The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1876-11-09
Opposing BayOnet. Rnle.

FGllchrlSt, at rne meetlnS nelo III jersey
City to protest against Grants use of
bsyonets iii the South, presented the
question clearly and ably, but with great
moderation of tone and feeling. After:
briefly referring to the sadness Of thfe
scene, even when necessity requires tie
interposition Of the army in affairs az
fecting the liberties Of the citizen, he
said that this feeling OF sadness was not
so strong when the militia, composed Of
neighbors and friends, was called out to
suppress disturbance. "But," he contin- /
ued, "not one in hundred Of the regu- 4
lar army OF the United States is a citizen
of the United States. They are strangers,
men without the cultivation of civilized
society, aliens, Lirelings, The use of
such men against our free people is a
dangerous and alarming, thing. We
might not protest if re really believed
there was such a danger as called for this
interposition but we are not satisfied
that the call for the army Of the United
States is made with sincerity for the pur-
pose of putting down any real insurrec-
tion. - :..,a
my fellow-citizens, if thereis is any day
in the year on which we are all soye.
reigns, it is election day. If all our
citizens are equal on any day Of the year,
y is election day. If there is any week
day sacred, it is the day when We ,exer:
else the elective franchise. On that day
there ought not to be any soldiers any.
where in arms. Our law and the law of
every State in this Union prohibits even
the training Of the militia on cleo;
ton day. Even the law of the Uni:
ted States prevents the assembling Of
any armed force on election day, except
to keep the peace. We have been brought
up in the idea that we are q free people,
and that we can govern ourselves. If 1t
has come TO this-that On the day of
all the year when we are to exercise our
sovereign power it is necessary to: keep
us in order with the army of the United
States-I tell you, my fellow-citizens, the
day of the republic is gone"
But Mr.. Gilchrist held that even if
Grants action was technically legal, the
ruler of free people is bound to regard
public decency. He belongs to q pollti-
cal party which is on trial. His whole
history as civil ruler for the last eight
years is under discussion, and partisan
feeling runs high. It was therefore his
duty, before he took such a step, to lay
before the people of the United States
unimpeachable proofs to satisfy them be-
yond a reasonable doubt that it was for
the protection of life and liberty that he
resorted to armed force but he does not
deign to give us the evidence upon which
he has proceeded. He shows = a letter
from United States Marshal, showing
that there was disorder at one public
meeting; but that could be stated of
every State in the Union. There is ten
times more disorder in Pennsylvania on
election day than in South Carolina {; but
there are no troops sent to Pennsylvania.
On the other hand, we have the best evil
dence that there is. no disorder, calling
for these troops in South Carolina. All
the clergy of the city of Chsrleston have
written letter to the people of the Uni
ted States testifying that there is none.
Do these men of God, come before the
people, on the most public occasion pos
sible and perjure themselves? That can:
not be. The presidents of the banks and
other financial institutions in Charleston
and other parts of South Carolina testify
| in the same letter that there is no disor-
der in the State of South Carolina. Now,
what does this mean? Have all the
leading business men of the State of
South Carolina become pe1urers and
liars? utuceu
/ have here the order of Don Cameron,
the Secretary of War, made on the 18th
of August last. You will recollect that,
just before Congress adjourned, the House
of Representatives unanimously passed
resolution deprecating any disorder, con.
fusion or alarm in any of the States of
the Union, and expressing the opinion
that all the people, especially those who
had been recently admitted to the suf.
frage, should be, and would be, confirmed
and undisturbed in their rights. What
do YOU think was done Immediately upon
the adjournment of that Congress? Don
Cameron issues an order to Gen. Sherman
stating that the President thought that it
was in accordance with the spirit of that
preamble and resolution, passed unan-
imously by the House of Representa-
tiyes, to hold in readiness the whole army
of the United States, and prepare to
march upon the people. My fellow citi-
zens, is not that sham, a disingenuous
and unfair statement Was it not false
pretence upon which he gave that order?
That was the 18th of August, and the
election was not to come until November.
In 1870 there was Convention of the
Republican party to be held in the city
of New Orleans to nominate candidate
for Governor. Gen. Grants brother-in-
law, Mr.. Casey, was then Collector Of the
United States customs in that port. He
headed certain portion Of the Republi-
cans of that State, and Warmoth headed
another portion of them. Mr.. Casey
called the Republican Convention to meet
in the United States Custom House,
where no political convention ought to be
permitted to be assembled. The section
of the party headed by Casey and Grant
was the fewest in numbers. Warmoth
had majority of the Convention. What
did Casey and his people do? They let
in by a side door the friends of Casey. A
troop of artillery were marched into the
Custom House, and they planted Gatling
| guns all alOnS W siIoo1 Inel oiooiiS. A'e
publicans that wouldn't vote for Casey,
the brother-in-law of Grant. This. is a
fact that some of US had forgotten.
I say that the proclamation of such q
man, when confronted by the testimony
OF all these clergymen and business men,
Is not to be regarded as truth. But that
is not all. In 1872, in that same State OF
Louisiana, there was a; contest between
Kellogg and McHenry for Governor.
The election was held on the same day as
the Presidential election. McHenry, the
Democratic candidate, was elected by
10000 majority, as has since been re-
ported by committee of Republican
Senators of the United States. But you
find Attorney General Williams tele-
graphing on the Sd Of December to Mar