New-York tribune., 1876-08-07
THE HANBURG MASSACRE.
GOV. CHAMBERLAIN's LETTER.

GOV. CHAMBERLAIN'S LETTER.
HIS BELIEF THAT FEELING or WIDESPREAD ALARM
HAS BEEN PRODUCED IL SOUTH CAEoLINA-TiE
ACT BrGINNING OF FURTHER POLITICAL OUf-
RAGEs-NECEsslTY OF PROTECTION
WAsHlNGTON Aug. 6.-Ihe following il the letter
of Gov. Chamberlain Of South Caroline, 10 which
President Grants reply has already been published
STATE or SOUTH CARoLINA EXECUTIVE CHtunGH}
COLUMBIA. July -, 1876. }
SIR: The recent massacre at Hamburg In Ia, siat" y
a matter 80 closely connected with The public peace Of
n state tl desire to call your attention 10 il Tor the
purpose of having before you my views o is Chtct AM
the measures which d; may oecomc nee, ssdiy % adopt
10 irycnt tre recurrence OF similar events II j., IN
the first place, mani!e>tly impossible 10 determine
with absolute certainty the motives OF those VINO were
engaged in peIIctIUtmg the massacre "a lhhbUiE' iHc
demand which was malc by The mob upon iH' militia
company Tor the surrender OF thef arms th'h i cor!
necton with he fact thdt the militia are not Shown 10
have committed or threatened any injury 10 any PEI sons
III that community, Woud seem l" lhdcd' Iu' POS 20
deprive the militia Of their rights, on account Ol uiciT
race or political opinions. II seems imls'hlt 20 ma
rational or adequate cause loi sdcH "ututu 'A''p ~
tie fact that the militia company was composed OF
negroes, in The additional TACT that they were, besdca
beng negroes hcMpers o! the l'ePunlc!h P.! Pa''G'
Those who made the demand were, ON the other hand
white men, ana mcnps.s ~ te DelO'i't M Ii.,' I' iL
lines of race ana poltlt"l party NtiC thi IHS> W.lV
marked the respective parties 10 the a1air al Hamburg
Trustworthy index OF the motives and aims when IL
spycd those who brought on THIS conflict
As cing the pubic peace however the eject OF t'l,
massacre Is molc lmror'dnl Ihah lhe MolNc, NI.,h
prompted it, Upon This point can speak Wlth more
10 QOdht'd tEai tut tHttl ol TINS
massacre has been 10 cause Widespread .ciInf ana az
prelensiun the cC0red race and Tie Republicans
hand, tnat "A feeling Of triumph and political
eiaOn has been caused by this massacre IL the minds
OF many of the white people ana DcinOtIdis I"e Itd'
of the one side cores OAd with tie hopes Oi the other
do not intend to uycysate any matters connected with
essential to iuil understanding OF It's snAc.uc'. IL
is certainly tn1t most, though not all OF those Who
on tie white Democratic side upon the matter Lave
condemned The massacre Ihels5ri"sion To- sGcH con
4urr H.- mai
nor do see any greater reason for believing ta' II VIII
do 80 i'fe. Tuat class which now engage n ms
cruel work certainly disregard the expressed -tntcnts
OF those assume 10 speak tpg tue most part nr hei
communities, and go forward without tcac OF pubic
It IS sometime asked Why do not the colored re-
uru TINS violence with violence! Why do they suffer
themselves to bo thus tcrorlzcd when their numbers
greatly exceed those il tie Localities Whcic many Oi
Ibose outrag,s occurl The answer oIilcut The
long habit command ana scasclO Oh the part oi
whites Of thcs, southern states, tHclr superior lilcl
lgence compared with the coorcd race tue Iac that
al least fuuI-itas of the property OF these States Is III
their hands, are causes winch contribute 20 give tnen
easy physical superiority tIus I4I over the .'c'i'I
emauGpaed race, when sun eAhOlt thc eA.ct, "I
their long slavery IN Their hablt OF ylc'uhs
10 the more lpciUJs and Tesoiute W and the superior
intelligence and material rcsoutccssof the white man
Aud 10 tms that III Almost t'.Iy 9pu.n,Ih CoNian's
there may he found considerable huIbci Ol caring,
