The daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1873-1877, 1876-08-17

Morton and the Hamburg Massacre.

GOV. Tilden nor Gov. Hendricks, in their
letters Of acceptance, say word about the
Hamburg massacre, and asserts that they
were afraid to; that ''theyidared not de-
nounce the men who committed the muir
ders at Hamburg, Coushatta and Colfax
and elsewhere, because their prospects of
carrying four or FIVE Republican states
depends upon the influence and support Of
Of the class of men who committed those
murders"
We might reply to this that neither
Hayes nor Wheeler said word about that
enormous conspiracy, the whisky ring, our
wrestling with which has kept the country
IN distress and agony for nearly two years,
and the revelation of whose rimes has
filed the people with grief and shame.
Nor even has Senator Morton ever said
word about it, because, to use his own words,
the prospect of carrying four or five states
for Hayes and Wheeler depends on the
influence Of the class of men who" con-
stituted the whisky ring. But this would
not be answering the senator's complaint.
The reason why Tilden and Hayes made
no reference to the Hamburg massacre is
that 1t did not call for a reference from
them. The massacre of Clusters COM
mand was much more serious affair, but
Tilden and Hendricks did not refer even
to it. The Molly Mcguire riots in Penn
sylvania we're quite as important, and
Hayes and Wheeler did not refer to them
The Hamburg tragedy was a local
affair; it took place in a state over which
the two northern governors have no au-
thority. The dealing with those who COM
mitted it belongs to the Sonth Carolina
authorities alone, and those authorities,
Gov. Chamberlain informs us, are amply
able to do their duty. This rescues it
from becoming national danger, or ac.
quiring national significance. Gov. Til
den of New York and Gov. Hendricks Of
Indiana have no more to do with crime in
South Carolina, which the authorities of
South Carolina are now investigating, and
which the governor Of South Carolina as
serts his ability and determination to pun
ish, than Gov. Beveridge, of this state, has
to do with the Mollie Mcguire murders in
Pennsylvania, or the factory operatives
strikes in Massachusetts, The Indiana
senator speaks without warrant when he
says the Democratic nominees dare not
refer to the Hamburg massacre. Senator
Thurman is as high authority and as
distinguished leader in the Democratic
party as Tilden or Hendricks; aud he
dared to say that IF the statements OF
Gov. Chamberlain and the attorney-gen-
eral Of South Carolina we're true in regard
TO the Hamburg difficulty, o crime had
been committed which he could not find
language to condemn; it added brutality
to cowardice-the meaDest and basest
cowardice. The shooting Of unarmed
prisoners was crime too great to be de.
scribed by words" This strong language
provided the first report Of
the Hamburg matter proves true,
expresses the opinion of all air-minded
Democrats, and they have dared to say so
without regard to the feelings Of the Soutl
Carolina Buffers. The ARGUS said so
and il has not doubt that it expresse,
the feelings Of Gov. Tiden about tn,
transaction, even while they do not fee
authorized in the formal letters of ac
ceptance to make public question of t.
nor would they have been justified in doinI
so, any more than they would have beel
justified in referring to the Williamson
county vendetta in this state, which Re
publican governor was afraid to attack; o
in abiding to the Atkinson, Henry county
train wreckers. These, as we'll as the out
rage in South Carolina, are state matters
with which the general government ha
nothing to do, until the state acknowledge
that il cannot preserve order, and calls Of
the United States in the proper and lega
way, for help.
=, S.-Since the above was in type w
have read telegram from Aiken whicl
puts very different light upon the Ham
burg matter. 1t will be found in thi
MINER