Knoxville journal. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1874-1986, 1876-08-10
gold dollar the unit of values, and
this is why section 3,5ll Of the Re-
vised Statutes of the United States
should be repealed.
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Talks Rusnueaa.

Read il.
To The Senate Of the United States.
In response to a resolution of the
Senate, July 20, calling upon the
President to communicate to the
Senate, If in his opinion not incom.
patible with public interest, any in.
formation in regard to the slaughter
of American citizens Mt Hamburg
5. c., ! have the honor to submit,
the following Enclosures: Here fol.
lows a number of papers relative to
the Hamburg massacre.
The President says: These enclos.
ures embrace all the information In
my possession touching the late dis
graceful and brutal slaughter of un-
offending men at the town of Ham,
burg, s. c. My letter to Gov. Cham
berlain contains all the comments I
wish to make on the subject. AS al
lusion is made in the letter to the
condition Of other States, and par
ticularly to Louisiana and Missis.
sippi, have added to the Enclosures
letters and testimony in regard to the
lawless condition of a portion of the
people of the latter State. In regard
to Louisiana affairs, murders aud
massacres OF innocent men for opin-
ions sake, or on account of color,
have been Of too recent date and too
frequent occurrence to require re-
capitulation or testimony here. All
are familiar with their horrible de-
tails, the only wonder being that so
many justify them or apologize for
them. But recently committee of
the Senate of the United States Wis
!ted the State of Mississippi to take
testimony on the subject of frauds
and violence in elections. Their re-
port has not been made public, but /
await its forthcoming with a feeling
Of confidence that IL will fully sus-
tain all that have stated I'm relation
to fraud and violenco In the State OF
Mississippi.
L. y. GRANT.
Executive Mansion. July II, 1876.
THE PRESIDENT AND GOVERNOR
CHAMBERLAIN.
Tho following IL the Presidents
letter to Gov. Chamberlain, referred
to- above:
EXECUTIVE MANSION, WASHING
TON, ID. G., July 26.-~DEAR SIR: |
am in receipt Of your letter Of the
22d Of July, and all the enclosures
enumerated therein, giving an ac-
count of tho late bnrbarous massacre
OF innocent men nj tho town OF
Hamburg, =. &. The views which
you express ~ Ia the duty you owe
TO your oath of office and to tho citi-
zens to secure to all their civil rights,
including tho right to vote according
to tho dictates OF their own con-
sciences, and the further duty OF tho
Executive Of tho nation to give all
nccdful aid when properly called ON
TO do 80 10 enable you 10 insure this
inaIienable right, fully concur In.
Tho scene at Hamburg, cruel, blood.
thirsty, wantOn, unprovOked, and
uncalled for as IL was, is only a rcpe-
tition of the course that has been
pursued In other Southern States
within the last few years, notably In
Mississippi and Louisiana. Missis-
sippi IL governed to-day by officials
chosen through fraud aud violence,
such as would scarcely be accredited
% savagos, much less to civilized and
Christian people. How long these
things are to continue, or what IL to
be the final remedy, tho Great Ruler
OF the Universe only knows. But
have an abiding faith that n remedy
will come, and como speedily, and /
earnestly hope that 1t will come
peacefully. There has never been n
desire on the part Of tho North to
humiliato tho South. Nothing IL
claimed for one State that Ia no,
freely accorded TO all others, unles,
/. be tho right to kill negroes and
Republicans without fear Of punish
ment and without loss Of caste oi
reputation. This has seemed 10 bo q
privilege claimed by few States.
repeat again that | fully agree
with you as to the measure Of your
duties In the present emergency, and
az 10 my duties. Go on, and lo'
every Governor whore the same dan
gers threaten the peace of his State
go on In tho conscientious discharge
of his duties 10 tho humblcst AZ vel
M the proudcst citizen, and | will
give every aid for which ] can find
law or constitutional power. Tho
Government that cannot give protec'
ton 10 life, property, and aIl guaran'
teed civil rights in this country the
greatest IL an untrammeled ballot
To tho citizen is in so far failure
and every energy Of the oppressed
should bc cxerted always within
tho law and by constitutional means
to regain lost privileges and protec
tion. Tho doDial OF guaranteed
rights Is sure to lead TO revolution
bloody revolution, where the suffer
ing must fall upon the innocent a
well az the guilty.
Expressing the hope that tho bot
ter judgment and cooperation OF th'
citizens Of tho State over which yo,
have presided 20 ably may enabl'
you 10 secure fair trial and punish
ment OF all offenders, without dis
tinction Of race, or color, or previou
condition, and without aid from th
Federal Government, but with tn
promise of such aid on the condition
named in the foregoing, subscrib
myself, very respectfully, your Obe
dent servant, Il. =. GRAFT.
10 the Hon. -. RI. Chamberlain
Governor or South Carolina.
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