The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1875-09-16
The Mississippi Troubles.

account Of the disturbance ut Clinton, Miss,
on Saturday, 4th inst. The row originated
at Il political meeting of the Republican
party:
Thc origin and particulars Of the riot at
Clinton Oh Saturday afternoon have been
yariOrlSlv stated. We think the following
about correct: There is II law prohibiting
the sale Of liquor i'll Clinton. Some, young
men from Raymond brought bottle with
them. and while the speaking was going on
Martin Sivclv and some of his friends went
off short distance to take Il drink. The
colorc,l marshal for the occasion approached
them and forbade the drinking. This order
was not regarded, and when the marshal at
tempted to take the bottle out Of Siycly's
hand Sivcy strUck him over the head with
it. Senator Caldwell (colorcd) started to
settle the difficulty, and was followed by
some twenty negroes, whom he ordered
back, but about loo more came rushing up.
Some one fired Il shot, which was followed
by general firing and Il stampede. SivclT
fired all the barrels Of his pistol, and the nc
grocs then demanded his surrender. lie
surrendered and give up his pistol, after
which he was shot and his brains knocked
out. He was then robbed Of his clothing
and finger was cut off in order to get his
Chiffon in his yard and shot and killed him
in presence of his family. Frank Thomas-
son, promising young lawyer. was shot
| from his horse 4 mile and Il half from the
scene of the conflict, and after falling the
savages drove their knives into his body III
many places. John Neal was fatally shot
in the left lung in the town, and Waddy
Rice seriously in the hand. -Four negroes
were found on the field and two mortally
wounded Six additional negroes have been
| found dead about Clinton since. The white
men ofClintOn were organized at once tor
self-protecton under Colonel Harding, AMI
| telcgramS sent here for assistance. Fifteen
minutes after the receipt ol the first despatch
100 men were ready to march and took
special train, which reached Clinton about
seven o'clock. About ten o'clock more re-
| Inducements came from Jackson. The roads
were pickctcd during the night, but all dan
ger being apparently over most of the citi-
zens returned to their homes at Ficksburg,
| leaving thirty men on guard under Captain
| W. II. Andrews. Captain Andrews return
ed with the men this morning and reports
all quiet at Clinton and Edwards. The
train from Jackson on Saturday night, with
reinforcements for Clinton, was fired into
from the side of the road and distractions
were also found on the track.
Two or three days after the disturbance at
Clinton, when all was quiet i'll that region,
the following dispatch from Gov. Amcs was
received in Washington
JACKSON. Miss, September I, 1873.
! To {. S. Grant, President, Washington, d. e..
SIR: Domestic violence in its most aggra-
waited form exists in certain parts Of this
State. On the evening of the 1st inst, un-
authorized and illegal armed bodies OF men
overthrow the civil authorities Of lazoo
County, and took forciblc possession of the
said county from which the sheriff, the
peace officer Of the county, was compelled
| to flee for safety, and is still Il refugee. The
sheriff of this, Hinds County, reports that
since the 4th inst he has been unable after
every effort to maintain the peace and pro-
| tect right lie reports various murders by
unauthorized armed bodies VINO are scOur-
| ing the county. Warren County is also re-
ported as being in q state Of terrorism from
the demonstrations of still other unautllor-
| lied armed bodies and Il feeling of insecure
ty pcryades in other counties of the State.
After a careful examination of all the re-
ports, find myself compelled to appeal tn
| the General Government for the means ol
giving that protection to which every Amer
lean citizen is entitled. do not now make
any formal application under the provisions
| of the Constitution of the United States, but
telegraph YOU to know if YOU can and will
regard the proclamation issued by you III
December last, on the application of the
Legislature of this State, ls still i'll force.
The necessity Of immediate action cannot he
ovcrStated. If your proclamation ol Decent
bcr last is not in force will III once nlakca
| formal application in accordance with the
provisions Of the Constitution Of the United
States.
ApELBERT AMEs, Governor.
This dispatch was forwarded to the Prcs-
! dent at Long Branch, who replied that tic
Attorney General would answer Gov. Amcs
as to whether the proclamation Of last year
was still in force The Attorney General
decided that it was not in force, which WAS
communicated to Gov. Amcs at once, when
the following telegram was Immediately re-
turned:
JACKSON, Miss, Sept s, 1878.
| To President L. $. GrdAt. Washington:
Domestic violence prevails in various
parts of this State, beyond the power of the
State authorities to suppress. The Lcgisla-
| turc cannot be convened in time to meet
the emergency |, therefore, in accordance
| with Section !, Article i, of the Constitution
Of the United States, which provide that the
! United States shall guarantee to every State
in this Union Il Republican form Of govern
mont, and shall protect each of them against
invasion, and on application of the Lcgisla-
ture or of the Executive, when the Lcgisla-
turc cannot be convened, against domestic
violence make this my application for such
aid from the Federal Government as may be
| I'm,
protect its citizens
ApELBEEr AMEs Governor.
In reply to this telegram, President Grant
directed Adiutant General Townsend to in
struct the officer commanding the troops in
Mississippi to give Gov. Amcs such aid as
nav he necessary to MAINTAIN order and pro-
tect life in that State if the instruction is
too formidable to be suppressed with the
means at the Governors command. Before
sending such order to the commanding otli-
Ger, however, the President directed con-
sultatiun with Attorney General Picrrcpont
as to the legality of such contemplated mil
itarv proceedings. The consultation he
tween MessrS. Townsend and Picrrcpont
resulted in tcrrrng action upon the l'rcSl-
dents telegram until it shall be decided
whether q proclamation shall he issued ad-
dressed to the insurgents, the President
having requested the Secretary OF State and
the ATTORNEY General to consider whether
such a proclamation is necessary. The war
dcpart,ncnt will take no action until after
the issuance of the proclamation, and not
even then unless the insurgents disregard its
rcu,liromcnts. The available troops in Mis-
sissippi comprise thirteen companies of III
c,ntrv scnttcrtu in various portions of the