Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1876-07-27

RESOLUTIONS ADOPTED AT THE INDIGNATION
MEETING IN CHARLESTON, b IN. =. DGT-
LER ASSERTED TO BE AT THE HEAD OF oE-
CRET BAND DESIGNED TO CONTROL THE
ELECTIoNs-HIs PUNISHMENT CALLED FOR.
The colored citizens of Charleston, S. c., have
sent us the subjoined address, adopted at the in
dignation meeting held at that city to express their
adherence of the atrocities committed upon their
brel hren at Hamburg, and to appeal to the State
Government for protection.
To the better class Of Citizens Of South Carolina,
to this great Nation, and to the ciUiiized people
Of the Earth.
We, the colored citizens of Charleston, in be-
half of fellow-sutfercrs at the hands of class
of outlaws and sem-barbarians, who ever since the
war, have practised wrong and outrage upon the
helpless, unoffendng colored people, because Of
their emancipation by the war, which the southern
people themselves waged against the authority OF
the United States for the maintenance of African
slavery in this nation. We, the colored people,
since emancipation, have sought to improve upon
all the advantages guaranteed to us by the new
circumstances which surround us. We have
sought to make ourselves worthy Of the blessings
flowing to by freedom and the privileges of cit
liens. Recognizing the genius OF this govern
ment to clothe every freeman with full power and
privileges, we have felt that all the rights of man
hood were ours in common with all other nation
alities who make up this great nation. We ieel
that the constitution and laws of this country con-
fer full and equal rights, privileges, powers and
immunites, and that the fact that our race have
been in slavery in this nation does not debar any
one, now under the Emancipation acts and Re-
construction laws of Congress, and the general
acknowledgment of general freedom to all the in
habitants Of this nation from full enjoyment of all
the privileges Of cuzens. We recog niZe as guar
antced to every colored man, woman and child,
the enjoyment of the same security in law and
protection Of life and property as are secured to
the white race. Thus we cannot see why there
should be any discrimination in law or equity be-
tween them as Americans.
Recognizing these facts as above we fail to
understand why we should be subjected to the
perpetual and unwarranted prosecutions which
are constantly forced upon us. We, 10 our
sought to improve condition by industry, hon
esty and the education of our children. We have
contributed our part to the growth and general
prosperity Of our State; We have been peaceable
and law-abidng citizens. We have been the pro-
ducers of great productions in this State. We
are contributing daily to the growth and wealth OF
this State by our industry. The Ate unwarranta-
Bile slaughter Of our brethren at Hamburg by the
order OF Gen. NJ c. Butler of Edgefeld county,
was an unmitigated and foul murder, premedltat-
ed and predetermined and sought-for opportu-
nifty, by band of lawless men in that country
known as Regulators, who are the enemies of the
coiored race IN that county, composed OF ex-Con-
federate soldiers banded together for the purpose
OF intimidatng the colored laborers and voters at
elections, and keeping the negroes in their
places" as they say. This same band Of brgands
and murderers have kept the colored people of
Edgeield county in state of terror since the
war. The trouble with the Edgefeld Militia last
year, and the murder Of hundreds of coOred PEG.
pie in that county, the burning of colofed women
and chden within the last year in that county by
this same band, and the shooting of the six colored
| men falsely charged with the murder of two white
persons in that county, are all Iaceabe to this
same band OF Regulators, of whom Gen. Nj. T..
| Butler is the acknowleds ed head and commander.
All the difficulties in that county and the adjon-
ing counties are instigated and led on by these
same men. There is no law or Justice in that
county; the officers of the law are threatened If
they attempt to execute justice upon any of these
lawless men. and in all the murders committed not
man has been tried or convicted in that county,
because this band of Regulators override all law
except that of violence. No mans life is safe who
does not bow to their wishes; the life of every
republican leader in that county is now threat
| ened, and Gen. NJ. G. Butler has already an
nounced In public speech in Edgeteld that six Of
the leading and influential republicans in that
| county shall either leave the county or be MUIR
| dered. These men have sworn to carry these up
per counties this lection, and this unarming OF
the colored militia is the precursor of their
| work of blood and murder which they propose to
| inaugurate this fall, in order to car
ny the election. We cannot contemplate this state
of affairs without feelings of horror at its exist
| ence. Were we brought face to face with men Of
honor, with men who could and would observe
the rules of honorable warfare, we could feel some
satisfaction in knowing that we had honorable
| foemen to conteEd with; but when midnight rid
ers and ungOvernabe and unprincped murder
ers rush from behind bushes and by-paths, and
shoot unarmed men, and burn the houses over the
heads of unoffendng women and children, as has
been done in Edgfeld; and plumber the homes of
men whom they have just slain and chopped their
flesh into meat, aud exhibited it to the by
standers and tannling the children of the muir
dered with offers of their parents flesh to eat,
was done on the 8th Of July in Hamburg by
South Carolinians, there is no language in the
English vocabulary sufficiently strong TO charac-
terize such people and such conduct. Ii we had
committed any outrage against these men, if we
had wr0nged them in any way, there was law and
power sufficient to punish any one and the officers
of the law are always ready to punish the viola
tons when colored men are in the case; it has
never failed to punish in such cases. Our breth-
rem, lately mui dered at Hamburg, had done
wrong TO the white men of Aiken county, or OF
Georgia. They were celebrating the national
birthday, on the Fourth Of July, in quiet and
peaceable manner; they were not obstructing the
highway, as alleged by Mr.. Butler and Getsen,
who were in buggy going to Edgefeld The
militia company was drawn up on a road, not di-
rectly in the line Of travel by these two white
men, but these men, being of the Regulators,
sought this.opportunty as pretext to raise diff
Guilty with the cOored militia, whom they halted,
because they were negroes. They attempted to
drive through their lines, and were prevented by
Doc. Adams, the captain of the company, and for
this offense to two white men, Gen. NJ. Z. Butler
leads 200 Of his regulators from Edgefeld to Ham
burg, twenty or more miles, on horses, on the fol-
lowing Saturday, while the company in Augusta
are notified to be ready by Gen. nj. G. Butler.
Saturday came and the results known to the
public. Now against these outrages we here, in
the name of humanity, in the name of civ izatiOn,
in the name of outraged law, in the name of good
government and the peace and welfare OF the
nation, enter our unqualified condemnation. We
protest against these men, and their aders and
abettors, and in the name Of the majesty Of law
and order, we demand that Gov. Chamberlain
shall at once invoke all the powers Of this state to
bring M. Z. Butler and his clan to Justice, and
that no means or measure be spared to punish
these criminals. And we invoke the considers
ton of this whole nation and the powers Of the
federal government, to see to it that the great
principles of equal justice before the law and
equal protection under this government be main
tanned throughout this nation. so that safety to
life and property and the right to vote con-
science shall dictate to every citizen, shall be for
ever secured TO all throug hout this broad land.
We tell you that 1t will not do 10 go too far in
this thing-remember that there are $4,000 black
men in this State who can bear Winchester rifles,
and know bow to use them and that there are
900, 900 women who can light torch and use the