The New York herald., 1876-07-25
The Duty OF Governor Chamberlain,
OF South Carolina.

The Duty OF Governor Chamberlain,
OF south Carolina.
1t is to the people of the Union, those who
listen to such men as Mr.. Bayard and MIR.
Lamar, that we address ourselves. We have
no arguments for the Jefferson Davises Of the
South or for the Mortons of the North; for
these are sectional people, the disorganizers
of the country, whose extreme views render
them blind to the mo t obvious facts, how
ever plainly We might state them Men of
this stamp and calibre believe what they
wish to believe, what it is for their personal
interest or political advantage to believe,
and we do not, therefore, propose to under
take the thankless task of pointing out to
them the distinction between the true and
the false.
Every act of rowdyism and bloodshed in the
South is, under the present condition of our
politics, considered as fresh argument for
the continuance of republican rule. 1t has.
therefore, become essential to the welfare Of
the whole country that public opinion
should fix the responsibility for these out
RACES where it properly belongs. Take, for
instance, the facts of the Clinton riot. AT q
political gathering or mob, composed of
twenty-five or thirty white men and two
thousand colored men, q quarrel, in
which whiskey had it's influence, took
place between two of these individuals
This led to an affray in which three whites
and five blacks were killed. Both races
soon armed, and on the day following six
colored men, supposed to have killed the
three whites, were shot. The Governor of
the State was a republican, as was every
State official the county was wholly in re-
publican hands, and so also with the local
courts and juries. United States troops
were within twelve miles. What earthly
reason can be given for the fact that not n
single arrest was made? Who but the Off
GERS of the law could order and execute
rests? They cannot pretend that they were
without the power to enforce obedience
And yet the guilty were allowed to go free
and the innocent population continues to
suffer tho consequences. Who, then, is to
be blamed? Who shall be held responsible?
The community which is the victim of mis-
government, or the party in power, which
has forcibly deprived these communities of
the right and the opportunity to govern
themselves, and of which the interest and
avowed intention is to continue and to in
tensify this condition of affairs in the South
ern States?
The affair at Hamburg, S. c., is Of the
same nature, and we remark the same dis
position en- the part Of those whose duty it
is to maintain order to prefer that the laws
should be broken, the offenders 60 unpun-
ished and the community intrusted to their
care should suffer rather than an opportu-
nifty to make political capital for the Presi-
Dental canvass should be lost. Governor
Chamberlain has heretofore had the honesty
to publicly testify to the support lie has had
and is always able to obtain from the law
abiding people of his State, who, though
opposed to him in politics, recognize that it
is of vital importance to their welfare that
their own laws should be maintained. He
has repeatedly borne witness to this fact
and has for this reason succeeded hitherto
in his administration. Is it, then, because
the weapons of the republican leaders are
failing them in the Presidential canvass that
q republican Governor of one of our South
ern States does not choose to exercise his
authority? Is it for partisan ends that, in
the face of population which has sunk all
political differences between it and its own
State administration and has joined with the
Executive in the establishment Of order, this
executive Off GER writes an open letter to a
member of his party in the Senate, publicly
ignoring the fact that it is within his power
to execute the laws? The punishment of
criminals and offenders aga nst the peace is
demanded by the people of his State, and he
should not 60 to Washington for aid.