Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1876-10-19
MEETING AT EDGEFIELD.

in the State.
MEETING AT EDGEFIELD.
Under these circumstances I went,
on the 18th of August, to address
republican meeting at Edge6eld Court
House. This meeting had been call
ed by the chairman Of the republican
party of that county, at my instance,
and as rumors had repeatedly reach
ed me that the meeting was to be in
some way interrupted by the demo
c-ats, I Invited one or twoTepublican
speakers to accompany me. Hon.
Robert Smalls, member of Congress
from the 5th district, also accompanied
me. We reached the Court House at
9 o'clock in the forenoon. Almost
Immediately upon my arrival I found
the town rapidly filing with mount
ed white men, who signalized their
arrival in town by riding rapidly
through the streets and uitering al
most continuously the shout or cry
which you must pardon me for de-
scribing by its familiar name, as the
"rebel yell"--a sound to which my
ears were we'll accustomed in Virgi-
MIA twelve years ago. By IL o'clock
this crowd of mounted white men
numbered, I judged, five or six hun
dred at least. Command Of these
men was apparently formally assun-
Ell at the public square by General
M. C. Butler and General NJ. W. Ca
ry, and they proceeded to the grove
where stand had been erected by
the republican committee for the
speakers. I should mention that at
about 10 clock several white gen.
tlemen had called at my hotel and
asked that democratic speakers should
be heard at our meeting. l answer
ed that we had several republican
speakers present who would require
the whole day if they all spoke, but
suggested that these gentlemen
should see the republican county
chairman, and stated that 1 would
personally consent to any arrange
ment they might make with him.
The chairman being engaged in pre-
parations for the meeting did not
meet these gentlemen and no arrange
ment was made.
At IL o'clock I left the hotel and
proceeded to the grove. On arriving
I found the mounted white men who
had assembled in town, with large
number of other white men, occupy
ing one entire halfofthe space around
the stand, and one end of the stand
already broken down by the white
men who had crowded upon it. 1
stepped upon the stand in company
with Judge Mackey and Senator
Cain, the republican county chair
man. Simultaneously General But
Ter and General Gary mounted the
stand with number of their follow
ers. The white men vociferously
cheered General Butler and General
Gary as they appeared upon the stand,
and the speaking was actually open
ed by General Butler. who returned
his thanks to his followers for their
presence and their tribute to him.
He was followed, in response to deaf
ening calls from his party, by Gener-
al Gary, who announced in emphatic
and plain terms that they-he and
his party-had come there to be
heard, and that they should be heard;
that the radical leaders had failed to
make any arrangement for division
of the time in speaking, but that he
and his friends should be hear1 with
or without our consent, and lie add
ed, with great significance of tone
and manner, that "if any trouble
took place in consequence the re
sponsibility and consequences would
be upon the radical leaders" !" Du
ring all this time no republican had
been allowed to speak. A glance at
the crowd of white men who by this
time covered the stand and swarmed
around nearly three sides Of it. be
sides climbing into the trees above
our heads, all, SO far as | could OBJ
serve, heavily armed with pistols,
displayed in many instances on the
front of their persons, and even held
in their hands, convinced me tina;
any attempt to refuse the demand
made, or even to abandon the meet
i,g. would result in collision and
bloodshed between the parties.
therefore advised Senator Cain that
we had no alternative but to yield to
the demand, and after moments con-
sultation l announced that we would
divide the time, giving q half hour
each to three speakers from each par
ty Senator Cain then proposed to
call the meeting to order and to an
nounce the speakers, but General Ga
ry declared that they wanted no
chairman, and accordingly I stepped
rorr.ard under these circumstances, I