The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1876-07-26

train going towards Columbia on the
Thursday evening, previous, and re-
turned, as is strongly suspected, with
ammunition for these negroes?
Why have they not reported that
this same man said to the negroes al
ter the alterations on the streets on
tho 4th of July, between this so-oall-
ed Militia Company and young Butler
and Getzen, that "they (the negroes)
ought to have shot Getzen to death, and
beat Buffers brains out with the butts OF
their guns :" and that he incontinent'
lv fled like mischieyOus cur, when
the storm, which he had brewed, burst
upon the offending negroes, :,
Why they have not reported all OF
these provocations I cannot conceive,
except upon the hypothesis, that they
are paid to lie, and to SANDER, anu
misrepresent the white people of this
State for political effect.
They say that the demand was made
upon the negroes for the arms without
authority or justification. Why had
not any citizen or number OF citizens,
the right to demand them?
Prince Rivers Brigadier or Major
General of Militia, had said publicly
that they were taken from him with
out tauthority. These negroes had assem-
bled riotously; were in state of arm
ed resistance to the laws, and any citi-
zen or number of citizens had the right
to disperse the rioters and suppress the
riot and to use just so much force as
was necessary to accomplish 1t, and
if every negro engaged in the riot had
been killed in the suppression, II
would have been excusable, II not
justifable.
The tribunal of the written law had
been applied to, and ANONYMOUSLY
failed. Delay would have been fatal
to the safety Of the lives, families and
property of the unofending, peacea.
bic citizens. Prompt, short, sharp and
decisive action was necessary; under
the dictates of that unwritten, inalien.
able law, known as self-preservation
the first of all laws. Some there may
have been, who were glad Of an op-
portunity to punish those who had &C.
cumulated wrongs, insults and outra-
ges upon them, such as l have emu
merated. can sympatize with them,
if cannot approve such means OF
vindication.
/ have upon previous occasion ex-
planned how and why I was if Ham:
burg. did nothing there which re-
gret or for which have. any apollo
gies to make, and would do again just
what then did.
I might have avoided the storm by
fleeing from it. But I conceived that
I had certain duties to perform, and !
was not brought up in that school
which allows any man to desert his
friends and clients when they are IN
danger, and their families and proper
ty in jeopardy. ] am indifferent to the
opinion OF those bowling hypocrites,
and ask no fayors at their hands, and
shall grant none. Their threats OF
United States soldiers have no terrors
for me or the people Of Edgefield.
We have had these soldiers with us
and have no objection to their coming
again. We have found the officers
gentlemen as general thing, and the
men orderly and law-abiding, and
they will do no more tnan execute
their orders and enforce the laws.
I invite a judicial investigation, and
am prepared to submit to the arbitra-
ment of the law; and such is the feel
ing as far have been able to learn, of
every white man who is in any degree
connected with the affair. The white
men of this country have some rights
which the negroes arc bound to re-
spect. They have no other feeling for
them, than kindness and pity. Kind
ness for their loyalty to our families
during the war, and pity that they
will permit themselves to be made the
tools of bad, mischievous, designing
white men and mulattoes. So long
as they obey the laws, every honora-
BILE man of the country will feel bound
to protect and encourage them in hap
piness and prosperity.
Very respectfully yours.
M. C. BUTLER.