The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1877-02-24
RATHER ROUGH.
GRANT FORBIDs THE OBSERVANCE or
VAsHINaT0N's BIRTHDAY
A singing Proclamation from Gov.
Hampton, ordering Adhesion.

A singing Proclamation from Gov.
Hampton, ordering Adhesion.
Especial to News and Courier.l
COLUMBIA, Feb. 20-Midnight. 49, The
extensive preparations that had been
made here to celebrate Washington's
Birthday, seem to have excited pro-
found alarm among the plunderers, and
their appeals to Washington have sue
ceededin inducing President Grant to
interfere, and, by the use OF the mill
tary power of the government, to pre-
vent the usual honor being paid to the
memory of the Pater PatriB. The fol-
lowing communication was addressed
by Col. Black. United States army, COM
son, and officially served on him this
afternoon.
sE4s4e ,tha g. Posi- OF COLUMBIA,
COLUMBIA, b. o., Feb. 20, 1877. E
To Capt. e. q. Thompson. Columbia, s. O.. 7
Dear Sir--I have the honor to notify
YOU that have been this day directed
by the honorable Secretary OF War TO in
form you that Ellis Excellency the
President Of the United States directs
me to notify you that the members OF
the socalled rifle clubs who, under his
proclamation OF the 18th October last,
were instructed to disband, are not to
make any public demonstration or pa
rade on the 22d instant, as is said to be
contemplated" and 1t is hoped you
will give cheerful obedience to this
order, and notify the members of your
club or company, in order to prevent
parade of any kind taking place. Ny
orders require me to see that no such
Ia far MD II 81,
spectfully, your obedient aervant,
Ii. NJ. BLACK, Lieut.. Col.
Eighteenth Infantry, Com. Post.
The announcement OF the reception
Of this notice and threat caused con-
siderable excitement among those most
nearly interested in the proposed cele-
bration, and indignation and contempt
for the littleness Of this last effort Of
President Grant to humiliate our peo-
pie was freely expressed on all sides.
The matter was speedily brought to
Gov. Hampton's attention, and he this
evening issued the following
PROCLAMATION:
STATE or SOUTH CAROLINA,
EXECUTIVE CHAMBER,
Columbia, y. G., 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 birthday, in
Difference to the office he holds hereby
call upon these organizations to post
pone to some future day this manifesto
tien Of their respect to the memory OF
that illustrious President, whose high
est ambition 1t was, as 1t was his chief
glory, to observe the constitution and
to obey the laws of his country. II the
arbitrary commands OF q Chief Execu-
tive. who has not sought to emulate the
virtues OF Washington, deprives the cit
izens of this State OF the privilege Of
joining publicly In paying reverence to
that day so sacred to every American
patriot we can at least show by our obea
dience to constituted authority, how
ever arbitrarily exercised, that we are
not unworthy to be the countrymen OF
Washington. We must therefore remit
to some more suspicious period, which
I trust is not far distant, the exercise of
our right to commemorate the civic vir-
tues of that unsullied character who
welded his sword only to found and
perpetuate that American constitutional
liberty which is now denied to the citi-
zens of South Carolina.
WADE HAMPTON, Governor.
The fact may be noted, in this connec-
ton, that the negro militia companies
have been permitted to drill on the
public streets in Columbia on several
occasions since Grants proclamation
Of the 18th of October, and no interior
ence was offered, and the same COM
panies have been actively drilling for
several weeks past for the purpose Of
celebrating Washington's birthday. 1t
Is hardly necessary to say that no no.
tice similar to the above has been given
to them. Orders similar to that served
Capt. Thompson are known to have
been prepared for service upon other
officers of other companies here. They
were not delivered to them, however, rs
I understand, on the ground that Capt.
Thompson Is the senior officer, and the
one notification Is deemed sufficient.
It Is noteworthy that the Eighteenth
Infantry, United States troops, station
ed at this post, had been assigned q
prominent part in the contemplated
parade. Preparations for their partici-
patton had indeed gene so far that q
committee from the militia companies
to-day waited upon Col. Black, and re-
quested him to allow his command to
take position with the regimental band
at the head OF the column. The appli-
cation evidently caused Col. Black
wards his orders were made known.
THE LATEST.
The excitement here Is on the, in
crease, even at this late hour q a. m. },
as the news Of President Grants action
becomes known. The citizens are de-
termined to make the 22d memorable,
and the day will be celebrated on q
large scale in some way. It Is already
determined to suspend United States
flags, draped in Grape, the whole length
Of Main street.
POSSIBLE TROUBLE AHEAD.