National Republican., 1876-09-01
"eers. and if they do simply say qoui

Gers, ana II they DO SIMPLY say lou
dead"
The writer of the above is highly
spectacle gentleman, who authorizes le
use of his name with any party who qs-
tions the truth of his assertions Itwibe
remembered that we have printed silar
accounts of atrocities almost every dafor
several weeks past. We hear Of manyut-
RACES of this character in various popns
of the South which we do not prinbe-
cause they are usually related verify,
and often some days or weeks after cir
occurrence. Enough has been pried,
however, to satisfy all reasonable douers
that there is thoroughly organizedys-
tenn of terrorism and assassination thrgh-
out the entire South. 1t is no lessrue
that this system of brigandsge is leled
exclusively and Indignantly at the I'm
bers of the Republican party. 1t is.lso
true that the only provocation give by
the members of that party is the siple
exercise of the elective franchise andhe
political privileges properly appertaing
thereto. These rights and privilege are
not exercised with pretence and ostention
Extensively, but they have been mostly
assumed as right conferred upon thcol-
ored people by the constitutional aund
ments, and guaranteed to both white I'D
colored citizens by the highest organic w
of the nation.
What makes the outrages of the arDd
bandItti of South Carolina the more crh-
inal is the fact that they first proceededto
disarm the State militia, thus renderinghe
local authorities powerless for the presera-
ton of order and the protection of fe.
Having thus throttled the legally
nized government by force. they havebe-
come a law unto themselves, and haveas-
sumed to dictate to the authorities wat
course the latter may or may not purse.
1t is needless for US to remind the inteli-
gent readers of the NATIONAL REPUBLIoN
that this is revolution. They have seen he
cold -blooded massacre of citizens at Han
burg, and no one arrested for the comms-
sion of the crime. 1t is true that seveal
of the rioters were held to nominal bailfor
the grand jury, but it is well known nat
the bail. from its utter insignifcance as
compared with the enormity of the offense,
could have been designed only as mock
cry of justice. No one expe cts that a
Georgia grand jury can be found that will
dare to indict the murderers. The same
power which terrIfies and tyrannizes over
the voter also holds the juror in fearful sub
lection. Instead, therefore, of having
government republican in form, it will
be seen that South Carolina is in a chaotic
condition and without any government at
all, except that which is welded and as
serted through superior armed force. We
have seen the Governor of the State him
self forced day after day to submit to the
dictation of the "rifle clubs" as the armed
banditti style themselves, in order to enjoy
the high privilege of addressing his fellow
citizens upon the political issues of the cam
paign. We have seen him halted upon the
highway when marching in procession to
the place of meeting and commanded by
"Banditti Butler" to fall into the rear of his
brigands and follow them to the grove.
Reaching the place of rendezvous, we have
seen him compelled. at the same dictation,
to share time with these bandits in speech
making, and submit to the grossest insults
from them and their armed followers, all
of which he was powerless to prevent. 1t
is patent from these facts that it is
the well matured design of these ban
dts, who have already thus paralyzed the
local State government and rendered it
as peace establishment to use
the same forcible means for the introduc-
tion and maintenance in power of their
friends, the Democratic party, in utter dis
regard of the will of the majority of legal
voters.
The serious question to be determined
by the people of the United States in TIE
election is to be whether this
method ofrevolutionizing the governments
of States shall be permitted. The
condition of South Carolina is now
parallel with that of the territory
presided over by the renowned In
dian chief Sitting Bull" The ban
ditti chiefs of South Carolina have sworn
to hand the electoral vote of that State
over to Tilden and Hendricks. They
know that they can only do this by means
of force, violence and bloodshed. They
are already guilty of high treason against
the State in disarming the militia, usurping
its government and assassinating its citi-
zens in cold blood. The Governor, seem
ingly paralyzed with fear, or ashamed so
soon to acknowledge aud proclaim the
treason of those whom he has so recently
accounted his friends. hesitates to call
upon the General Government to aid him
in the restoration of order and the vindica-
ton of the supremacy of law. This imbe-
ciltty on the part Of the Governor is unac-
upon any other hypothesis than
hat Of fear of bodily harm. His duty,
like to himself, his State and the nation,
;alls upon him to assert the majesty of the
aw in the preservation of order, the pun
shment Of criminals, and the protection of
he lives and property of the citizens, or
all upon the President of the United
States for the necessary force to enable
him to effect this commendable and pa
riotic purpose. What will he do2 Will
he suffer his authority to be entirely frit-
cred away, and his government to become
by-word and laughing stock among the
lation, or will he assert his authority, and
lemand that assistance from the General
Government to which he is entitled, and
which the President always stands ready
D grant upon legal and proper requisition2
EDITORIAL POSTSCRIPT.