The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1876-07-27
LETTER FROM GEN. BUTLER.
A Searching Review of the Hamburg
HORROR
EpGEr1ELp. S. C. july I6, 187!

A Searching Review of the Hamburg
HORROR
EDGEF1ELD, S. C. July 16, 1876.
Editors Journal of Commerce:
The high joint commission, consisting
of VIM. Stone, Carpet Bag Attorney
General, and the Mulatto Adjutant-G Gen
eral of the State, Purvis, have lately
visited Hamburg to investigate the
Horror" and the former has made his
"report." Why Governor Chamberlain
should have subjected the State to the
expense, and these two dignitaries to the
trouble, of going to Hamburg, is some
what surprising. When we read the re
port" and consider the data from which
it is made, the ex-parte statements of
lying negroes and the partial, partisan
and false conclusions of its facile author,
the suggestion arises, why the afidavits
were not written out in Columbia, made
to order there, and sent by express to be
executed without limit by the dusky
atlantis of that renowned rendezvous,
Hamburg. This plan would have an
swered the purpose of the outrage manu-
facturers, and their hireling newspaper
champions, just as well.
If this so-called Attorney General had
been in pursuit of the truth, why did he
confne his inquiries to the besotted
negroes, and a few perured white men
who had instigated them into an armed
insurrection against the laws of the coun-
try, the rights and property of its citizens,
and the safety and peace of that commu-
nifty? If acting within the perview of
the duties incident to the high position
in the State, to which the accidents of
war have elevated him, why did he so
hastily conclude his investigation before
getting at the real facts Of this unfortu-
nate emute, and rush into print with 9
report pregnant with partisanship, and
fragrant with the odor of Radical false
hood? If his hireling champions Of the
press had desired to present to the public
a truthful account and fair representation
of the Hamburg Horror" why did their
accommodating reporters seek for .publi-
cation the statements of such worthless as
'sDock" Adams, Prince Rivers, Gardner,
and other negroes of that TX, and avoid
sources of information which could have
thrown light, at least, upon the subject Of
inquiry.
why should these champions of Radi-
cal outlaws, these bolsterers of the wan
ing fortunes of one of the most infamous,
imbecile governments that the world has
ever known, so "swiftly denounce" the
white men engaged in the merited chas-
tisement of this body of armed outlaws,
bandits and robbers, as "fends," Cow
ards" ETC., and have not one word of con-
donation for the outlaws, bandits and
robbers themselves. Why have the edi-
tors and reporters of these malignant
sheets dashed themselves into spasms of
horror and shame and modification at
the death of few of these armed outlaws,
and find in their hearts not feeling of
regret or sorrow at the death of that
splendid, fearless and honorable young
man, McKie Merriweather, who was
murdered in cold blood by these same
outlaws. I can point out just twenty
misstatements of facts in this "Re-
port" which could have been easily
avoided if the doughty Attorney-General
had taken the trouble to arrive at the
truth. As he recommends judicial in
vestigation, and sundry threats of arrests
have been made by certain valiant
knights of the quill, who presume will
volunteer to play constable for that pur-
pose, I will reserve my exposure of these
falsehoods for that interesting occasion.
Upon the heads Of those charged with
the execution of the laws, rests the re-
sponsibility for this collision. If it is
true that Governor Scott placed these
arms and this ammunition in the hands
of these ignorant people, it was crime
against them and the white people that
he did so. 1t was crime in Governor
Moses to have allowed them to remain in
their hands. And it was more than a
crime in Governor Chamberlain, in the
light of his experience upon that subject.
It was cruel and inexcusable wrong, an
unpardonable sin against the peace of the
country and the lives of the people, that
he should have allowed these guns and
ammunition to remain in their hands.
The jurisdiction and powers of Trial
Justice are large and the responsibility
proportionally increased, at an important
point on our border, like Hamburg; and
q man of the greatest discretion, fidelity
and frmness, could and should have been
procured to fill the Office; but instead OF
that, this man, Prince Rivers, wholly un-
fit for so important station, is the only
acting Trial Justice in Hamburg, and L
believe the next nearest in Aiken County
is about twelve miles distant
Now, if there had been Trial Justice
accessible. who would have given Mr..
Robert Butler justice, when, like law
abiding man, as he is, he appealed to
him to protect members of his family
against this so-called militia, this "Hor-
ror" would never have been chronicled.
Not only does he not afford him pro
lection, but the ruffianly constable of this
Trial Justice, one Bill Nelson, a copper
colored negro, insults me as his attorney
when approached him in perfectly re-
spectful manner, to enquire about the
whereabouts of the Trial Justice, in order
to begin the investigation. l was more
over bafled and triaed with for hours by
this Trial Justice, and his negro asso-
ciates, until this armed company of out
laws had time to concentrate In their
armory, where they could successfully
maintain their attitude of armed insur-
rection. armed with guns which this same
Prince Rivers admitted in my presence
had been taken from him by these ne
groes without authority.
The town had negro intendant, negro
aldermen, negro marshals. Itwas almost
terror to every white man whose busi-
ness required him to pass through it.
They had harbored thieves and criminals
from every direction. They had arrested
and fined some of the best and most
peaceable citizens for the most trivial
offences against their ordinances-some
for drinking out of spring adjacent to
bghway "; One young map was b hea
arrested, dragged to prision and heavily
fined, because his horse SHE'D on the edge
old mon WOO