The Weekly Kansas chief. [volume] (Troy, Kan.) 1872-1918, 1876-08-10
The Presidents Views on the Ham
burg and Other Butcheries.

WASHINGTON, ID. u, Aug L.
The following message was received by the
Senate from the Presid ent, to-day.
To the Senate Of the United States In response to
a resolution of the Senate, July 20, calling upon
the President TO communicate To the Senate, if
in his opinion not Incompatible with public in
terest, any information i'll regard TO the slaugh
erof American citizens at Hambnrg,S 5. c., have
the honor To submit the following Enclosures ::
Here follow a number of papers relative to 6 he
Hamburg massacre.
The President says: These Enclosures embrace
all the information in my possession touching
the late disgraceful and brutal slaughter of nm
offending men at the town of Hamburg, 5. G.
Ny letter to Gov. Chamberlain contains all the
comments | wish to make on the subject As
allusiOn is made in the letter to the condition of
other States, aud particularly to Louisiana and
Mississippi, have added to the Enclosures let
tiers and testimony in regard to the lawess con-
diton of portion of the people of the latter
State. In regard to Louisiana affairs, murders
and massacres ofinnocent men for opinions sake,
account of color, have been of too recent
date and too frequent occurrence to require re-
captulaton testimony here. All are fami-
liar with their horrible Details the only wonder
being that many justify them apologize
for them. But recently a committee of the Sen
ate of the United States visited the State of
Mississippi to take testimony OH the subject of
frauds and violence in elections. Their report has
not been made public, but await its forthcOm-
ing with feeling of confidence that il will fully
sustain all that l have stated in relation to
fraud aud violence in the State of Mississippi.
L. s. GRANT.
EXECUTIVE MANSION, July 2l, 1876.
THE PRESIDENT TO GOV. CHAMBERLAIN.
The following is the Presidents letter to Gov.
Chamberlain, referred to above:
EXECUTIVE MANSION, WASHINGTON, d. c., july
26-DEAR Sir: l am III receipt of your letter of
the I'D of July, and all the Enclosures enumerat-
ed therein, giving an account of the late barbar-
GUS massacre of innocent men at the Town of
Hamburg, 5. G.. The views which you express
rs to the duty you owe to your oath of office
and to the citizens to secure to all their civil
rights including the dictates of their own
sciences, and the further duty of the Executive
of the nation to give all needful aid when pro-
perly called on to do so, to enable you to insure
this inalienable right, fully concur in. The
scene at Hamburg cruel, blDodthirsty, wanton,
unprovoked, and uucalled-for as il was, is only
repetition oil the coure that has been pursued in
other Southern States within the last few ears,
notably in Mississippi and Louisiana. Mssissip-
pi is governed too day by officials chosen through
fraud and violence, such as would scarcely be ac-
credited to savages, much less to civilized and
Christian people. How long these things are to
continue, or what is to be the final remedy, the
Great Ruler of the Universe only knows. But
have an abiding faith that a remedy will come,
and come speedily, and earnestly hope that it
will come peacefully. There has never been
desire on the part of the North to hnmiliate the
South. Nothing is claimed for one State that is
not freely accorded to others, unless it be the
right TO kill negroes and Republicans without
fear of punishment and without loss of caste or
reputation. This has seemed to be q privilege
claimed by few States
repeat again that fully agree with you as
to the measure of yoHr duties in the present en-
ergency, aud as 10 my duties. Go on, and let
every Governor where the same dangers threat
en- the peace of his State 60 on in the conseien-
tious discharge of his duties to- the humblest as
the proudest citizen, and will give every aid
for which l can find law or constitutional pow
er. The Government that cannot give protec-
tion TO life, property, and all guaranteed civil
rights-in this country the greatest is an un-
trammeled ballot-to the citizen is I'D so far
failure, and every energy of the oppressed
should be exerted (always within the law and
by constitutional means) to regain lost privil-
eges and protection. The denial of guaranteed
rights is sure to lead to revolution, bloody re-
volution, where the suffering must fall upon the
innocent as well as the guilty.
Expressing the hope that the better Judgment
and cooperation of the citizens of the State over
which You have presided so ably may enable yo1
to secure a fair trial and punishment OF all of-
Tenders, without distinction of race or color, or
previous condition, and without aid from the
Federal Government, but with the promise OF
such aid on the conditions named IN the forego-
ing, subscribe myself, very respectfully, your
US. GRANT.
To the Hon. d. H. Chamberlain, Governor of
South Carolina