Pioche daily record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1872-1876, 1876-08-03
THE HAMBURG RIOT.

Everyone has read Of the late riot At
Hamburg. South Carolina. where Gen
eral Butler OF Georgia crossed the
Savannah river and took away the arms
Of q company Of colored militia. The
occurrence still forms o most fruitful
theme Of discussion by the partisan
press OF both sides. the Republicans
charging that it was q massacre of IN.
offending negroes, the Democrats en-
tenuating it by saying that the negroes
killed had dehed tho magistracy. refused
all peaceable propositions and opened
first fre. The truth lays probably be.
tween the two. The occurrence itself is
adeplorable one and its cause to be con.
temned and regretted. The admins.
tration press is busy at present manufac.
turing political capital out Of the matter
and influencing to the utmost exten,
timid voters. In this. It but acts natur.
ally and is not to be wondered at OF
complained Of The primary cause re.
mains. las far as we know, UNDECIDED
During the eleven years that have
elapsed since Lee laid down his sword at
Apommattox the tendency OF tho press.
on both sides. has been to indulge in
editorial opinion OF o most
condemnatory and pessimistio nature in
state Of affairs that exist not so much
in reality as in imagination. The press
In this instance first created an image
and then discussed its features. The
creation was war OF races" existing In
the South. the result state of anarchy,
constant feeling OF distrustfulness.
That there was no sentiment sufficient
to warrant the phrase whom It first be.
came catchword with certain Northern
and Southern journals is the purport OF
oil the really trustworthy evidence
that has como through any cburss un-
partisan aud unbiased; the ruffisnly
brawls that are such godsend to those
unthinking or interested journalists can
hardly be considered by such a san.
culinary phrase. The Hamburg "msssa.
Gre" is an almost perfect illustration Of
the power Of the press for evil and
scarcely needs our triHe ofcomment only
as it seems to be overlooked by the
party organs Of this State. So far a.
We know, the whole Southern "outrage"
business is the first case In which an
unthinkina and Influenced press has ac-
tually been able to bring about some.
thing OF the troubls that il always
applies itself SO diligently to to lament
ing and deprecating. Asa general thing
the evil remains imaginary, despite the
efforts Of journalists to evolve it from
noshingness. but that the present state
OF feeling at the South. is to-day largely
the work Of the newspapers is too evi.
dent to admit Of denial OF course, there
are foolish legislators. there are hot
headed local authorities. on whom blam
can be justly laid. but, throughout all
there has been behind 1t q popular catch
word that was primarily the invention OF
the press; a sort OF half-expressed and
wholly-implied idea that thousands Of
half-educated whites and negroes have
had dinned continually in their ears by
the editors. who, principally in the
South, would like above all things to
bring about the state Of society they de :
plore. Those journals have succeeded
in conjuring up spectre Of bloodthirsty
hatred that might have been little more
than an ugly nightmare but for imprud.
ent fostering. The recent deplorable &C.
currence at Hamburg IL the best confirm.
alton Of our words.