The daily gazette., 1876-10-28
THE TROUBLED STATE.

DEMOCRATIC MEETING BROKEN UP AT
BEAUFoRT-GENERAL HAMPTON ASKS
FOR TROOPS.
A special to the New York He,dld from
Beaufort, S. c., says
General Hampton and severalspeakers,
unaccompanied by any escort, arrived
here last night and were announced to
speak to-day. His receptionlby the ne
groes at Early Branch, in this county yes
terday, was great surprise to the Repub
licans here, and when they learned that
nearly every negro at the meeting yester-
day had declared himself undeceived and
his intention to vote for Hampton, they
determined to prevent q similar catas
trophe here to-day if possible. In accord
ance with thisldetermination opposition
meetings were attempted to be held to-
day at points outside the town. The
colored Lieutenant G Governor, Gleaves,
and others busted themselves during the
morning guarding the streets and forbid
ding their followers coming to the Demo-
cratic meeting. Others, and particularly
one j. NJ. Crowfut, white carpet-bag-
ger, openly, clared his intention to pre-
speaking or to break up the meeting.
Despite all these efforts, however, at
| least 400 negroes assembled in front of the
clubhouse when the meeting opened,a land
| they heard General Hampton in respect
| full silence and with but few Interruptions.
Colonel Yomnans followed, and in the
| course of his remarks quoted Chamber
lain, Elliott, Dunn, and Cardoze's eyid-
ence as to the bad character of each other,
and the disorder at once began under the
| Immediate direction of Langly, n pure
/ blooded negro, who was convicted OF
stutfing ballot-boXes n few years ago and
imprisoned for two years, but pardoned
| by President Grant ut the expiration OF
one, and is now Auditor of this county.
| After half hours futile endeavor to
secure order and silence, Ioumans retired
from the stage without completing his
speech, Judge Cooke was then introduce
/ ed as a Republican, but Langly indus
| triously whispered about among his fol
lowers that Cooke was really Democrat
and traitor, and gave orders to prevent
| him from making himself heard. Cooke
still endeavor9d to speak, but was not al
| lowed to do so. General Hampton came
forward and declared that the meeting
was dissolved in consequence of the riot.
The authorities and policemen who We're
present either could not or would not pre-
serve order, and the remaining speakers
declined to face the storm of insults and
yells to no purpose. General Hampton
kindly bid the negroes farewell, with good
wishes for their welfare, and told them,
in conclusion, that they had done more to
elect him to day than had been by theiwhite
people of any one county in the State.
He informed them of the fact, of which
they had been kept up TO that time in
ignorance, that party of eight or ten Off
GERS fthe fleet at Port Royal had been
present throughout the meeting in citi-
zens' dress, and that they had themselves
witnessed the whole disgraceful scene un-
observed, and expressed their indigna-
ton at what they had seen and would
be called on to give their testimony on
the lawless conduct of the crowd. The
mob then dispersed, the negroes being
evidently startled at the turn affairs had
taken, as there are no United States
troops stationed in this county, and they
firmly believed there was not soldier or
officer nearer than the fleet, twelve miles
down the harbor.
In view of the conduct of the negroes
today, and in accordance with repeated
representations made to him as to the
necessity for such action, General Hamp-
ton telegraphed General Ruger this even
ing request so send one or more COM
lpanies of troops to this county at once for
the purpose of protecting colored Demo
Gratis who are threatened hourly.