The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1877-01-12


Hampton hfmself; yBits. insolence wiIfn
be impotent in its effect on public feeling,
an attempt is made to put the threat ia e
=, eeution. Even if it be only au cxhibitic
:, 81 "a .u' bullying and bravado it is still vic
disturbances offthe peace. p'o'oS
~ treason agalnSta State is an obsolete lido
10 DC sure, the States have laws dcfn;n
ana Punlshlng treason, but thew have 9
long been dead letter that not one c;t;vo
IN thousand is aware of their .existen'
ihey are like sword that has rnstsSo
long IN Its scabbard that it cannot be d&h.l
IN the whole history of ourFcouhy y there
mas been but one trial for treasn -gainst
State government, audsth atss yinstancc
was an egregous blunder 30 repented of.
In the State of, Rhode .dand; Thomas w.
Rorrswas ;conYicted ofeason and sentenced
to l@prisopMen.ot life. But when the
Yebiie Skcitehns1t had adsubsided he was par
donsd, and the Legislature of the State
sepassed an act restoring his civil rights and |
ordering the record of his sentence to be
= expunged 1t was felt to be disgrace to
-.ithe State that its records should be stained
Sbya Acntence for treason. That was the
Y,t treason trial in any State of this Union.
: Is 1t will probably be the last The States
STD IN no need Of a treason Jaw, becaus,
S&r govefaments are guaranteed by the
n'ted o9ates. When public excitement
ran so hlg@ In Louisiana and Arkansas over
contesting claims to the government, there
was no talk or thought Of arrests for trea-
son, because that remedy is"alien to our in
stltutions. Even the Federal Government
places no dependence on treason trials for
ats security. Not single trial for treason
followed our great civil war Jefferson
Davis was arrested and indicted, but the
too glad to avoid trial The abortive tri.
al cf Aaron Burr is the only one in our in.
dicial records. Mr. Chamberlain must bc 90
crazy as he is desperate and malignant to
brandish the threat of treason trial in the
faces Of the people of South Carolina. {
Even if the courts of the State recoon;, {
zed his title to the Governorship. even IF bc ,
had judges on the bench as servile AMI bru.
u as the infamous Jeffries, he could NOT q
procure the conviction. of Wade Hampton /
The idea that South Carolina iury woula C
find verdict of guilty is ridiculous. even +
if the judges were tools of ChamberIa;n
But, fortunately, the courts of South Caro-.
lima havc-of late acted in very BECOMING t.
independence of party ties. Whenever the a
claim of office comes before them for adm a
Creation they arc likely to decide against 81
MN" IT is prepostcrous for him to think -
shas ne oan'Te, s rid of his competitor by a :, :,
osecution fof ffcdso,. ,but the tbro,t ona a
an attempt to execute it n.,ht nrovnlo oi
bloody resistance. Perhaps thlsp'D,,hb".e .,
wants He would seek refuge in the 'aI ~ -
quarters of Gen. Ruger and expect III.
Federal army to find the excuse which has r
not yet been given it for shooting down the
people of the State. The great obstacle 7
which has thus far stood in the way of this .
ambitious man is the noble self command Of @
I, the citizens of South Carolina, which has
restrained them from any act of violence.
He, perhaps, thinks that turbulent upris- 4
ing Of the people would make his fortune.