The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1874-10-07
Our Ri0s. Clphs.

| I-...., Oux. RitIe Clubs, ~, .-c,,y.
Radical politicians speak Aippautly
OF the rifle CLUBS. They love to call
them Ku Klux organizations. They
affect to regard them with distrnst and
suspicion. Judge Maokey goes so
far as to advise hat they should be
disarmed. But circumstance occur
red on Monday evening, which goes to
show how much ut sea all these wise
acres are. The fuction feeling between
the Nash aud Minort partisans grew
uhpleasaD;ly high. autt Threatened the
peace Of the town. Immausc crowds
OF their ndhcrents parnded up and
down the streets. muny of them
intoxicated with whiskey ana all beside
themselves with election excitement
4 considerable nunber were kept TO-
gether In different quarters os the city
supplied with the arms of tue u.iili.
and ready to attack erch other, rs was
thought, and bring OH bioody rint
Gov. Moses, feeling concern 1T this
state Of things, aul not knowing
where else To turn TO for help. ci!.e.l
upon two Of the officers Of the Ricll.nl
Rlh. Club, to know whether they
would assist in preserving peace aud
order. The President and lis officers
took tho matter into consideration,
and, after comforting with several oi
our most esteemed citizens, promptly
made the Governor the following
reply:
OFFICE r. r. CLUB,
COLUMBIA, October 5, 1874
TO his EcceHency Il. j. Noses, J..,
Gocermor Of Souh Carolina na-S1K: Iu
response to your application, made
this afternoon to some of the officers
of the R;chland Rifle Club, to obey
an order of your Excellency, to BE-
ready as posse comitatus to preserve
the peace i'll case of riot between tue
Minort and the Naeh factions, which
your txcellency apprehends may occur
tonight; as President of the Club,
and after full consultation with It's
officers, l have the honor to inform
you that the members Of the Club urc
ready to discharge their duty US good
citizens, and that they will promptly
obey any written order to conserve The
peace that your Excelleucy mny ex-
tend. Very respectfully. your obed;cnt
servant, HUGH S. THOMPSON.
President
The Governor expressed his Ligh
satisfaction, and conveyed his taau:.s
to the officers and company for their
promrtness i'll responding to his re.
quest. and their readiness to discharge
the duty asked of them This striking
fact is better than any argument that
could be framed iu vindicntion Of the
usefulness and necessity OF these clubs.
We trust that We shall herr no more
hings ut them. They are useful aud
valuable when troubles come aud dan
gers threaten, and blessing in dis
gnise even to those partisaus who have
ra,hly counsclled their suppression.
"a goes Pennsylvauia, so goes the
Union" has long been sort Of shib-
boleth with conjacturiug politicians.
This standing ''rrobabilities" of tho
poiiiicni weather haa been forced to
succumb 10 cxigencies of progress.
Heretofore, the October elections in
that State aided politicians in "making
up their book" but under the new
constitution. The October election is to
take place in November aud there
will not be SO much interest felt in the
result. New York, Nsw Jersey. Della.
ware and other rural States are now
raised to the level of Pennsylvania rs
to political prognostics, inasmuch us
they will all vote on the same day.
"THE DesroT's HEEL. Oar de-
spatches from Alabama exhibit fear
ful condition Of thingA-the "dcspot's
heel is on her shore" Arrests are
made without warrant Of law, innocent