Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1878-10-26
The s. Bloody Shirt'' i'm South Caro-.
lima.
WHAT DEMOCRATIC STATE OFFICER SAYS OF THE
ALLEGED BUILDOZING THERE.

A
ALLEGED BULLDOZING THERE.
Judge Youmans, attorney general of South
Carolina. who was in this city wednesday, in a
short and hurried conversation with a reporter
of the STAR, said: The reports from our state
are as usual greatly exaggerated by the repub-
licans, who want to revive the bloody shirt era
There have been no outrages committed on re-
publicans. There may have been some little
disturbances, but they were brought ON more
by the republican leaders, who are of the worst
type, than by the democrats. Gov. Hampton
intends that there shall be fair election.
WHAT MR.. GORHAM SAYS ABOUT IT.
The following day the reporter met the sec
fetary OF the republican congressional cam
paign committee and said: Judge Youmans saws
there are no outrages being committed in South
Carolina, and none have been committed re-
Gently. would like to ask you If you have any
authentic information that republicans cannot
state.
Mr.. Gorham, after an unsuccessful effort to
get his unruly hair down on his head, replied
I'VE can afford to rest our case on the utter
ances of the Charleston Ne,cs and Courier. There
is not town in the north in which, If such pro-
ceedings as are admitted by that paper to have
occurred there should take place, that the re-
suit would not be civil war, if perpetrated by
republicans at democratic meetings. Lee, the
probate judge OF Sumter county, and SwailS, a
state senator, against whom their bitterest ene-
mics have been unable to find any thing diScred-
liable, are quite as good authority as the attOr-
ney general OF Hampton'S government. The
democrats admit through their organ, the Ne,rs
and Courier, that great crowds of armed men in
trude upon republican meetings, and at the
point of the bayOnet and the mouth of the can
non-loaded with ten-penny nails-insist upon
what they are pleased to call a ''diviSiOn of
time" This gross outrage is laughed at by the
democracy as a good joke. If armed republi-
cans uninvlted, were TO rush into democratic
meeting and insist upon Joint debate it would
be thought an outrage, and complaints of it
would not be regarded as an ''eXpioded bloody
shirt cry South Carolina to-day is a military
camp, and the rights OF citizenship are no more
regarded by the confederate democracy than
they ale among the hostile Indians on the
plains. The north may choose between the con:
fiicting statements of South Cardinals attorney
general and the democratic organ of Charleston.
1t ii errS in the choice it will some day be rude
ly awakened to the truth.
Sar:-Under the existing circumstances bear
ing in mind the posse comitatus clause in the
army Dill what can be done TO protect South
Carolina voters?
Gorham:-"The offenders against the law can
upon proper complaint be arrested and tried in
the courts. The prOmptneSS and certainty OF
punishment are the measure of the efficiency of
all penal statutes. Some arrests have already
been made. 1t remains to be seen whether the
offenders will be SO dealt with as to inspire
respect for our laws in those turbulent regions.
so long as the ordinary processes OF the courts
are not successfully resisted by the law break
eis, and believe they have not yet been there
is no warrant for the use OF military force Ii
Judicial federal process should be obStructed by
combinations OF men too powerful to be other
wise overcome the act of Congress of 1851 all
thorZeS the President to employ not only the
army and navy but to call for volunteers from
any Or all OF the states to crush out such COM
blnationS. The posse comitatuS clause to which
you refer expressly provides that in all cases
WheTe the laws then existing authorize the
employment of the military it may continue to
be so employed. The act of '61 was such law
This law and the posse cOmtatuS clause should
he published by the newspapers side by side
1t might aid uncOnStructed rebels and their
SneakiDg allies in the north TO learn that the
last congress did not give them license TO kill
or main their political opponents.
StdT:-Do you think That the President viii
take any active part to help the republicans in
South Carolina?
GOrhant:-I do not learn that arrests have vet
been successfully resisted. l see nothing that
the administration can do at present, except to
exact from its subordhates promptness in the
performance OF their duties.
Stdr:-COuld it not exert some moral intlu-
ence?
GOihGm:-Yes, by moral influence il can aid
In the formation CT pubic opinion in the north
which will demand that criminals In South Caro-
lima Shall be punished for their offences Ii
faint-hearted people in tie north stlle the com
plants of the victims to screen their aSsai!anS
by heartle5S depreciation OF what they cali
Cody shirt TALK" the cOnfederacy will march
on until the nation is as completely SIbiugated
to its dctation and will as are the republicans
in South Carolina