Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1876-08-10
THE HAMBURG MASSACRE.
The Story as Told by CO1Ored
Citizens Of Columbia.
Message on Subject by the
President.
TEXT OF HIS LETTER TO COW
ERkoR CHAMBERLAIN.
Singing ArraIgnment Of Southern
Brigands.


COLUMBIA, S. C., July 31.-The following
is an abstract of an "Address to the People
of the United States" adopted at q confer
ence of colored citizens, held at Columbia,
s. c., July 20 and 81, 1875, in reference to
the Hamburg massacre:
The address opens by stating that those
who signed it respectfully submit to their fel-
low citizens their condition as citizens of the
United States, and more especially in connec
ton with the recent massacre of peaceful and
law-abidng citizens of the State of SonthCar-
olina, at Hamburg, on the 9Th of July inst.
The document says that the signataries
deem it right, in view of misrepresentation
as TO the cause of the massacre, and due to
the character of the murdered as well as of
their surviving associates, to present for the
information and consideration of the Ameri-
can people calm, dispassionate and truthful
exposition of that terrible affair.
| 1t calls attention to the act providing for
the enrolment of the male citizens of the
State, who we're, by its terms, made subject
to the performance of militia duty, by virtue
of which colored citizens of the State were
duly enrolled as part of its militia force.
The statement is then made that ''the white
citizens of the State, with but few exceptions,
failed, neglected and refused to become men,
bers of the force" provided for by the act-the
consequence being that the active militia of
the State became composed almost exclusive
ly of colored citizens. The county of Edge
field, of which the town of Hamburg was
then part, constituted one of the military
districts of the State under the apportionment
and allotment made by the Adjutant General
one regiment known and numbered as the
Ninth regiment of infantry being allotted to
said district, with one F. A. Belanger as COL
onel, and P. R. Rivers as lieutenant colonel
thereof.
One company Of this regiment was allotted
to and organized in the town of Hamburg,
and its members elected one John Williams
for their captain. Mr.. Rivers was afterward
promoted to the rank of brigade commander
and more recently to that of major general Of
division. Soon after the latter promotion a
new regiment, known as the Eighteenth reg
iment of the National Guard, was formed,
John Williams being commissioned as colo
mel and assigned to its command, and his old
company being at the same time detached
from the Ninth and attached to his new regi-
ment under the designation of Company A.
Some time before the company was transfer
red in this manner its ranks became depleted
and its members ceased to be active at drills
and musters, although it was still borne upon
the rooster of the Adjutant Generals Depart
ment and never ceased to be regarded as a
portional Guard of the State. Soon after Will
liams took command of the Eighteenth regi.
ment and the attachment of his old company
thereto General Rivers transferred the arms
of the company-which had meanwhile been
stored away under his charge-to Williams,
who is by the rules and regulations, as well as
the acts of the General Assembly, responsible
and accountable for all the ordnance and ord.
nance stores of his regiment. Recently the
members of the company whose names re-
manned upon the roll reorganized, elected Off.
GERS and recruited its ranks to the requisite
number of men.
Thereupon Colonel John Williams refused
to reissue to the company its arms. The
company is an incorporated body, having
leen duly chartered by an act of the General
Assembly, approved March 10, 1872.
ONE OF THE CAUSES.
The declaration that one of the causes which
led to the demand for the surrender of the
arms of the company and the enforcement of
such demand by the bombardment of the drill
room was the statement of General Rivers,
that the company did not receive their arms
from, and were in unlawful possession of
them, is disproved by the fact that General
Rivers denies in sworn statement that he
made such an assertion about the unlawful
possession" of the arms.
On Tuesday, July 4, the company paraded
for drill at Hamburgh, and, while passing
through one of the least frequeuted streets Of
the town, which is by actual measurement 14S
feet wide, horse and buggy was driven into
their ranks by Thomas Butler and Henry
Getzen, white citizens living some two miles
from the town. At the time Of this interfer-
ence the company was marching in columns
OF fours, occupying space of less than eight
feet on the width of the street. After remon-
strating with the occupants Of the buggy Doc.
Adams, captain Of the company, ordered the
company to divide and suffer the buggy to
drive through peaceably. On the following
day Robert ]. Butler, father of one of the oc.
cupants of the buggy, and father in law of the
other, complained before P. R. Rivers, Trial
Justice, that the company had obstructed 8
public street. Upon this complaint Riveri
summoned by civil process, the captain and
other officers of the company to appear before
him on the following day. Adams and hi,
lieutenant appeared to answer on the day
named. ~
Robert ]. Butler, the complainant, wa.
present, accompanied by several other white
men, each heavily armed with revolvers. Or
the calling of the case it was announced to the
court that the defendants were present and
that MIR. Henry Sparnick, a member Of tn,
circuit bar of the county, had been retained
to represent them. Robert ]. Butler, in al
angry and excited manner, protested
against such representation, and demanded
that the hearing should be postponed until b,
could procure counsel from the city of Angus
ia, Ca, to represent his side Of the case
whereupon Adams and his lieutenants, afte
consultation with their attorney, who inform.
ed them that therewere no legal grounds upor
which the case could be decided against them
waived their cens1t 1tutiond right to he repre-
sented by counsel and Consented TO 20 to trial