The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1875-02-28
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!. To- his eErcsasncy DdAss:l TIL Cnaasi;niitg Chin
6eraain. Govev'aor o9Is' 'S0afk Gar oks.Aush
DEAR Sin; In accordance With especial,
instrnctiqns trom you, Iwent TO Edge
field County, on the 3lst, ultimo, for.
the purpose OF facilitating compliance
with your recent proclamation in re.
lation TO the disarming, Of the State
militis,in said County. By, my official
report to the Adjutant. General of the
State, copy OF which I send herewith,
you will notice that I have recovered
$50 stand OF arms ont of, 500 issued to
the 9th Regiment Of militia in said
County, with q proportionate number
OF complete sets OF equipments.
The balance OF the arms can be
partly accounted for by the fact that
those in possession OF the militia near
Ridge Spring. (G Company, Captain
M. "a. Harrison commanding,) were
taken from Ihe houses of the militia.
men by the members OF the rifle clubs
assembled there last fall, and by them
forwarded to Columbia, S. G., boxed
and addressed to F. J. Moses, Jr.,
then Governor of the State. I cannot
learn Of any official record Of their re-
ceipt, but am informed that two boxes
or arms were received at Charlotte,
Columbia and Augusta Railroad depot,
IN this city, on the goth day Of August,
1874. These boxes were both sent
from Ridge Spring, South Carolina,
and addressed to Gov. F. j. Moses,
Jr. The number Of arms contained in
these boxes is not known, but their
gross weight amounted to 470 pounds.
On the I'd day of September, 1874. the
following order was received by the
agent OF said railroad company, at Go.
lumbie: ''Agent of Columbia and Au-
gusta Railroad will deliver to Colonel
Z. j. Counts, OF Barnwell, some boxes
Of guns lying at the depot. belonging
to the State militia OF South Carolina. !"
Signed "F. ]. Moses, Jr., Commander
in.Ohief Of South Carolina"
The agent OF the railroad company
says that on the I'd day of September,
1874, Colonel T.. J. Counts, in COM
pany with Senator J. Nj. Smith, OF
Barnwell County, presented this
order for the arms, requesting their
delivery at the South Carolina Rail.
road depot in. the city of Columbia,
and the same day receipted for the
arms on auph delivery. I am in
formed that Colonel Counts then COM
manded c white rifle club nt Bsmberg,
South Caroline. According to Colonel
sHrence Gains memoranda of, Issues
to the companies OF his regiment, G
company received eighty stand Of arms
and equipments for eighty men. II
these were ell collected and sent to CO.
lnmbia by the rife clubs, it would
leave, only, aeventy stand of arms and
sets Of eqnipmenta atill unaecounted
for. bne ] Ann Of opinion that some of
She memhefa OF this company are still
in pogeesaion OF arma.
l have feaaon for believing that the
arms have been sometimes taken BY
white men from the militiamen belong.
ing to other companies OF the regi.
ment, snd that some Of the militia.
men have carelessly left their arms aud
equipments in possession of white and
colofed people, who feel no responsi.
btlity nbous returning them to the
State.
=, The officers and members of the
militia in Edgefield County have mani
tested no opposition to your proclama.
ton ,concsrning them, but as the
Officers have NOT been required to give
any receipt for the State property
they have received and distributed
among the members of the regiment.
they felt little responsibility about col
leoting or returning 1t. involving. as
it has. some time and expense to ac-
complish.
The arms and equipments which I
have collected are now safely stored in
a room at the County jail, and the key
OF the room is in my possession. With
your approval, l euthorizsd Mr.. Frank
Beianger, County Auditor, to receive
and receipt for such arms and equip
ments as may hereafter be collected.
had. during stay OF three weeks,
some opportunity Of learning the real
causes for the recent troubles there
between the white and colored citi.
zens. It is obvious to any careful OBJ.
server who may visit EdgeHeld County
that the majority of the white people
are n highly cultivated, industrious,
law.abiding class of citizens, who de-
sire peace, and who are satisfied with
seeking redress for their grievance
only in lawful manner. So with the
colored race. The majority are indus
trioug, respectable. and opposed to
any act Of lawlessness. There is, how.
ever "a dinkorhjo n ~ ole &, t.l~