The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1876-06-15
CONCLUDED.
The Governor and the Harmon Tragedy.

Governor Chamberlain is both elo-
ouent and imaginative when he contem-
plates the awful majesty of the law in
South Carolina. His proclamation on
the public justice, for it certainly rises to
that dignity, administered by the col
ored citizens Of Edgefeld County upon
the savage murderers of Mr.. and Mrs.
Harmon, would read well in law-ruled
England and in most parts of the United
States. 1t would certainly read better in
any other State of this Union than it does
in South Carolina. 1t does not read well
in South Carolina at the present moment,
simply because it is inspired rather by
the Governors vivid Imagination OF what
ought TO be than by his knowledge of
what actually is. -
Such an administration of justice as the
citizens of Edgefeld felt themselves
called upon to resort to for protection of
their property and of their families is as
deplorable as the necessity which called
for it. But whole community does not
openly turn out for such acts as this, un-
less there is some overpowering convic-
tion of necessity for their action; and
though the Governor in his proclamation
rises loftily above the level of the people,
and scars in the clear ether of abstract
principle and right, his attempt to brand
the citizens of Edge6eld as common muir
derers shows that he has very imperfect
conception of the actual condition of af-
fairs in this unhappy State. The Gov
ernor, in his proclamation, declares that
this State is not a new or imperfectly
organized community, in which concerted
violence must sometimes supplement or
supercede the laws. The courts, he says,
are everywhere accessible and frequent,
but he does not say that many Of our
inries are extremely uncertain in their
construction of the laws, or that our jails
are distressingly insecure.
He makes no allusion to the Jail break
ings, the murders, the highway robberies,
the larcenies, the burglaries, the long
catalogue of crimes of high and low de-
gree. which in one form or another, the
press is almost daily called upon to
Chronicle, and for which the laws of
South Carolina as administered by the
party of which Governor Chamberlain
boasts, provide neither adequate punish
ment nor prevention. 1t is with reluc-
tance that we are compelled to point out
the inconsistencies of the Governors pro-
clamation, and to show that it is defec-
tive in that it does not really apply to the
South Carolina of to-day. Nor do we by
any means desire to encourage such
tragic events as that which casts its gloom
upon the good County of Edgefeld.-
We shall always be ready to lend the
Governor whatever aid may be in our
power to lend in promoting the reign of
law in this distressed commonwealth; (;
but we cannot withhold a protest when the
brand of the murderer is brought near to
the foreheads of good citizens who have
only obeyed the promptings of duty in
assuming a grim and painful function
which the yitsl interests of society de-
mandcd should be surely performed
This is question neither of race nor of
party politics. It is painful episode of
q painful era, and one upon which the
Governor, we think, would have done
better to let the curtain of silence and
oblivion rest unraised.-Charlestom Jour-
nal of Commerce.