The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1876-10-26
Address to the People CT South Caro-.
liu1,
RooMs STATE DEN. FIX. Cox.
ljOLUMBIA. a. G. O9t II 1879

~
COLUMBIA, 8, c., Oc.- .18, 1876. J
7StAs Pore Of the asste e,tSouth Osrolina
ts"o !.o';es = S9; : :zi!:s,.t re.
beardto 10 Political patty ofraoe: b
His Exesllency The President of the
United States did, on The 18th day Of
this month, issue proclamation where
by he commanded "all persons engaged
in unlawful and insurrectionary proceed
ings TO diaperse and retire peaceably to
their respective abodas within three days
from this date, and hereafter abandon
said combinations, and submit themselves
TO the laws end constituted authorities of
said State
| This proclamation is based upon the
statements made by Daniel H. Chamber
lain, the Governor Of This State; which
statements are aimed principally against
his political opponents, and are proven
to be untrue by the testimony of every
Judge in the State, every Trial Justice
or other officer Of the law from whom
response has been obtained. Every resi-
dent of the State knows them 10 be un-
true. Every Republican Of character or
intelligence, or who is not in office or
seeking Office, and many who are in office
in the State, have expressed horror and
disgust Mt the course which the Governor
has pursued.
We say this much for our yindication.
Never has n people suffered more by dis
honor of Office and dishonesty OF officers
Never has such bold untrutI, been used
for the support of Il movement which
shakes the pillars upon which rest the
constitutional temple Of IL mighty people.
Our State IL but petty portion OF the
Union, but we call upon our sister Statcs
Of the North to remember that the ex-
pertinent now being made for "thc domi-
nation Of our elections By the bayone:
and by soldiers ny the irresistible instsu-
ment of revolutionary local despotism :"
if successful, will become the precedent
before which the whole fabric Of Ameri-
can liberty viii fall, and viii DC applied
to other States just as soon rs party exi-
gencies require it.
We make this declaration of our inno-
cence not in diarespect of the President
of the United States, but as an act of jus.
tice to ourselves as American citizens,
and to put our case upon the record for
an impartial trial before the great ma
tional tribunal. We bow in perfect sub
mission to the proclamation of his Ex-
cellency the President, and exhort our
fellow-citizens whom VIC represent in the
present canvass to yield full and entire
obedience to every command of the sold
proclamation.
We know that the clubs called rifle
clubs" are associations formed for homo
protection; that they are not combina-
tions rs charged by the Governor Of this
State; that there are hut few that have
arms or ammunition; that those which
have been equipped were 80 done with
the aanction aud sometimes with the aid
Of the Governor, and have been recng-
nized by him rs useful and appropriate
bodies, and not one of them has been
accused of disorder. n,
| We know that their necessity was oc.
casioned by the reckless distribution OF
arms and ammunition among the colorcd
| people by the State officials; and we fur
ther know that our white fellow-citizena
were, on the 10th day of this month,
massacred at q peaceful Political assem-
blage, whero (by agreement with O. G.
Bowen, Republican Chairnisn for
Charleston County, and Sheriff of the
said County, and present ut the meeting,
and first Presidential Elector for the State
at large on the Republican ticket they
went without arms 10 meet the colored
race-the voters of the so-called Repub-
lican party in this State--who were like
wise, by Mr.. Bowen's agreement, bound
to be without arms !; and we know that
the politicians who are the authors of oil
our evils are teaching among the colored
race the pae of the rifle and the torch
we know that our homes are in peril, and
that our women and children are exposed
to tke hnrrnra Of ruthless hntchery and
barbarity; but nevertheless, wa advise
! and command, 90 far As our authority
goes, that every ench "rifle club" against
which the misrepresontations Of the Gov.
ernor OF the State are aimed he forthwith
diBbanded, and that the members theree.
be ias.d IN future only by those ties OF
4 humanity which bind all good men to.
gesheF; that the name OF the club be
abandcAed, and she ofiicers cease to ex.
ercisf. their powers This is said with the
! express declaration that these clubs art
!, noe associated with or subject to oul
political control. sslt .H0'
We repeat that we speak without dis
respect to the Presidens of the United
States. He acts upon the statsme Il
made by the Governor of this State. Blu
we say it that we may show oar unwil
lingness to obey without ce4nnaitting, al
untruth against ourselves by seeming {,
acknowledge that of which We are no
guilty.
4 We are not engaged in unlawful ans
insurrectionasy proceedings" We can
not "disperse," because wa are nc gath
cred together. We cannot "retire peace
ably to our abodes," because we are il
our homes in peace, disturbed alone b.
i tAl. AZ