The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1876-10-26
The Southern Disturbances.
THE MISSISSIPPI PLAN RE.
VIVED.
Republican Meetings Broken Up.
Why Governor Chamberlain Call.
ed for Aid.
A Vail From the Chivalry.

VI IL
Spratt, saying he was Deputy Marshal, started
toward town with an armed body of negroes.
Our sheriff met them with posse and ordered
them to disperse, claiming the right to keep
the peace in his county. The marshal disband-
ed after parley. None of our people are arm
ed WERNER.
SECOND DESPATCH
The Spratt negroes fired from ambush on a
few of the sherff's posse, TWO miles from the
town, doing no damage except to the horses
The whites returned the fire, wounding one me-
gro and captured several more. The rest es-
capped into a swamp. After reinforcing we fol-
lowed but have not caught up yet.
The Memphis Avalanche of this morning
says the following was received from Republic
can sources last night, land is printed for what
it is worth"
Jackson, Mss, Oct. 24-The representations
that the negroes were the aggressors in the Clai-
borne county riot are utterly without founda-
ton. q. S. Deputy Marshal Spratt, who arriv-
ed here last night, reports that prior to the day
on which MI. Lynch was gazetted to speak at
Port Gibson, the indications were that he would
not be permitted to do SO. Deaths head and
crossbones, with the date of meeting on each
side were placarded over the county. Demo-
cratic clubs assembled and armed under pre-
tence of preserving the peace, and hundred
White Liners acted as sheriffs and policemen.
The colored people were not permitted to carry
arms to the meeting. Having been promised
protection by the sheriff they left their arms
two miles from town. At the beginning of the
meeting Mr. Lynch was grossly insulted by the
Democrats, and declined speaking under the
restriction imposed by them. A notorious col
ored Democrat under numerous indictments,
was put forward by the Democrats when the
colored people began to dispense. They were
then pursued by the mob with arms and effect
ualy stampedei. They were hunted like part
ridges, the object being apparently not to muir
der but to intimidate them, so that they would
abandon their determination to register and
vote. They were pursued two miles, when
reaching their guns they fred on the whites.
Two horses of the whites were wounded, and
one negro was wounded and several arrested
and lodged in Port Gibson Jail.
This is the first Republican meeting attempt.
ed in Claiborne county. Deputy Marshal
Spratt reports terrorism throughout the county
and says the Republicans cannot vote unless
protected by United States troops. A compa-
ny of troops is now stationed at Port Gibson,
but the commanding officer did nothing to pre-
serve peace.
NEW YORK, Oct. 25.-Gov. Chamberlain
writes long letter to the Tribune, giving the
details of outrages on negroes, particularly of
the riot around Ellenton, though he says this
was only one phase or centre of the violence
and instruction. 1t virtually overspread the
counties of Aiken and Barnwell, producing a
reign of terror which depopulated large sections
of colored males. Investigations now in prog
ress indicate Enthusiastically that the actual
murders committed exceed the estimates here
tofore formed by the governor, or by others
most familiar with the facts. Scores of color
ed men are still missing in addition to those
already known to have been killed.
He says the charge of misgovernment is
disproved by the public utterances of men be-
fore the election campaign, who are now sup
porters OF Wade Hampton. He closes as fol-
lows:
The charge that 1 have been influenced by
the desertiou of Republicans to the Democratic
party would receive no consideration from those
acquainted with the political situation. A free
vote today in this state would elect the Repub-
lican candidate by fully 10000 majority. t de-
clare, and challenge every shadow oof prof to
the contrary, that no party interest however
great or pressing, could ever have induced me
to so much as contemplate the use of my Off
cial position for the asking of military aid of
the United States to carry on the election. 1t
is only as an incident, lnseparable from the
case at this time, that have considered or al
luded to facts or results affecting political par
ties. 1 have acted as Chief Magistrate of the
state, and have sought to protect the lives and
rights of its people without regard to party.
No man in South Carolina by reason of any
act of mine, or of the President of the United
States will be hndered or dissuaded from vot-
ing the Democratic ticket, if his full Judgment
would have judged us recreant to our trusts. if
IN proper case, we had failed to exert the
powers entrusted to us for the restoration
OF public peace and the preservation of the
state government. Upon calm review, am
convinced that such case has arisen, ard that
such condition of affairs now exists in this
state as warrants my action and that of the
President of the United States.
D. H. CHAMBERLAIN.
CHARLESTON, Oct. 25.-The President of the
Chamber Of Commerce has united with the
Methodist, Catholic and Episcopal bishops and
and Jewish ministers, and the presidents of the
national ard other banks in Charleston, in an
address on the condition of South Carolina to
the people of the United States. 1t says:
1t is not true that the white people of South
Carolina are disloyal or disaffected toward the
United States government. On the contrary,
they are loyal and we'll affected towards it.
They obey it at home and would defend it
promptly from foreign aggression. 1t is not
true that South Carolina. or any of its counties
are IN state OF instruction or domestic vio-
lence against the government of the state or
that law and process cannot be duly enforced
within her territorial limits, that there is any
lawful cause or occasion whatever for the fede-
raj government to interfere for the protection
of the state government against violence of her
citizens. 1t is not true that the white people of
the state are hostile to the colored people, or
have any design or disposition to abridge or in
fringe their political or civil rights. On the
contrary, in their conventions and in the
more the most public and solemn pledges have
been given that all the rights of the colored
people shall be respected and protected. The
colored people should know that these pledges
will be faithfully kept.
1t is not true that the few rifle clubs in the
state are combination of men against the law
or that they are engaged in numbering some
peaceable citizens and intimidating others, or
that they cannot be controlled or suppressed by
the ordinary course of justice The President
has been deceived. These clubs existed with
the knowledge and recognition of the governor.
N OF one of them ever acted in defiance of the
law or against the government or constituted
authorities. 1t is not true that in the recent
aggressors. Their forbearance as in the |
Charleston riot, the unprovoked Cainboy mas
sacre, and still more recent assassination of
white citizen in Engeield has been wonderful. |
The truth is that the leaders of the coIored peo-
pie fearing that the day of their power is draw
ing to close have excited their ignorant
dupes have supplied them with arms, have
aroused their fears for the loss of liberty, and |
have thus encouraged them to commit deeds of |
violence. We may also affirm some things |
which are true. 1t is true that there is ia the |
state a most active. earnest and excited can
vass to overthrow corrupt rule and reestablish |
an honest state government. This is a legisi- |
mate and lawful object which should command |
the sympathy and support of every lover of his |
country.
1t is not treason to defeat Chamberlain, nor
is it insurrection or domestic violence to elect /
Hampton. 1t is true that while the white /
rifle clubs are ordered by the Governor and
President to disband and disperse that the col
ored militia of the state are allowed to remain |
in organization and in possession of their arms
and to attend political meetings in military or
der with rifles and other arms The object of |
this discrimination is as obvious as is the COM
paratively defenceleps condition in which it |
places the white population.
ARCTIC EXPLORATION.