The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1878-09-05

My experience and observations sat-
isfy me:
1st. That there is q marked diminution
OF crime since the installation Of Cover
nor Hampton.
I'd. That instances of whites commit
ting violence upon blacks are very rare,
far more 80 than formerly when the weak
administration Of the law in many in
s.ances forced tha white man TO resort 70
T:oicnco ;n self defence, The dnors Of ..:s-
tlce being efectually closed against aim
through the peculiar conpoeiton of ju-
ries and other imperfections.
| 3d. That nine-teDthS of the crimes Of
the land are perpetrated by blacks, and
against whites. y g
JUDGE KERsHAw, OF THE FIErH CIR
| QUIT.
The Hon j. b. Kershaw, Judge Of the
Fifth Circuit, writing from Camden, on
August 8, says: y
A great diminution of crime has tsken
place in such portions of the State as
have visited since the instapetion Of
Governor Hampton. On myeSecent Cir
oiit--.ho eighth~-I found bdt two cases
for trial at Abbeville; bat two at An
dcrson none at Wsfhalla (Oconee y
one at Pickens, sDi hut few at Green.
willie. Not one Of the cases on the Circuit
involved O beach Of the peace on the
part Of wJ7ite upon II colored person.,
to the bet of my recollection, and the
improvement in the condition Of tho
StatIFin these Particulars has been the
spyect OF gene:al remark.
FUDGE MAcKEY OF THE SIXTH CIRCUIT.
The Hon L. j. Mackey, Judge of tho
Sixth Circuit, writing from Chester, on
August %, says:
There has been very geusible dimi-
mutton, both in the number and degree
Of crimes committed in this Circuit since
the Inauguration Of Governor Hampton
on the 18th day of December, 1876, as
compared with any equal period in the
history of the State, having due regard
to the number of inhsbitants. The
counties that compose this (the Sixth)
Judicial Circuit are York, Lancaster,
Chester and Fairfield, embracing ter
ritorial area of about $500 square miles,
and having population in round num-
bers of one hundred thousand, of which
forty thousand are white and sixty
thousand colored Yet within this wide
area, inhabited by diverse races which
present many points of attrition, which
had been sharpened by long political an
tagonism, not one negro han lost his life
at the hands of white man during the
past nineteen months, while during that
period there have have been but three
homicides committed, namely: One by
negro upon q white man, january 1st,
1877, in Chester County, the victim hav-
t~s been murdered and robbed, while
walking a,e"g the railroad ct night, by q
man VINO nad been in, tho State but one
North Carolina. The criminal in this
case was pursued. arrested, tried In the
court, and convicted by jury composed
equally Of white and colored citizens
and executed upon the galIows, within
twenty-eight days after the commission
of the crime. The second instance was
IL case of stabbing by negro, the victim
also being colored The third waa n
case of shooting by white man, in July
of the present year, the person slain be-
ing also white. The killing in both the
last two cases occurred in personal re.
contres, with strong mitigating circum.
stances alleged. Minor offences against
the person, such 40 assault and battery,
are also Of comparative rare occurrence,
and are chiefly confined to personal col
lisions between the negro . themselves
AT the juno term, 1878, the Court CT
General, Sessions Of CT ter County,
there WAS but one crminh. case for trial,
and that was u case of assault and bat
terry, Goth the accused and the person
who was beaten, being colored.
That wss q remarkable near approach to
o maiden assize" for q county having q
population of twenty-five thousand, and
In which the Court of General Sessions
!s held ct Intervals cf four months, or
three terms iii each year. =.
In this Circuitit may be fairly esti-
mated thnt there are at least eighty
thousand buildings. which are by our
statutes the subjects OF burglary and
arson, including dwelling houses, GIN
houses, barns, stables smoke-hopses, and
all out-bui!dings, sheds, and erections
within two hundred yards Of the dwell
ing house and appurtenant thereto. Yet
during the period above named there
has been but Que cane of arson, and only
one case Of burglary throughout the en-
tire Circuit. Nor las there hoen single
case OF rape during the period, an Of
fence to which ne negro he's etrong
proclivity, due 10 chronological causes.
Grand larcenies or the felonious steal
ing of personal property of the val
ue of'tweny dollars or more, are also
now comparatively rare. a ,,..t..
The negro has the art beyond every
other clasa of hired iaborers of stealing
often, but yet stealing little in value.
Like other races of men, however, the
number and amount of his thefts bear
somewhat fixed proportion to his sup
ply of food. AS q laborer he steals most
from the employer who feeds him least,
thus asserting law of fself-compensation
which makes justice to him, in this re-
spcct, the truest economy. l
The paucity of offences against the
person of the negro on the part of the
whitea is not due to any object submis-
sion on his part which has sunk him be-
low tine plane of resentment, or which,
disarmB violence By supplication, or
evades It by flight. On shs contrary &c
is ready to talk or Btriko back, and to
defend himaelf against individual az
gression, whether directed against his
person or property. It is duo rather TO
his own better. conduct, impelled by his
PERCEPTION that higher civilization
than formerly now rules the State, as
Illustrated in the superior character of
| the local magistrates, and the immeasura-
Isbly improved grade OF public officers of
every class, all preserving inviolate the
sanctity of public trusts, and yet noae
inyA ing, or tolerating any invasion, OF
his rights of person or citizenship.
| He but obeys the law of moral attfac-
tion and gravitation in seeking to con-
| form his conduct TO this changed order
OF things, in which ali mis- rights arc IA
| credlv FeApeckad and sls h;a or;,oas