The Greenville times., 1877-09-22
HLLDezIyC.


frsa ~ Lih<r-F H<rzsA
We have been asked more than
once. Why, - . public journalist.
we have not through our columns
opposed and denounced In betting
terms the Iswiessness which aHdsF
the above significant term i rap
idly destroying the material inter-
ests Of our county and surround
ing sections. aud bringing Us as 5
community into public scandal and
disgrace our answer has hereto
fore been. We we're ashamed to
give any more notoriety 10 the
mstfer than ii already had. and re
trusted that healthy public seati-
ment would silently but success
fully and speedily suppress il. But
Ii seems Ne we're mistaken. Ii is
not only as rampant as ever. but
il steadily Increasing il the diabo-
iism Of its acts, and the aadaci,y
Of IFS demands Public sentiment
although opposed to it. is silent.
while its advocates are noisy, bls-
taat and organized When the
system Of bulldonng uas insggu-
rated two years age, the peculiar
condition OF the country Il il did
not fully justify u least excused
IT, The whole State and with il
this countv Was in the hands Of ir-
responsible sdveasGrers-n<n v ho
bad 30 interest OF feeling in COM
mon with the psopls-uho lesis-
lated 10 cypress the citizens and
enrich tkemseiyes. anil xho sere
unable. eses had thsy beez willing.
and we're unwilling. eyea bad the.
been abe. TO ehtoree the penal
laws Of the State. breakers
went unuhipped Of justice. prop
ersx rights mere disrsgaried. aud
large stealing and petty piiferiug
we're The orierof the day. Seeing
thai tsse officers of the Law would
not or could no; protect them. the
good citizens organized protective
csabs, and visited speedy punish
mess oa the yiolators Of the law.
This, although unlawful. was ne
cesszry and right. and At the head
Of these clubs were the best citi-
xens Of the county. They were
equal to the occasion, and great
good was accomplished A reyo-
luton was effected The people
Of the county obtained and NOW
hold The reiEs Of government.
There j. no doubt now OF both the
willingness and the ability of the |
authorities to bring the guilty to
punishment, 10 protect I'll rights
and redress oil wrongs The ne
cessity for these abnormal and iile-
gal combinations Of tine citizens Of
neighborhoods ceased to exist, and
the good men who had hitherto
controlled them withdrew from
them. A spirit Of lawlcssuess, Of
contempt for authority, had been
engendered in the minds Of the
scum which bad fioated to the top. /
as scum always does. which woald
not down" at the bidding Of the
lessiers. and for The past year or
eighteen months lawless deeds
have been done, oatrages have
beeu committed. at which civiliza-
ton and humanity blush, By few
reckless. irresponsible aud desper-
ate characters, whose only stock
in trade Is the reputation Of the
men who originally composed and
directed the clubs. Ia this county,
in Wilkinson, Franklin aud Pike,
the most diabolieal crimes have
been recently committed whip
pings, muiilations, robberies, rapes
and murders-by bands Of men
under the guise of bgilIezers OF
protective clubs. II, a. was the
case in more than one instance,
good men denounee these acts
these erimes-ihey are mysterious
ly threatened with violence or en-
forced exile, or the torch Of the in
cendiary. In such a condition of
affairs, every industrial interest OF
tbs country is depressed, and we
are travelling with lightning speed
on down grade to the devil. One
thousand and Hfsy Of the eleven
hundred white voters Of Amits
county in their hearts denoaaee
these dastardly and Outrageous
acts. Are they 20 buIIdezed by
the fifty organized, secret aszasalns
that they fear 10 let the mouth
speak what the heart feels, aud
the judgment dictates . In Tai
bert's and Zion Hill precincts the
people In public meeting have spo-
ken out against them. Let the
other portions Of the county do
likewise. II necessary lei iae ten
hundred and fifty organize for mu-
tual protection against the ffty.
They have stolen the livery Of
heaven TO serve the devil in.r Let
tho disUnisa ha fnru frx..., thar.