The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1876-10-12
10 EHB RIELg cLuB3 or AHDRasow
~. COUNTY.
ANpKEaoa CHI sc ns,

As your request. in behalf .f .rt4,rs.4al W.
eeu trr Eiounted companies. to know
whether ID. IL. Chamberlains Proclamation
on the 7th OF October has szsssss-s..ea y. .n..r
equalization, have 10 say as follows: Tint
there is not single Section in Chapter 1s2.
sound In the general Statutes, page 72e, that
condemns or disallows your organization.
iour organization Is nothing more nor less
than your Democratic Club mounted on
hcisehacE for the purpose Of travels ng to.
geehcr 10 and from our political meetinxz.
Not member of your company Is armed
with q rife or other gun, or has procured n
| rife or gun. on account OF your organization
iou do not now possess, nor have you pos
sessed since Che war, pistol about yonr
person or premises, or other gun or weapon,
except those commonly used by planters.
1ou have not banded or conspired together.
you have not disguised yourselves upon the
Puoiic highway or premises Of another 10
'hJ"re, oppress or violate the person or prop
ery OF any citizen because OF his politica.
| opinions, or expression or exercise of the
same, or hindered. prevented or obstructed
the exercise, right or privilege secured to
! the citizens by the Constitution and laws of
the United Sta'es and cf the State of Souti,
Ceroiina. Ard unless you have done some
one OF the acte enumerated above there 10
! not letter Of constitutional or statutory
| law that effects your organization, IL being
nothing more nor less than your club noun
ted aud travelling together TO such politica,
meetings as they choose to risit within their
reach. Such is the organization of all the
clubs. And In Che club, Of this County not
less than five hundred colored men ride side
by side with their white fellow-citizens to
the various political meetings held in the
County. And not Democratic Club. either
III club room or mounted, that does not
ciaihor for peace, quiet and order. Repub-
iicaiis nave thrown rocks ct mounted coIored
democrats in said companies, infiicting great
| injuries upon their persons, which was not
resented by the company save through the
channels of the law by indictment. No yio-
iehce upon the part of these companies or
clubs has been offered to any citizen, the
highest or lowest, within the County of
Anderson. There has bach less urarreling.
fewer difficulties, more quie. ssia pJs.c+, and
better order preserved on the part OF the
citizens of this County than has been prc,
served for the same length Of time since the
war. Indeed, so particular and SO careful
| are your organizations 10 preserve the peace
that they have adopted rule not to use in
| toxicating drinks upon public occasions.
AND further, the Democratic clubs, or cor..
panies, are not insensible Of the thirsting
desire of Gcy. D. H. Chamberlain and his
party OF thieves to provoke difficulties and
| collisions between the whites and colored. To
the end that the races may be antagon;zed.
In this he has signalIy failed, and his great!
est trouble and modification is found in the
fact that the white and colored citizens have
struck hands and pledged their mutual sup
port to each other and the State in the inter-
est OF good government. Mr.. Chamber
lains difficulty, therefore, is not OH account
OF any acts of violence or disregard to law on
Inc part ef tie clubs c. companies, but
1t is because of your peaccable. quiet and
determined course in the interest of good
government. And more than all because
the colored man has Joined you in this effort
to 40 good.
There is not n letter of law, constitutional
or statutory, that does prevent the Demo-
cratic c;Io5 possessing themselves ana each
member with Winchester rifles, if they de-
sire to own them. 1t is not the possession
of the gun that violates the law but it is
that act which violates, hinders and OBJ
structs the rights of citizens, ennumerated
in the first Section of the Act, and az stated
In this communication. It is private prop
erty. and the Governor has as much right to
demand the citizens horse or other property
as to demand his gun.
There has not been secret meeting oil the
Democratic clubs held in this State. and
certainly not iE this County. Bus her mem.
bers go out on the highways and invite all.
white and colored, to come. And the whites
all come, and the trouble of Mr.. Chamber
lain is found in the fact That the greater part
OF the colored men are likewise coming.
And thousands of them are Joining the
Democratic party to vote for Hampton and
Reform; and just here is where the shoe
| pinches.
In conclusion ask that in the future YOU
Will be as careful to observe the peace, quiet
and good order of the community as you
have in the past, which am sure you will
do, remembering always "that those whom
the gods would destroy they first make
mad" This is Chamberlain's game. He
would make You mad: lie would make you
shed the blood of your fellows; he would
make you kill colored men by the scores :;
he would make you destroy the good feeling
! between the races, to the end that Hampton
may be defeated and he, with his miserable
ticket, promoted to power.
an. very respectfully,
Your obedicnt servant,