The New Orleans Democrat., 1876-08-03
fHE HAMBURG AFFAIR.

EDGEFIELD, 5. Ct, July II, 1875.

10 the Editor Of the Herdld-I have
lust read Gov. Chanberlaip's fancy
sketch az the Hamburg horror" ad-
dressed to Senator Robertson, at Wash
ingtom. After few rhetorical hourishes
bis Excellency says: such acts call
for condemnation and punishment.
entirely agree with him, and II ne does
condemned and punished, he should De
hurled from the position which his I'm
becility disgraces. have been the op-
icct and target OF Radical malignlty,
aud assigned u position In this affair
similar 10 that OF Sitting Bull In
the Custer massacre. II have been
slandered and traduced by the Gov
ernor's emissaries for doing nothing
more than my very plain and simple
duty and now challengeshim to begin
his legal Investigation. he knows
my residences, and knows that the pres
ence of United States soldiers IS not
necessary for nv arrest or that of any
other white man who was at Hamburg
and before that investigation closes, II L
do not show that the negroes were the
aggressors, and the whites MOTTO blame
ttlAt the emissaries or the Governor
we're the instigators OF the riot, and his
appointees could have prevented and
did not prevent it; that the company
called militia was not militia. but u
band OF rioters and highwaymen. and
that he Ia responsible Tor the riot II
do not show all this, and show besides
condition OF affairs in Hamburg under
q Radical Government pretending to be
civilized. which would almost disgrace
the purlieus of n CoonIassee settlement,
will undertake to answer personally
for the death OF every man, white ana
black, who fell in that riot. No man
knows better than Gov. Chamberlain
that what be stated in that communi-
cation to Senator Robertson Is false
in every essential particular; no
one knows better than himself that he
has pubiished IL in the bloody shirt out
rage interest. But no matter whether
he has or not, make him very prac-
tical proposition, and ne shall not evaae
it. High sounding phrases, such as he
indulges in, are better suited to another
era OF our history, when people were
more prone to be influenced by sickly
sentimentality, when Radical cant and
Radical faIsehood had larger and more
willing and attentive audience. Ihe
American people are becoming eminent
Iy practical, almost prosy, in their pur-
suit OF facts. As yon aptly suggest Ill
your editorial, "The Governors cam
paign rhetoric is another thing; let him
hand UP the criminals concerned
and punish them. LII, as ne says, the
whites of South Carolina reprobate the
outrage, let the Governor test their In.
dignation py furnishing the offenders. )"
The rhapsodies OF partisan politician,
fatally bent on perpetuating his per
sonal supremacy and the power or his
party is one thing, and the manly dis
charge of duty by the Governor OF
whole State ill the interest OF all Is an
other. His Excellency has chosen the
role OF the partisan at the expense OIL
his Official responsibility, and, II he does
not make good his oath OF Office to see
that the laws are executed, let him stand
confessed charlatan, who would gam
BILE with the dearest rights OF the people
of the Common wealth and barter away
the fair name of the State to the end
that d. H. Chamberlain may continue
to wear the Gubernatorial robes or
State which he cannot, or does not,
govern. Very respectfully, yours,
III. @. BUTLER.
The nerrOr q RetributiOn-ltS COnse-
Quences . Lesson.
ti Washington Gazettel
"A great outcry has been made In Con-
gress and the Republican press over the
recent sanguinary transactions at Ham
burg, South Carolina. Undoubtedly
that WAS an affair which no true patriot
will pretend or desire to justify. AS we
are Informed, 1t was q savage mode OF
executing the lee tdliOniS-the law OF
retaliation. For ten years the white
poople of South Carolina have been
murdered, robbed, and outraged by the
black, with impunity. For ten years
they have been deprived Of justice in
the courts, controlled as they are by the
kIanLo and fha rnaf- baUQefS I'm
/, poveriehment and devastation greater
than that which wasted the Palati-
nate in the last century continually
stares the South Carolinian in the face.
II he rides to the pOstOffice for letter
some negro brigand waylays and shoots
him In the back with the hope OF OBJ
tanning money. II he sells bale OF
cotton to q factor, all the black robbers
in the vicinage are on the qut Cire for
the proceeds. The murders Of General
Howard, the venerable brother OF Mrs.
Schoolcraft. OF this city, and OF his
neighbOr, Mr.. Hayward, published last
exceptional cases. All over the lower
section Of the State murder and rapine
hold their high carnival continually
No househo older dares to leave his fam
ily unprotected even for an hour. Busi-
ness. In such state Of society, IL OF
course out of the question. How can
men attend to business when they
are In hourly dread OF having
their house or their store burned by an
incendiary, or their cotton as it stands
upon the wagon which Is to take it the
next morning to market? Gen. Butler
himself who Is to a certain extent
responsible for the Hamburg riot, had
his house and barns burned short
time ago by incendiaries. Every South.
ern paper We receive contains reports Of
similar outrages, and, what is worse. no
punishment is inflicted on the perpe-
traitors. The murderers Of Gen. Howard
were caught and confessed their guilt.
They have never been tried, and, In all
probability, never will be. No district
attorney elected by negro votes will be
likely to bring his own partisans to the
bar of justice.
What course would the farmers OF
New York or Pennsylvania pursue II
their orchards, their barn yards, their
poultry-coops, and their graneries were
l. l.