The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1876-10-05
THE PHOSPHATE STATE.
The EVILS OF RADICAL MIsRULE-A
PLAIN RECITAL OF FACTS.

THE EVILS OF RADICAL M1sRULE-A
PLAIN RECITAL OF FACTS. .,.
From the Charleston Ne,rs and Courier, September 22
inst five months since, in q letter to
the fair women of Lexington, Governor
Chamberlain said: Zone hundred years
ago South Carolina and Massachusetts
were struggling together for freedom and
independence. To-day South Carolina
is struggling alone for good government.
By The memories of Lexington and Moul-
trie, we beseech Massachusetts to stand
BY us, in this dire extremity, in the spirit
of Adams and Hancock" The struggle
is more desperate than when those words
winged their way to Lexington; the
hand that wrote them is tightly clasped
by thieves and rufians; Gov. Chamber
lain is the chosen candidate of the robber
crew who, few short months ago, were
his foe and ours. But the memories of
Moul>rie and Lexington still live; the
spirit oflAdams and Hancock is not dead.
In their name, in our extremity, we ask
of Massachusetts and the other States of
the "Old Thirteen" fair and patient
hearing, in order that our countrymen
may know, as they have never known,
the desperate imbecility and corruption
have brought quarter of million Of
American citizens in South Carolina, to
ensure whose domestic tranquility"
with that of their countrymen, the Con-
stitution of the United States was or
dained and established.
I. A month ago the colored laborers in
the counties of Beaufort and Colleton
struck for higher wages. Many of The
hands were willing to work at the ad-
vanced rate given at the beginning of
harvesting, but the ringleaders drove
such laborers from the fields, get upon
them. bruised them with clubs and bru-
tally whipped them. To this hour the
two counties named are in perturbed
condition.
II. In Charleston, on September 6, a
mob of Radical negroes attacked two col
ored Democrats, who were defended by
party of white citizens, In the fight that
ensued one man was killed and several
persons were grievously wounded. For
some hours the negro rioters held nndis-
puted possession Of the principal thor
oughfare of the city.
III. At the beginning of this week a
posse with a constable, bearing warrant
for the arrest of a negro charged with as
sault and robbery of an aggravated char
acter, were fred upon, near Ellenton, by
crowd of negroes, with whom the fugi-
tive from Justice had taken refuge. These
negroes have since burned two dwelling
houses and number of barns. They re-
moved the rails on the Port Royal Rail-
road, threw a train from the track and
fred into the train. They ;;hreaten even
now to burn che villages on the line Of
the road.
". In the quiet town of Aiken the
white citizens on Friday night slept on
their arms, the blacks having beaten Che
long roll and manifested an intention to
use the torch as a surer weaponot oftense
than shotgun or bludgeon.
V. In Marion the other dag a negro
resisted arrest, and, with his companions,
fred upon and wounded one of the Sher-
ifs posse who attempted to arrest him.
vi. The Deputy Sheriff of Barnwell,
Republican, is ambuscadel and wounded
by negroes, and the clothes of the officer
with him were riddled with balla.
The facts we give, stripped to the bare
truth, and capable Of confirmation by a
cloud of trustworthy witnesses, exhibit
the situation of the low country of South
Carolina where the negroes predominant.
For month or more the white citizens
have been in imminent danger. The as
sassin threatens them day by day and the
barnburner by night.
The State government is in undisputed
possession Of the Republican party.
What has been done by the State govern
ment, or by local officers, to restore to
the people, under the Constitution, the
inalienable rights of "enjoying and de-
Tending their lives and liberties, of ac-
qniring, possessing and protecting prop
erty, and Of seeking and obtaining their
safety and happiness?
1. In Beaufort nineteen of the Com ba-
hee rioters were arrested. All save five
were discharged. The remaining five
were tried on Wednesday. Their guilt
was admitted; no defense was made.
They aoere promptly acquitted.
2. A show Of authority was made in
Colleton, but the fioters pursued the
Deputy Sheriff and posse, rescued their
prisoners, and drove the "minions of the
law" in derjsion back to WATERFORD
The Sheriff of Colleton reports that he
cannot execute the processes of the law
in the lower part of the county.
8. In Charleston one solitary arrest has
been made, and that was, after long de-
Law, upon the affidavit Of citizen who
had been assaulted. The city authori-
ties hear nothing, say nothing, attempt
nothing.
No arrests at Ellenton or Hattieville
5. Where are the courts? The Radical
Judge of the circuit in which the main
disturbances take place, hurries into
court, before the appointed hour of meet
ing, and adjourns at once. 1t was the
.day for the opening of the regular term
aid an adjournment without day IS or,
dered, without reference to the rights OF
prisoners, the wishes of counsel, or the
convenience of the jurors.
6. Where is the Governor of the State ?
With the murderous volleys of the Ellen
ton rioters ringing in his ears, he deser,
ted his post on Monday night last, and
hied him to Massachusetts,
Several white men have been killed in
the different combats, and number OF
negroes are reported to be slain. The
negroes believe themselves to be above
the law, and act upon this belief: The
State is threatened with a war OF races
The State government, from Governor
down, encourages the lawless negroes to
further excesses by the failure to stamp
out the first germs of disorder.
And the whites What are they DO
ing? For their own protection and that
of peaceful colored citizens, they have
organized themselves in every district
It is the whites who maintain order
wherever order rcigns. The Executive
calls upon the United States troops to ar
rest the Ellenton outlaws, and at their