Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1876-07-27
The Hamburg Outrage.

OeQCTal VI. ". DutleI HIltCS VIC lOlloHluS
letter to the New York Herald
EDaEFlELD, S. T.. July 81, lS76.-I have
lust reau Governor Cham berain' fancy skctch
Of the "Hamburg horror" addressed to Sena,
tor Robertson, at Washington. After few
rhetorical f .u,ishes His Excellency says =
Such acts call for condem cation and puoish
meut" | entirely agree with him, aud if re
does not take steps at once to have them con
demned and punished he should be hurled from
the position which his i'm bec!ity disgraces. |
have been the object and target of radical ma
lightly, aud assigned position 10 this affair stu
liar to that Of Sitting Bull 10 the Custer massa-
ere. have been sandered and tradu led by the
Governors enissaries for doing nothing more
than my very plain aud simple duty; and now
challenge him to begin his legal investigation.
He knows nov residence, and knoWs that the
presence OF United States soldiers is not neces-
sary for my arrest or that Of any other white
mau who was at Hamburg: and before that to-
vss,igatioo closes, ii do not show that the
negroes were the aggressors. aod the whites
not to blame, that the emssaries OF His Excel
lency we're the instigators of the riot. aud his
appoiotees could have prevented, ADD did not
preVeot it; that the company called militia was
not militia but band Of rioters and high
waymcn, and that be is responsible for
the riot; If | do not show all this, aud
show besides condition Of affairs at HIM
burg uuder radical government pretending 10
be civilized, which would almost disgrace the
purlieus of Coomasscc settlement, will un-
dertake to answer personally for the death OF
every man, white aud black. who fell 10 that
riot. No mau knows better than Governor
Chamberlain, that what he stated 10 that com
muuicatiou to Senator Robertson is false 10
every essential particular; no one knows better
than himself that he has published it in the
bloody shirt, outrage interest. But 20 matter
whether be has or not, make him very prac
tosi proposition and be shall not evsde IT,
High sounding phrases, such as he INDUCES 10,
are better suited to another era OF our history,
when people we're more prone 10 be l0fua occd
by sckly sen,imentality, when radical cant
and radical falsehood had larger aud more
wiIliog and attentive audience. The American
people are becoming emineuty practical almost
prosy, 10 their pursuit of facts. As you aptly
suggest 10 your editorial, The Governors
campaign rhetoric is another thing; !e, him
hand up the criminals concerned aud pun
ish them. If, as he says, the whites of South
Carolina reprobate the outrage, let the Gov
ernor test their Indignation by Furnishing the
offenders The rhapsodies Of a partisan poll
tician, fatally bent on perpetuating his personal
supremacy and the power of his party is Ole
thing and the manly discharge Of duty by The
Governor OF whole State 10 the interest of all
is another. His Excellepcy has chosen the
role of the partisan at the expense OF his ofics
responsibility, and if be does not make good
bis oath of Office TO see hat the laws are exc
cuted, let him stand confessed charlatan, WAC
would gamble with the dearest rights Of the
people of the Commonwealth and barter away
the fair name Of the State to the end that D
h. Chamberlain may continue to wear tn:
Gubernatora robes of a State which be cannot,
or does not govern. Very respectfully yours,
NJ G. BUTLER.