Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1876-07-22
THE HAMRuRa AFFAIR.

We have never been able to see
but a one-sided report of the riot
at Hamburg, South Carolina, on the
Fourth of July, in which six ne
groes and one white man were
killed. That report comes from Re-
publican sources. The papers and
orators Of that party eagerly seized
upon the occurrence as another evil
dence of Southern barbarity. 1t
was no doubt a bad affair, and we
see that it is condemned by the
Democratic papers Of South Caro-
lima and Georgia. South Carolina
is a Republican State and the col
ored population is overwhelmingly
in the majority. Governor Cham
barlain is the man to enforce the
law. He has all the machinery in
his hands, and instead Of running
off to MWaShingtOn to tell
Grant and ask for troops
to carry the election he should have
repaired to Hamburg, investigated
the affair, called out a posse and Of
fered rewards for all who violated
the law, and if possible had them
apprehended and punished. After
spending some time at Washington
it seems that he has determined tC
adopt something like this course
A dispatch dated the 10Th, to the
New York Herald of the goth
says:
Governor Chamberlain, OF South Caro-
lima, arrived here this morning aud say
the President and the Secretary Of Wa
and Attorney General during the day
II has been represented in some quarter
that he was coming here to ask the in
terpositien Of the Federal power, sbu
this is not true. He does not believ
this necessary and opposed TO it an
does not ask it The Hamburg affair i
now undergoing investigation. A core
ners jury is sitting upon the victims
and Governor Chamberlain awaits thei
, report and expects that they will poin
out from the evidence they hear Wha
= parsons we're concerned in the riot an
murder. When this report or verdict i
Z rendered he will at ono take lawful an
vigorous measures TO have them srreste
and brought to trial. II these should b
z any forcible opposition in the region
= such arrest and trial he will call apo
the citizens, white and colored, Of tn
adjoining county 10 help him, and e.
] poets confidently that he will be suI
: tanned by the respectable citizens a
= over the State. He means aud e,
poets TO vindicate the law and secur
n the punishment Of the guilty
the action OF the State and loo.
: authorities, aud, at any rate, does n,
@ mean to call for the interposition Of Il
federal power, except in the now une
d peeted case that combinations too po'
eriul for him and the decent people
=, the State to meet shall arise TO obstru
~ the law. He believes that the State a
or thorities and the people Of the Sta
a ought to meet such lawlessness and .
~ it down, and that the federal power ca
not usefully interfere, except where la
IN less combinations are clearly too pow,
full to be overcome by the local aud Sta
n authorities. II the investigation NJ
he going on in due course Of law shall sht
that Georgians had a share in the ri
aud murder, be will call on the Govern
ad OF Georgia for their arrest and surrendI
aud has no doubt that Governor Smi
will promptly respond.
Ia From Mr.. Mackay and other SOU
"a Carolinians here, it appears that
region surrounding Hamburg is the nj
we lawless in the State, a district ~her.