Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1876-07-17
The Hamburg Affair.

day, during the discussion on the bill to pro-
tect the Texan frontier,
Mr.. Smals, (coI. rep.) of S. c., offered 40
amcndm providing that no troops sh all be
withdrawn from South Carolina 80 long as the
militia Of that Slate. peacefully assembled. are
assaulted. dsarmed taken prisoners and then
msssacred 10 cold blood BY laWless bands OF
men Invading that State from the State OF
Georgia. He sent to the Clerks desk and had
read newspaper statement of the Hamburg
massacre OF six colored men 90 the 9th Of July.
The statement was published as correspOo-
depce in the Washington Republican.
Mr.. Cochrane, (dem.) of Pa, asked MIR.
Snalls who the writer of the article was!
Mr.. Smas replied that the letter was writ
ten by an eye witness OF the transaction, to him,
and that be had sent it for publication.
Mr. Cochraoe-W BIO is the writer?
Mr.. Smalls-If toe gentleman desires the
uame to BE- givco 10 order that the writer may
be killed be will cot get it from me. he 10
lawyer 10 the towu OF Aiken.
Mr.. Cou er, (rep) of Mich, charged that the
cutting down ot tie army Was 10 prevent troops
from being sent into States where laWlss men
take the lives OF D. aceable citZ :ns, AID that
the ualu.ai and inevitable result of that reduc'
ton would leave the army so small that with
Iodi.n wars, The protection Of the Texas from.
tier, &. there would be no forces to be sent to
other parts Of the country where the presence
of troops was emiuently desirable and neces-
sary.
Mr.. OK spoke Of the anonymous letter hav.
ing been iud ,rsed By Il gentleman from South
Carolina Mr. Smsls, and asked who iodors
ed the geutlsmau. Murmurs Of disapproba,,
too !rom Tue republican side of the House
Mr. RAmsey-A large constituency.
Mr. Smals : mi 1rty Of IL ODU.
Mr.. Cox-Aui yet he come, here with all
the preiuiic- belonging TO his race He will
admit that uuch himself.
Mr.. SmalIs-I will not adult it.
MIR. Cox-Now wait moment. He comes
here and mas au anonymous letter read. Ihls
letter is Intended to be shaken 10 the face OF
he House Tor bad party purposes. have no
| duubt that riot was brought about for such bad
purposes: Georgia has oeVer touched this
matter. Georgia is entirely innocent Of it. The
State Of South Caroli1a is today republican
State--;he worst governed State 10 the
Union. Bad all rouad its borders; bad 10 its
heart, bad on the sea coast, bad in Edge.
| fed couoty, everywhere rotten TO the core. so
your own party papers have said. Give South
Carolina a democratic government and fair
| play, as 10 Texas, Virginia and other States
| tina, have b.eu rescued from this malad ols.
tra,iou and you will see that every mao, white
aud black, will be cared for under b. law
DO no, believe that the United States Govern
| ment is 70 lock OUT every trouble 10 the States
and apply military power. That Is new idea
! 10 ta> uutry that you have to touch with
| Federal bayon.t every sure place. The object
i: to get cry through all the land this fall
| tDr bad purposes. Maligpancy, hate, spite,
| bloody >hlTt!Sm, are ell that are 10 1t.
| Mr.. Hartridge. dem of Ca, said that the
| obi C. oi the amendment was sslt.e7lient 1t
Was Intended to subscrvt partisan purposes. 1t
did gross Injustice TO 40 honorable and gallant
rentt. man, General NJ. &. Butler. and TO the
people Of the State Of Georgia The people OF
Augusta had 10 immediate representation
prescott; The hand Of providence was pressing
heavily on the gifted gentleman (Stephens,)
ani it was his (Hartridge's prld- aud pleas
urc to protest against such an imputauoo as
that conveyed By the amendment upon COM
Inunity distinguished for its intelligence, To-
tagrity. virtue aad obedience to law aud the
CONSTITUTION, No one regretted the uutortu
uaa occurrences at Hamburg more than the
people of Georgia did. Its newspapers (al
d-mocra,c) were maodiug investigation and
" re stamping the matter With their condemn
atiJU. AD iuVc-!lS ga lou uEuSleu W Ghe Oo'-
ernor OF Scu Il Caroiua WAS now going 90, aud
II would have been we'll to have waited till the
| results Of that investigation were published be-
fore throwing such hrebrand toto this As.
moy. He sent to the clerks desk ADD had
read . Communication from General Butler to
the Augusta Consti!u ionalist, giving his yer.
sion OF the occurrence. which he characterized
| a sort Of spontaneous combustion.
NJ jones', (ieu. Of KY, eulo: ,z.d General
Blu i>r rs CD Waller sans peur ct sans reDroche.
Nj Raioey, (rcp II 5. g., made an earnest
| appeal 90 behalf Of his race, aod asked what
white men On military parade on the Fourth
of July would think Of demand By W. men
driving 10 buggy that they should break their
ranks and let them pass? He asked proud
Sou herners. who boased of their bravery and
their ch,valry, if they would stand it, and did
they expect negroes to stand Ii? DID they eX
pee men of his race to submit to continual
prosecutions aud massscres? He asked the
H u.e, in the name of humanity and of God,
to tell than if they should be American cisi.
zsus, With all the rights and immuolties of
such, or vassals and slaves again?
Without co miog 10 a vote 90 the amendment
the committee rose. and the n use, at forty
five minu;as after four adiournel