The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1878-09-05
THE NEW ORDER OF THINGS.
DECREASE OF CRIME IN THE STATE
UNDER DEsGOCRATIC RULE.

excepting Judge Shaw who is i'll and un.
| able to attend TO any business, have kind
ly sent prompt replies to the question
whether, 80 far as their knowledge ex-
! tends, there has been, since the Install
alton of Governor HAMPTON. a diminu-
ton IN the number and degree of crimes
committed in South Carolina, especially
OF crimes committed ny whites against
colored persons"
JUDGE PRESLEY, OF TIE FIRST CIR
The Hon. B. G. Presley, Judge Of the
Fifth Circuit, writing from Caesars
Head on August 8, says:
Since the installation of Governor
Hampton, have held the Courts of the
Third and Fourth Circuits, where found
the criminal dockets very much lighter
than they had formerly been.
Only one of tho cases was for an Of
FENCE against colored by white per-
son, aud large proportion of the crim-
nails had been formerly convicted and
| sent to the penitentiary for term of
years; but had been very soon pardoned
by former Governors of this State.
JUDGE ALDRTCH, or TIE SECOND CIR
CUT.
The Hon. A. z. Aldrich, Judge Of the
Second Circuit, writing from Columbia
on August 1S, says:
My experience in the Courts satisfies
me that not only has there been a dip<
mutton of serious ofiences agaipst/th
law, but greater security is felt Ahlong
all classes of the people, white gid black.
| am well convinced that thep6never has
been disposition on tLSpart of the
| white people to cncroacb6n tho rights Of
the colored citizen. Jsfs true there have
been cases of Outrage against the colored
| people hero anJ/there, which all right
minded men >depiore but in all such
cases can safely Say the white people,
as casS/ have condemned them with
stern Indignation. The truth of history
however, compols me 70 add that where
| one outrage has been committed by q
white man against negro, ten can be
enumerated of colored persons against
white. The riots that have occurred in
different parts of the State in every in
stance have been brought about by the
| aggressive conduct Of the negroes, slim
ulated by the bad men who used them
| for their political advancement
have held the Courts Of the Fourth
| SiICultj WulCu liCluucS tho OlSITlCtS Ol
Chesterfield, Marion, Darlington, Marl-
balefu inhuenoe pregal,o ae and m,.see ai,honab
several cases Of arson were tried uCel,o us .
mo, yet not one occurred since the cleo.
ton of Hampton, and all the accused
were colored. On the Fifth Circuit,
composed of Kerahaw, Lexington, Edge
field and Richland, there was one case OF
arson charged against white man. He
was convicted, and l have such good
reason to believe he was not guilty, from
developments since The trial, that have
recommended him for pardon to the
Governor. There were two convictions
Of murder, both colored, and of the most
brutal end daliharnla character. One &C
them was the most cool. uuprovoked as
sassination, at q prayer meeting, while
the victim was raising his voice in praise
tc God caunot say that the number
of petty crimes has greatly diminished
burglary and larceny are common among
the negroes. 1t Is rare thing for a
white man to be indicted for either; not
q single white man has been tried before
me for these offences. Tho fact ia. the
white man is ashamed to burn, break or
steal, because it degrades him 10 the level
OF the negro. lie will fight and too
often shoot, owing TO the pernicious
habit of carrying concealed weapons.
Ample protection has been given to
tt ooiorsd peopls. Indeed, 60 far es
have had the opportunity to observe,
they have been treated more leniently,
both by he juries and tho judges, thar.
tine offenders OF the white race. Several
cases have been tried before me where
negroes were tho defendants and they
have rejected every colored man from
the jury. The law attends its protecting
shield over all the people, without dis
tinction of race or color, and the pledge
of just administration has been faithfully
redeemed. think there has been a
steady and rapid Improvement in the re-.
spect forlaw and authority, and that our
colorcd people, if lot alone, are satisfied ;
they certainly work better, are less rest
less, wandering and aggressive than when
called to public meetings to listen to i'm
| flammatory speeches, as was the practice
before the campaign OF 10 and, on
tbs whole, sec !. marked improvement.
JUDGE HUDSON, OF THE FOURTH CIR
| CUT.
The Hon. J. II. Hudson, Judge of the
Fourth Circuit, writing fran Bonnetts-
vile on August 10, says:
Since my elevation to tho bench have
held Court in the sixth and Seventh Cir.
cults. Of the number and degree of
crimes committed in those Circuits prior
to Governor Hampton's installation, and
during the first year of his administers
ton, l cannot speak of my own knowl-
| edge, but was informed by the members
of the bar that there had been u marked
diminution of crimo since the instalia-
ton of Gov. Hampton. At Lancaster.
Chester snd Fairfield tho trial of the
Sessions causes consumed net moro than
g week let each H!sce) and gave US a week
| for civil business, an unusual occurrence.
AT York the Sessions docket was heavier.
owing to the fact that the Court was de.
layed from February to April. The Of
fences were mostly committed by blacks
against whites-consisting of burglary,
larceny and arson. At Lancaster negro
was convicted of the murder of negro.
perpetrated in 1871.
In June went upon the Seventh Cir
cult and found the Sessions docket at
each Courthouse dstonishingly small, from
two to four days being amply sufficient
to dispose of all the cases. l was really
surprised at the diminution of crime in
the Seventh Circuit, embracing the Coun-
ties of Newberry, Laurens, Union and
Spartanburg. AZ the latter place, as at
Lancaster, negro was tried for murder
ing negro s5Eas.. :: ie;s5t. yoa1s .so.
Granddaughter was the verdict.
do not remember now of trying or Of
hearing Of, on either circuit, q single
case of crime or whence committed by a
white person upon or against colored
person except at Winnsboro.
In 1877, the first year of Governor