Orangeburg news and times. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1875-1877, 1876-06-17
Proclamations.
STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA,
ESrdarr,yE fH,r,,,Dro

EXEeGT1vE CHAMBER.
Official information has reached me
that OH the Esd day Of May last, six
persons, named Austin Davis, Stephen
Lake, Larkin Holloway, Jesse Lake,
Jefferson Settles and Marshall Perrin,
charged with tho murder Of John T..
Harmon and Catharinc a. Harmon,
his wife, at :: place called Winter
Scat, i'll The County of Edgoiicld, were
forcibly taken from the custody of the
Sheriff o! Edgeicld county, by body
of men numbering several hundred,
and Immediately shot to death.
The murder Of Mr.. and Mrs. uar-
mon, so far as the evidence produced
at the coroRer's inquest shows, was
cold bloodcd and icndish; but the
subsequent killing Of those charged
with this crime by others than officers
Of the law, and in a manner not au-
thorlzed by the law renders every
person engaged in the killing q MUIR
dcrcr iii the eye Of the law No plea
Of provocation, or Of the necessity for
protection and example, can for q
moment bc admitted to justify such
ar act.
This State is not new or imper-
tcc.lj organized community in which
concerted violence must sometimes
supplement- or s.pcrsclc the laws.
: h2 .aw5 Q! ,hii state take notice Of
4. crimes a:st; ntovide punishment
for al criminals Tho courts arc
everywhere and frequent
Nor were thore special circumstan-
ccs attending this affair which could
give occasion or excuse for this def
ancc and overthrow Of the law and
its officers. The persons charge with
tilc crime were III custody Of the Off
GERS Of the law. Escape was impos-
siblc. If the county Jail was deemed
insecure the citizens could have
guarded it. A term of the Court Of
General Sessions was close ut hand, q
court in which the presiding Judge
and jurics could not possibly be charg-
ed with lcnity towards such crimes.
No ground whatever existed for fear
ing executive ciemency after due
conviction. During the term Of
Office Of the present Executive, no
person capitnlly convicted has been
pardoncd, and the sentence of no
person so convicted has been changed
by the Executive except upon the
urgent and combined recommends
tion Of the court, jury and citizens.
And y.t in the face Of such facts
SIX citizens covered by the mgis Of
our laws, their persons inviolablc
from touch Or hurt except by the
hands Of the ministers cf The law,
have been sunlmarily, deliberately,
openly and ruthlessly slain, without
legal trial, without proper legal sclu-
tiny Of the evidences Of their guilt
and without the smallest chance ut
legal defense. TO The horror inspired
by the original crime is now added
The horror which such lawlcss ven
gcnce should everywhere inspire. The
peace Of society was broken by the
first crime; but the supremacy Of law
was overthrown by the second crime
As tho Chief Magistrate ST the
State, it is my duty to warn my tel-
low-citizcns Of tho nature and effects
Of such resort to violence for the pun
ishment Of crime, and to call upon
I'll the officers and agents Of tie law
to bring to just account those who
have dared 10 usarp The awin! prcrn-
gatives with which the lawfully con
stituted representatives Of public
Justice arc alone invested.
In testimony whereof, ! have hcreunto
set my hand and caused the
seal of the State to DO affixed,
r.. g. this third day Of June, A. d.
1876, and Of the Independence
Of the United States the one
hundredth.
b. tho Governor
d. H.nClIAMBERLAIN,
Governor.
II. L. HAySE,