The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1876-11-02
The Bayonet Conspiracy Exposed.
HoIuMRIA Oct 1879

SOLUMblA, OCG. lOfO,
The Democratic Executive Committee
has Issued the following address to the
people of the State of South Carolina,
who desires honest government without
regard to political party or race:
ADDRESS OF THE COMMITTEE.
His Excellency the President of the
United States did on the 18th day of this
month issue proclamation whereby he
commanded all persons engaged in unlaw-
full and insurrectienary proceedings to
disperse and retire peaceably TO their
respective abodes within three days
from this date, and hereafter abandon
said combinations and submit themselves
to the laws and constituted authorities
of said State. This proclamation is
based upon the statements made by
Daniel II. Chamberlain, the Governor
of this State, which statements are
aimed exclusively against his political
opponent, and are proven to be untrue
by the testimony of every Judge in the
State and every Trial Justice or other
officer of the law from whom response
has been obtained every resident of the
State knows them to be untrue; every
Republican of character or intelli-
gence, or who is not in Office or seeking
office, and many who are in Office in the
State, have expressed horror and dis
gust at the course which TIE Governor
has pursued. We say this much for our
vindicatien. Never has people suf-
fered more by dishonor of Office and dis
honesty of officers; never has such bold
untruth been used for the support of a
movement which shakes the pillars upon
which rests the constitutional temple of
mighty people. Our State is but a
petty portion of the Union, but we call
upon our sister States of the North to
remember that the experiment now be-
ing made for the domination of our
election by the bayonet and by soldiers
as the irresistible instrument of revolt
ing local despotism, if successful, will
become the precedent before which the
whole fabric of American liberty will
fall, and which will be applied to other
States just as soon as party exigencies
require it. We make this declara-
tion of our innocence, not in disre-
spect of the President Of the United
States, but as an act of justice to our
selves as American citizens and to put
our case upon the record for an impartial
trial before the great national tribunal.
We bow in perfect submission to the
proclamation of his Excellency the
President, and exhort our feLow-citizens
whom we represent in the present can,
vass, to yield full and entire obedience
to every command in the said procla
nation.
We know that the clubs, called rifle
clubs, are assoc ations formed for home
protection; that they are not combina
tions, as charged by the Governor of thi
State; that there are but few that have
arms ammunition; that those which
hive been equipped were so done witt
the sanction, and sometimes with tn
aid of the Governor, and have been rec
, ognized by him as useful and appro
, pirate bodies, and not one of them ha
been accused of disorder. We know
, that their necessity was occasioned b,
the reckless distribution of arm
: and ammunition among the coloret
5 people by the State officials, and W
further know that our white citizen
| were, on the 18th day of this month
massacred at peaceful political Assem-
f blage, when by agreement with Q. {
f Bowen, Republican Chairman Of Charles
, ton Council, and Sheriff of said count,