The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1876-10-26
VOL. IX--NO. 4S.

rehearses "that insurrection and domes-
tic violence exist in several counties of
the State of South Carolina, and that
certain combinations of men of said
State, known as Rifle Clubs who ride
up and down by day and night, in
arms, numbering some peaceable citizens
and intimidating others, which cembina
tions, though forbidden by the laws, can
not be controlled or suppressed by the
ordinary course of justice" Chamber
lain, in his proclamation, says: "And,
whereas, it has been made known to me,
as Governor, that certain organizations
and combinations of men exist in all the
counties of the State, commonly known
as Rifle Clubs;' and whereas, such Or
CARNATIONS and combinations of men
are illegal, and strictly forbidden by the
laws of the State, etc." 1t will be seen
that both confne their pronuncidmento to
the so-called rifle clubs, and both
squarely assert that said com panies have
no authority of law for their existence.
An examination of the official editions
of the acts and resolutions cf South
Carolina from 1870 to 1875 shows the
last statement to be false. Accordingto
this record it appears to have been the
custom in South Carolina since 1870 to
incorporate Rifle Clubs all over the State
without regard to race, color or previous
condition of servitude. Clubs, white and
black, native and foreign, appear to have
been given legal existence without stint
and without any conditions as to their
carrying of arms. 1t appears also to
have been the rule that the white
organizations, native and foreign, have
almost invariably called themselves
"Clubs." while the colored Rifle
Associations generally dubbed them
selves "Guards," Fusileers," " Light
Dragons" ETC., which may possibly &C.
count for the fact that neither Grant nor
Chamberlain inveigh against any thing
but the "Rifle Clubs"
In proof of the fact here is verbatim
copy of the titles of a number of the
acts of incorporation, with the book and
pages where they may be found: An
act to incorporate the Charleston Rifle
man Club, approved March 6, 1871, acts
of South Carolina, 1901, pages 5S4
and 585. An act to incorporate the
Palmetto State Rifle Club of Charleston,
S. c., approved January 5, 1875. acts
of South Carolina, 1928, pages BIT
and 31S. An act to incorporate the
Irish Volunteer Rifle Club, of Charles
ton, S. c., approved January rs, 1878,
same volume, page 800. An act to in
corporate the Irish Rifle Club of
Charleston, S. c., approved January 16,
1873. same volume, pages 80 and ,311.
An act TO incorporate the Priolean Rifle
Club of Charleston, S. C., approved
March II, 1874, South Carolina Acts of
1874, page 691. An act to incor-
porate the Petty Rifle Club, approved
March 8, 1874, same volume, pages 5S2
and 5S3. An act to alter and amend the
charter of the German Rifle Club of
Charleston, and to renew and extend the
same, approved March II, 1875, Acts of
1S74-75, pages 9O1 and 9O2. There are
also acts of incorporation of the follow
ing colored rifle companies: Lincoln
Rifle Gauards; Lincoln Light In
fantry, incorporated in 1873; the CARR
son Light Infantry; the Grant and Wet
son National Guards; Sherman Rifles !;
the Bowen Rifemen Company the Sum-
ner Light Dragons; the Mount Pleas
ant Rifle Guards, the Artson Rifles, the
Cain Rifle Guards, tine Black Mingo Rifle
Guards, the Wilson Artillery, the Moses
Guards, the Logan Fusileers, the Whip
per Guards, etc. All these companies
were duly incorporated in the various
Legislatures since 1870, and the list
culled in a few hours, if completed,
would doubtless include every rifle COM
pany in the State. Their rifle clubs,
therefore, have alegal existence breathed
into them by the State, and yet General
Grant not only orders them to disperse,
but to hereafter abandon such corpora
tions."
NO LEGAL CALL FOR TROOPS.
Some prominent lawyers here are talk.
ing that Chamberlain has not called for
troops legally, and that the President has
no right under the Constitution to send
them there. The Constitution seems
very clear on the subject. Article 4,
Section 4, says: "The United States
shall guarantee to every State in this
Union arepublican form..of government
and shall protect each of them against
invasion, and on application of the Leg
islature, or by the Executive
when the Legislature can not b.
convened, against domestic violence
The Constitution, therefore, does not say
that the Governor. may call on th'
United States when the Legislature i
not in session, but says, "when the Leg
islature can not be convened" As tn
South Carolina Legislature could b
convened now, and as Chamberlain evi
IDENTIFY has not tried to convene it, ther
seems to be question whether he is act
ing under, the Constitution, and there
talk of making it test case.