred thousand dollars would cover the al
Ieged obligation. Who, for amoment, can
,dmit that the Governor of State, upon
ms own motion, can involve a State to
such an extent by proclamation. II
the legal obligation exists, then We cannot
stop at the amount named with any show
of justice.
I We, in submitting this protest, dc
,ire to express our adherence Of the Ku
Klux and their deeds of violence. and our
gratitude to the General Government for |
Is prompt action in suppressing them.
JOHN WILSON,
w. C. KEITH,
TO DONALDSON,
THOS. C. DUNN,
w. H. HOLCOMBE,
G. w. DUVALL.
Spanish Slavery to Be Abolished.
MADRID, March S.-A majority of the
Assembly have determined to carry through
| bill for the abolition Of slavery before |