Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1877-03-01
MORE PETTY TYRANNY !

Extensive preparations nau oeeh "aoo III
Columbia and Charleston to celebrate Wash
ington's birthday in those cities on Thursday
last, the 22nd, by a military parade, and the
usual display observed on similar occasions
in the Southern States; but the matter hav-
ing been reported to Grant, that functionary
at once issued orders prohibiting the proposed
parade of militia companies, whose officers
were regularly commissioned by Governor
Hampton in accordance with the militia laws
of this State. Accordingly, the following
communication was addressed by Col. Black,
u. S. Army, commsndspt of the post at Co.
lumbia,. to Capt. Thompson, and officially
served on him on the day of its date:
Posi- OF COLUMBIA,
COLUMBIA, S. c. February 20, 1877.
To Capt. Fl. S. Thompson, Columbia, S. c.:
DEAR S1R-I have the honor to notify you
that l have been this day directed BY the
honorable secretary of war to inform you that
"his Excellency the President Of the United
States directs me to notify you that the mem
hers of the so-calIed rife clubs, who, under
his proclamation of the 18th October last,
were instructed to disband, are not to make
any public demonstration or parade on the
22d instant, as is said to be contemplated"
and it is hoped you will give cheerful obe
dence to this order, and notify the members
of your club or company, in order to prevent
a parade, of any kind, taking place. My or
ders require me to see that no such parade
takes place.
am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient
servant, H. M. BLACK, Lieut.. Col:
Eighteenth Infantry, Com. Post.
The announcement Of the reception of this
notice and threat caused considerable excite
ment among those most nearly interested in
the proposed celebration, and Indignation and
contempt for the littleness of this last effort
of President Grant to humiliate our people,
was freely expressed on all sides. The matter
was speedily brought to Governor Hampton's
attention, and he issued the following
PROCLAMATION.
STATE OF SOUTH CARoL1NA,)
EXECUTIVE CHAMBER,
Columbia, S. c., Feb. 20, 1877.
His Excellency, the President of the United
States, having ordered that the white militia
companies of the State should not parade on
the 22d inst, to celebrate Washington's birth
day, in Difference to the Office he holds here.
by call upon these organizations to postpone
to some future day this manifestation of their
respect to the memory of that illustrious Pres
ident, whose highest ambition it was as it was
his chief glory, to observe the Constitution
and to obey the laws of his country. If the
arbitrary commands of Chief Executive,
who has not sought to emulate the virtues of
Washington, depriyes the citizens of this State
of the privilege Of joining publicly in paying
reverence to that day 80 sacred to every
American patriot we can at least show by our
obedience to constituted authority, however
arbitrarily exercised, that We are not unwor-
thy to be the countrymen of Washington.
We must therefore remit to some more auspl'
cious period, which / trust is not far distant,
the exercise of our right to commemorate the
civic virtues of that unsullied character who
welded his sword only to found and perpet-
uate that American constitutional liberty
which is now denied to the citizens of South
Carolina. WADE HAMPTON,
Governor.
There was no parade in either city, but in
Columbia the day was observed by suspend.
ing United States flags draped in mourning,
and in the afternoon Judge Mackey, by invi-
tation, delivered an address on the life and
character of Washington, which is said to
have been the best effort ever made by this
ready and eloquent speaker.