The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1876-08-02
WASHINGTON.
The Presidents Message on the
Hamburg Slaughter.

following message WAS received by III
Senate from the President to-day:
To hc Senate Of the United States:
In response to the resolution Of III
Senate Of July Goth, calling upon til
President to communicate 10 the Senate
II in his opinion not Incompatible wit
the public interests, any information i
regard to the slaughter Of American citi
zens at Hamburg, s. G., l have the homo
to submit the following enclosure: Her
follows q number Of papers relative Il
the Hamburg massacre.
These enclosures embrace all the in
formation in my possession touching tht
late disgraceful and brutal slaughter o
unoHending men at the town OF Ham
burg, s. G. My letter to Gov. Chamber
lain contains all the comments l wished
to make. As alldsion Ii made in The
letter to the condition Of other States
and particularly to Louisiana and Mis-
sisSippi, I have added to the enclosures
letters and testimony in regard to the
lawless condition Of a portion Of the
people OF the latter States. In regard
to Louisiana affairs, the murders and
massacres Of innocent men for opinion'e
sake on account Of color have been Of toe
recent date and Of too frequent occur.
renee to require recapitulation'or or testi.
mony here. All are familiar with their
horrible details, the only wonder being
that so many justify them or apologize
for them. -
But recently a committee Of the Senate
visited The State Of Mississippi to take
testimony on the subject Of frauds and
violence in elections. Their report has
not yet been made public, but l await its
forthcoming with feeling Of confidence
that il will fully sustain all that have
stated in relation 10 the fraud and VIC.
lence in the State of Mississippi.
[Signed] U. S. GRANT.
Executive Mansion, July 81, 1876.
LETTER TO GOV. CHAMBELAIN. .,
The following is tho Presidents letter
to Governor Chamberlain, referred to
above:
EXECUTIVE MANSION,
WAsHINdToN, D. c., July 2G.
DEAR S1R-I am in receipt Of your
letter Of the 22d OF July, and all the en-
closures enumerated therein giving an
account OF The late barbarous massacre
Of innocent men at the town Of Hamburg,
s. c. The views which you express rs
to the duty you owe to your oath Of office
and to the citizens 10 secure to all their
civil rights, including the right to vote
according 10 the dictates OF their own
conscience, and the further duty Of the
Executive OF the nation TO give all need
full aid when properly called on to do so
to enable you to insure this inalienable
right, fully concur In. The scene at
Hamburg was cruel, blood.thirsty and I'M.
provoked, and as uncalled for as it was,
Is only a repetition of the course that
has been pursued in other Southern
States within the last few years, notably
in Mississippi and Louisiana. Missis.
sippi is governed to-day by officials
chosen through fraud and violence such
as would scarcely be accredited to sav'
ages, much less TO a civilized and Chris
tan people. How long these things are
to continue, or what is to be the final
remedy, the Great Ruler Of the Universe
onlS knows; but have an abiding faith
that a remedy will come, and come
speedily, and l earnestly hope that il
will come peacefully. There has never
been desire on the part OF the North tO
humiliate the South. Nothing is
claimed for one State that is not
freely accorded to all others, unless il
may be the right to kill negroes and Re-
pu6licans without fear Of punishment
and without loss OF caste or reputation
This has seemed TO be a privilege claim.
ed by few States. Irepeat again that
I fully agree with you as 10 the measure
OF your duties in the present emergency.
Let every Governor where the same dan
gers to the peace Of his State exist, go
on in the conscientious discharge OF his
duties to the humblest as well as TO the
proudest citizen, and l will give every
aid for which I can find law and consti-
tutional power. A government that can
not give protection to life, property and
all guaranteed civil rights, in this country
the greatest Of which Is an untrammeled
ballot to the citizen, is in SO far failure
and every energy Of the oppressed should
be exerted within the law and by consti-
tutional means 10 regain lost privi.
leges and protection. The too long denial
OF guaranteed rights is sure to lead to a
reyolution-a bloody revolution where
the suffering must fall upon the innocent
as well as the guilty. Expressing the hope
that better judgment and cooperation oi
the citizens OF the State over which you
have presided 80 ably may enable you tO
secure fair trial and punishment Of all
the offenders without distinction Of race
or color or previous condition, and with
out aid from the Federal government
but with the promise Of such aid on the
conditions named in the foregoing, l sub
scribe myself very respectfully your obe'
dient servant, us. GRANT.
70 Hon. D. II. Chamberlain, Governor o
| South Carolina.
COLORADO A STATE.
The President in accordance with thu
provisions Of the act Of Congress approx,
ed March Sd, 1875, to-day Issued proCla
nation declaring and proclaiming The
fact that the fundamental conditions i'm
posed by Congress in the State Of Colorado
TO entitle that State 10 admission tC
the Union has been ratified and accepted
and that the admission Of the said Stat,