Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1877-04-14
SOUTH CAROLINA.

=
COLUMBIA, April 10.
The United States troops were formed
into line and moved out of the State
house at noon to-day.
Chamberlain has just issued the fol-
lowing address, retiring from the con-
test for the Governorship:
TO THE REPUBLICANS OF SOUTH CAR
oLINA.
By your choice | was made Govern
or of this State in 1874 At the cleo
ton on the 9TH of November last | was
again, by your votes, elected to the
same Office. My title TO Office
upon every legal and moral ground
is to-day as clear and perfect by
the recent decision and action of
the President of the United States,
but [ find myself unable longer to
maintain my official rights with any
prospect of final success, and / hereby
announce to you that l am unwilling
to prolong a struggle which can only
bring further suffering upon those who
engage In it. Announcing this con-
clusion, it is my duty TO say for you
that the Republicans of South Caro-
lima entered upon their recent politi-
cal struggle for the maintenance of
their political and civil rights. con-
stituting beyond question large ma
jority of the lawful votes of the State,
you allied yourselves with that pollti-
cal party whose central and inspiring
principle has hitherto been the civil
and political freedom of all men under
the Constitution and laws of our
country. With a just verdict. history
will rescue them from the cowardly
scorn now cast upon them by political
placemen and traders. You secured
the vote of South Carolina for Hayes
and Wheeler. In accomplishing this
result. you became the victims of
every form of persecution and injury.
/ From authentic evidence, it is shown
| that no less tkan one hundred of your
number were murdered because they
we're faithful to their principles, and
/ exercised rights solemnly guaranteed
to them by the nation. You were de-
MED employment, driven from your
homes, robbed of the earnings of
years of honest industry, hunted for
your lives like wild beasts, your tami
| lies outraged and scattered. for no Of
tense except your peaceful and firm
determination to exerciseyo your political
rights. You trusted, as you had a
right to trust, that if by such efforts
you established the lawful supremacy
| of your political party in the nation,
the Government Of the United States,
in the discharge of its constitutional
duty, would protect the lawful govern
ment of the people from overthrow at
the hands of your political enemies.
! From causes patent to all men, and
questioned by none who regard truth,
you have been unable to overcome the
unlawful combinations and obstacles
which have opposed the practical su-
premacy of the government which
your votes have established. For
many weary months you have waited
for your deliverance. while the long
struggle for the Presidency was in
progress. You were exhorted by every
representative and organ of the Ma
tional Republican party to keep your
allegiance to that party, in order that
your deliverance from the hands OF
your oppressors might be certain and
complete. Not the faiutest whisper OF
possibility of disappointment in these
hopes and promises ever reached you
while the struggle was pending. To
day, April 10, 1877, by the order OF
the President whom your votes alone
rescued from overwhelming defeat
the Government of the United States
abandons you, deliberately withdraws
from you its support, with the full
knowledge that the lawful government
of the State will be speedily over
thrown. By new Interpretation OF
the Constitution of the United States,
at variance alike with the previous
practices of the Government and with
the decisions of the Supreme Court
the:Executive of the United States
evades the duty of ascertainiug which
of the two rival State governments Is
the lawful one, and, by Withdrawing
the troops now protecting the State
from domestic violence, abandons the
lawful State government to struggle
with an insurrectionary force toe
powerful to be resisted.
The grounds Of the policy upon
which such action is defended are
startling 1t is said that the North is
weary of the long Southern troubles
1t is weary, too, of the long troubles
which sprarg from the stupendous
crime of chattel slavery, and louged
for repose. 1t is sought to cover them
from sight by wicked compromises
with the wrong which disturbed its
peace: but God held it to its duty
until, through a conflict which racked
and agonized the nation, the great
crime was put away, and freedom was
ordained for all. 1t is said that if the
majority of the people of the State are
unable, by physical force, to maintain
their rights, they must be left to poll,
teal servitude. Is this a doctrine
ever before heard of in our history
If it shall prevail, the consequences
will not long be confined to South
Carolina or Louisiana. 1t is said that
a Democratic House of Representa-
tives will refuse an appropriation for
the army of the United States if the
lawful government of South Carolina
is maintained by the military forces
The submission to such coercion
marks the degeneracy Of the political
party or people which endorse it. A
government worthy the name, politi-
cal party fit to WELD power, never be-
| lOTG at SuCu Il NAlACdOs
But the edict has gone forth. No
argument or cOnsidera ton which your
friends could present has sufficed to
avert disaster. No effective means OF
resistance to the consummation of the
wrong are left. The struggle can be
prolonged My strict legal rights are
of course wholly unaffected by the &C
ton of the President. No court OF
the State has jurisdiction to pass upon
the title to my Office. No lawful legls
lature can be convened except upon
my call If the use OF these powers
promised ultimate success TO our
cause, [ should not shrink from any
sacrifices which might confront me. Ii
is cause in which by the light OF
reason and conscience a man might
we'll lay down his life; but to my mind
my present responsibility involves the
consideration of the effect of my action
upon those whose representative | am
[ have hitherto been willing to ask you
Republicans of South Carolina to risk
all dangers and endure all hardships
until relief should come from the Gov
eminent Of the United States. That
relief will never come. | cannot ask
you to follow me further. In my
Judgment | can no longer serve you
Dy further resistance to the impending
calamity. With gratitude to God tor
the measure of endurance with which
he has hitherto inspired me, with