Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1877-04-11
I'm Which he declares that he
will not longer actively as
serf his right 10 the Gov
ernOrahhp.
He Makes a Glorious record for
History.
We fear thore 10 Music In the Air.


decision and action of the President
Of the United States find myself un-
able longer to maintain my official
rights with prospect of final success
and hereby announce to you that /
am unwilling to prolong a struggle
which can only bring further suffer-
ing upon those who engage in it. In
this conclusion 1t is my
duty to say for you that the republic
cans of South Carolina entered upon
their recent political struggle for the
of their political and
civil rights, constituting beyond ques-
ton a large majority of the lawful
votes of the State. You allied your
selves with that political party whose
central and inspiring principle has |
hitherto been the civil and political
freedom of all men under the consti-
tuition and laws of our country. By
heroic efforts and sacrifices which
a just verdict Of history will rescue
from the cowardly scorn now cast up
on them by political placemcn
and traitors, you secured the electOr-
al vote Of South Carolina for Hayes
and Wheeler. In accomplishing this
result you became the victims Of cv-
cry form of persecution and injury.
From authentic evidence it is shown
that no less than one hundred of your
number were murdered because they
were faithful 10 their principles and
exercised the rights solemnly guar
antced to them by the nation. You
were denied employment, driv-
en- from your homes, robbed
of the earnings Of years
of honest industry, hunted
for your lives like wild beasts; your
families outraged, and scattered for
no o1tensc except your peaceful and
firm determination to exercise your
political rights. You trusted, as you
had a right to trust, that if by such
efforts you established the lawful SUI
premacy Of your political party in
the nation the government of the Uni
ted States, in the discharge of its con-
stitutional duty, would. protect the
lawful government of the state from
overthrow at the hands of your polit-
ical enemies. From causes patent to
all men, and unquestioned by none
who regard truth, you have been AN
able to overcome the unlawful COM
binations and obstacles which have
opposed the practical supremacy 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 exhOrtcd
by every representative and organ of
the national Republican party to keep
your allegiance true to that party in
order that your delivcrance from the
hands Of your opprcssors might be
certain and complete. Not the faintest
whisper of a possibility of disappoint-
ment in these hopes and promises ever
reached you while the struggle was
pending. To-day, April 10th, 1877,
by order of the President, whom your
votes alone rescued from .overwhelm-
ing defeat the government of the
United States abandons you and
deliberately withdraws from you its
support with the full knowledge that
the lawful government of the State
will be speedily Overthrown by new
Interpretation of the Constitution of
the United States, at variance alike
with previous practices of the
government and with the decisions
Oft the Supreme Court. The executive
of the United States evades the du-
ty of ascertaining which of the two
rival state governments is the lawful
one and by the withdrawal Of troops
now protecting the state from domes-
tic violence has abandoned the lawful
state government to struggle with
an discretionary force too powerful
to be resisted. The grounds of the
policy upon which such action is de-
Tended are startling. 1t is said that
the North is weary Of the long SOUTH
ern troubles. 1t was weary too of the
long troubles that sprung from the
stupendous crimes of chattel slavery
and longed for repose. 1t 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 rocked and agonizcd the ma
ton, the great crime was put away
and freedom was ordained for ALL
1t is said that a majority Of the peo-
pie of the state are unable by physic-
al force to maintain their rights
They must be left to political scrvi-
tude. Is this doctrine ever before
heard Of in your history? If it shall
prevail its consequences will not long
be confined to South Carolina or
Louisiana.
1t is said that O democratic house
of representatives will refuse an APP
preparation for the army ofth Uni
ted States if the lawful government
of South Carolina is maintained by
military forces. The submission to
such coercion marks the degencracy
of the political party or the people
which endures it. A government
worthy of the name, a political party
fit to WELD power, never before
blanchcd at such threat. But the
edict has gone forth. No argument
or consideration which your friend
conld present have sufiiced to avert
| the disaster. No effective means of
resistance to the contamination oft
wrong arc left. The struggle cannot
be prolonged. Ny strict legal tights
are of course wholly unaffected by
the action of the President. No court
of the state has Jurisdiction to pass
upon the title to my office. No lawful
Legislature can be convened except up-
on my call. If the use Of these powers
promised ultimate success to our
cause, should not shrink from any
sacrifice which might confront me.
1t is cause in which by the light of
reason and conscience a man might
well lay down his life. But to my
mind my present responsibility in
wolves the consideration of the effect
of my action upon those whose rep
rescntative l 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
government of the United
States. That relief will never
tcome. cannot ask you 10 follow me
any further. In my judgment can
no longer serve you by further resist
ancc to the impending calamity. With
gratitude to God tor the measure of
endurance with which he has hitherto
inspired me; with gratitude to you
for your boundless confidence in me !;
with profund admiration for your
matchless fidelity to tho cause
in which we havo struggled
I now announce to you and to the
people of the State that / shall no
longer actively assert my right to the
Office of Governor Of South Carolina.
The motives and purposes of the Presi.
dent of the United States in the policy
which cOmpcls mo to pursue
my present course are un-
questionably honorable and patriotic.
l devoutly pray that events may
vindicate the wisdom of his action,
and that peace, justice, freedom and
prosperity may hereafter be the por-
ton of every citizen of South Caroli-
ma. {Signcd)
ID. III. CHAMBERLAIN,
Governor, South Carolina.