laNlcss, reckless white men, accustomed 10 arms "i
deeds of vioeuce whom the restraints oi the scnu-
ucts OF the better ana more c.Sst, o 30
c.Cty have little, II any power, WHO arc lsiied ~ an
more particularly is N0ler ana h.pl1l'"n' "uu Sou
have the elements Whlch would hdtua! give I'at 10,
Ul laHt lIht litdi an tH' NN'HNo
Of bloody violence winch occur III the southern 9't-
Besides al this, another idct must he hOtd mere
a fac, which, III my judgment, marks ahd explains the
worldwide dierenGe between lhe cuecls ol Suci oeVu
renceS this at Hamburg upon me mass oI Wmtc
people here, and The effects O deeds OF blood ana NO-
lcnce upOh the people nI o,ueI ] ~ ~ 'J S'
namely that sucn occurrences ~ tins a Hamburg nave
vdntape 10 the Democratic party Lele. From ths
TACT 1t results thit tAc Mhiie pr"lio mere "
are Induced 10 considerable extent, 10 OVERLOOK tine
nhS "a i;snitio Of condnct y,IIcl olIt 10 receive
ttt..d4
by speedy and adequate punishment. IN tiiS way IL
often happens that reckless men are permitted or
encouraged tcTrorizc whole community and destroy
all % action Oh the part Oi those VINO amer ilom
them ia political opinions. Ihc more respectable pOrlon
OF the white people content themselves Win verbal
perfunctOTy denunciltions, and never adopt such meas
uf,s or arouse sucn public sentiment would here,
weIl as elsewhere, put stOp tosuch occurrences.
the tac n unoucstionabe tna resulted IN great
immediate aian among the cOlOtd people, ana al l.s
puOhcans IN that sectOn OF the STATE. Judging from
renee a new evidence Of purpose subject
the majority Of the voters O that vicinity 10 such de-
gree OF Gear as to keep them from polls election
dv and thus reverse or stine true political OF
the people. But the Hamburg massacre has produced
auoiher eilect naa, "a tcI OF TACT, caused nrm
UeIe part of most Republicans here tldt TINS al
lair at Hamburg Is only the beginning oi series OF
similar and party collisions III our state t"e ut-
hCorute ain OF which is believed by tncn 10 be the
ponticd suhUsatiOn aud control OF this Snie. lhey
see, therefore III this event. what i0feshd0Ws cahi-
paign blood and violence; such campaign ds Is pop
uldry known as campaign conducted on the Mi'o'-
From What have said, II will not be difficult to
understand feeling oi majority oi the citizens IA
considerable part tus state. lt OF intense
ctde for thcir lives ana liberties 10 Is Oi fear
Ihat in tne psOn and excitement Of the current pOlt
cal campaign physical violence Is 10 be used 10 overcome
lne puca viii OF tne people cOntine my self mere TO
statement OF what believe to DC the facts Oi the pres
ent situation IN ts state connected with the pubhc
peace and order, without any expression Of my nd-
yd 4al 1cclug5 and opinions.
Mn first duty b 10 restore and preserve Pubc
peace and order, end that every man III South
Carolina may freely and safely ENJOY all his civil rigns
and privileges including toe rgnI To vote. IL u 10 ths
end tuat call your attention TO these matters
shall forward To do all III my power las Governor To
accomplish the cuds above Indicated, but deem
il important TO advise you Of the facts now
stated, and to solicit nom you some lndl-
cation OF your Views upon the questions presented
Will the General Goyerum,D ut sell vigorously 10
Tepress violence III TINS state duIng the present political
campaign the part OF persons belonging 10 either po-
htca party wh that violence shall be beyond the
control OF the state authOrliiesf VIII the General Gov
ernIneDt take sucn precautions be suitable IN
vie the feeling Of already referred To,
store confidence 10 the poor people VI both and
llcal parties in this state BY such distribution o Tue