The daily gazette., 1876-10-13
THE PROSTRATE STATE.

The reaction against the carpet-baggers
among the negroes of South Carolina has
made great progress during the past three
weeks, and there IS now nodoubtthat Gen
eral Wade Hampton would be elected gov
ernor by an overwhelming majority, if a
fair vote could be obtained. But this is
hardly to be hoped for. The Republican
leaders of South Carolina are fighting not
merely for ''fiye years more of good steal
ing" but they are fighting to keep out of
the penitentiary. They have in their
hands full control of the election machin-
cry; and whatever may be Wade Hamp-
tons majority they will attempt to return
Chamberlain as elected.
1t, therefore, seems a mere wanton eX-
ercise Of power for Chamberlain to order
| the rifle clubs to disband. These clubs
have been the mainstay of good order in
South Carolina. For there the entire mil
itia of the state is in the hands of repub-
| lican negroes; and almost the whole of
the fighting force of the colored men is
armed and equipped. The rifle clubs of
the whites have been organized as sheer
measure of selt-defense. In not one sin
gle case has such club committed an
act of lawless violence. The second
amendment to the constitution of the
| United States declares: GA well-regulated
militia being necessary to the security of
a free state, the righl of the people to keep
and bear arms shall not be infringed."
The right ''peaceably to to assemble" is
also one of the constitutional amendments
The proclamation of Governor Chamber
lain sets the heel of despotic authority up
on both of these constitutional guarantees.
He assumes, without the slightest founda-
tion in fact, that the existance of these
rifle clubs is revolutionary and against
the public order and peace. He knows
directly to the contrary.-He hoped for
the support of these rifle clubs, and allow
ed himself to be an honorary member of
several of them. Tha Abbevi lie club up
on receipt of the proclamation sent him
the following telegram:
Our club was organized May 20. 1876. Ind
you are al honorary member. Do we come
under the requirements of your proclama
tion? and il 30 consider its disbanGed.
w. =. BRANCH, Captain
This is sufficient to show that the pur
pose of these clubs is not lawless. They
have lawfully organized under the pro-
lection and support of the governor, and
lthey have never done an act to forfeit the
confidence of lovers of law and order.
tollll Lilcl JllclllStlhtS ytb ulOlc
to right-thinling men by obeying this
proclamation of the dictator, all lawless
and constitutional as it is, and disband-
ing their clubs. Their release from this
lgalling servitude will come soonest
through patient submission.
South Carolina is now the saddest of
all sad spectacles. The state has been
PROSTATE under the heel of the most un-
clean party of political plunderers known
to history. They have robbed and swim
died the state until its poverty has reach
ed the verge of destruction. At last the
best republicans revolt at their iniquities,
and the colored people, weary Of the ras-
calities ofthe carpet-baggers, are des.rous
of electng men who have always been
their true friends. But the foul set that
are in power have all the machinery of
the elections in their hands, and will vote
themselves again into office, and they will
be supported in this by bayonets, the ar
my, the influence of the administration,
and the plaudits of the republican press.
i-Bdltimore Gazette.