Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1876-10-31
From, South Carolina.
The Condition OF Anairs I'm South Caroii-
IN before the Sending Of u. >. Troops
there, as seen by a Maine Man.
The following letter is from an Oxford
conntv oentlemap who has been travel

The following letter Is from an Oxioru
county gentleman. who has been travel
ing in South Carolina several weeks:
GEORGETOWN, S. c., Oct. 18th. 1876.
During my stay at Columbia, 5. G.,
saw case of revolvers arrive, and also
saw an enterprising young man busily
engaged in distributing them, and l
noticed il as fact that IL was uniformly
young and middle aged men who had
them. also noticed that the more ell
DERBY class OF men in the community coun-
seled the use of more moderation, IN Inc
out OF their programme oil init
and fighting the negro away
IRON the polls. l heard one remark IN
the presence OF about dozen individuals
that they had no need to do any shooting
now. because they had got the negro or
niger, as he expressed il, so thoroughly
that all they need to do, ard
also what they ought to do, was TO orga.
nize in bodies OF two or three hundred
mounted men, and ride over the princi-
pal roads, and they would so brighten the
niger, that he wouldn't dare 10 come to
the polls at the Presidential election
But one young lire-eater dissented from
that view OF the case. and said that they
had got to fight. and the sooner it came
the batter, aud when il did come, look
out. niger.
A, one OF the hotels at which | stopped
tor a few days in a neighboring State,
there were stopping quite number OF
the prosecuted victims OF Chamberlain S
tyranny and all the offence they had
committed. so TAR as could learn from
their conversation, consisted in shooting
or attempting TO shoot uiggers. To be
sure | should jndge by the tenor OF pub
lie sentiment as | hear it un eservedly
expressed in the Sou:h, that il const'-
tuted no great immortality in the eyes oil
the average Sou,hrop. But | fancy that
in the good old state OF Maine even The
average democrat couldn' stand such a
condition OF society-Bob lugersoll to the
contrary, Notwithstanding. And these
Door, persecuted refugees had been COM
PEELED to flee their loved s.. Carolina to
avoid arrest. But the worst feature oil
all this is that these men, so lar as can
Judge, have the sympathy OF very large
majority OF the white people OF the South,
In The light OF such facts as these, do you
wonder tina; they claim the vote OF the
South as unit in the coming Pfesiden-
tial election?
At one OF the shire towns in one OF the
most noted counties of So. Carolina, my
business called upon me TO stop Tor
short time. and upon my entrance into
the hotel, saw an excited crowd oil men
assembled around tall. fierce looking
fellow, who was describing 10 them how
tho white democrats of his country sue
ceeded in breaking up Niger repuoli-
can meeting. He said they had got them
so thoroughly frightened that they did
not dare come ont in such numbers a.
iormely. and as consequence there were
ouly about two hundred and fifty niggers
in attendance. and there were enough
whites to completely surround them.
We'll remarks one young man. "the
nigccrs were armed, weren I they "On,
mo- he replied, IL went all through the
crowd and didn't see but one niger with
arms. and that was but shot gun"
Weren't our folks armed ~ asked an
other. "Well," replied be. "only with
side arms,-revolvers, and such. And
remarked he in cOnclus-
ion, They didn't say much"
1you wonder intelligent voter OF the
north, that they did not say much. sur
rounded as they were by q Gordon OF
armed whites who were ready to shoot al
the least provocation; and who | firmly
believe, Judging by the sentiments which
heard them express, were anXiousl1
awaiting the opportunity. Now this l.
the programme by which they are con
yerling" the negroes and making demo
Gratis Of them. And by such means they
propose 10 elect Hampton in So. Carolina.
convorsed but yesterday with very
intelligent democrat. and asked him
what the result would be if the | 5
troops were stationed in So. Carolina.
lie replied that it was very bad tbing
for Hampton, for the niggers would then
all vote the radical ticket. Speaking OF
the + lenton riot, he asked me what ]
supposed would have been the result u
they mad resisted the /. 5. troops. told
him il would have been suicidal on their
part. and would have aiienated the 81 m
patty OF ali democrats at the North.
But he remarked in conclusion that il
was too bad that the troops arrived just
as they did, for they had Just got the mig
gers entirely surrounded and they would
have wiped them all out and The OPTION
as expressed by all present who were lis
lening TO our conversation was that II
ought to have been done.
la fact, believe can see = licm deter
minalion on the part OF the democratic
party Of the South 10 drive the negro
from any participation in politics in The
South unless he will vote the democratic
ticket; and falling in intimidation they
are willing to carry the thing TO the point
OF partial determination or wholesale
bu,chery. As for instance the very in-
tel!icent correspondent Of the New York
Herald, (who. by the by. is a native OF
Georgia, as am informed, and violent
democratic poli.ioisn) informs the rea-
ders of the Herald that there were but
eigh, negroes killed in the riots there,
when the facts are, as told me by demo
Gratis who participated in them. there
were ten times this number killed.
Now Just wish TO say TO the intel!i-
gent reader of the Journal in conclusion
that these facts need no comment iron
me, they can make their own deductions
| came here TO the South with the con-
scientiOus conviction that the people o
the South were oppressed with carpet
bag misrule and that these periodical out
breaks were but the expression OF peo'
pie who were goaded to the point OF des
peration, but have seen for myself thu
condition OF affairs South, having con
versed freely with all classes Of society
and am firmly convinced that the Soutf
are trying TO gain control OF the govern
ment, with the desperate hope OF vim
L L.. 49, l. OF, hn, lnSt ht