The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1878-04-03

The Grand Jury, in discharge OF thelr
duty, beg leave to make the following
presentment:
l. While wo believe that the nefarious bu'
siness of illicit distilling of intoxicating
LIQUORS is not carried on IN this county tc
the extent that Is currently reported, we
are satisfied that some persons on the
border of the county are, or have beer re,
Gently. engaged in it. We condemn all
Illicit distilling as not only violative 81
the laws of the land, by defrauding the
Government of the United States of its
chief source of revenue, but as grossly
demoraliZing in it's influence, and an un-
m~itigated evil to society. We therefore,
present. the cuisines Of Illicit distilling rs
a nuisance, that all good and. lawful clti-
zens should aid in abating.
Pursuant to the instructions OF your
Honor, we have cn9uircd into the outra-
yes alleged to have been pcrpeLratcd ny the
United States Revenue Officers ana Dep,
uty Marshals, on peaceable cltlzens o.
the county, who were not charBcaoie
with any otfense against the laws. we
have not had sufficient time to prosecute
our investigation of this matterto the eN.
tent which it's Importance demands; put
sufficient facts appear to satisfy US, Ill al
OlGlOn 10 CUOSt WlLulil liz ~ ASeSo
many Of our members, that these olilcers
have. for several years. committed the
grossest outrages npon the persons and
property of many Of our ~Mw-abidlpg Cit
liens. ON the mere pretext or suspicion,
without any legal proof whatever that
they were in some way connected with
the illicit distillation or sale of intoxlca-
ting liquors. They have been seized
under their own roofs or while ploughlng
in their fields and, without any warrant
issued for their arrest, lave been mana
cled and thrown into Jail, where, after re-
naming several days, they have been re-
leased, on the GROUND that there Was no
evidence against them. The officers have
searched private dwellings, both ny day
and at night, without any search warrant;
and have, in several instances, beaten,
kicked and otherwise maltreated the VIC
tins Of their lawlcss conduct, who protest
against the wrong thus done them.
These officers are generally Northern
men, of the class known as "Carpet-Bas-
GERS of infamous character, but have
associated with them.a faw Of the lowest
and most u~nprinciplcd persons OF TINS
community, who are of VIGOROUSLY DAD
repute throughout the county. AS our
citizens have heretofore appealed, in vain,
W LIlc COlIt lol Ju5IlSS Sam
cial wrong-doers, whose conduct is re-
pugnant alike TO law and civilization;
they must, If the law is not remedied. as
sert their rights as men, and as American
citizens, by defending their lives and
property by their WI strong arms,
against those who defy the law while pro
tending to be engaged in executing 1t.
We respectfully request that a copy OF
this portion of our report shall be trans
mitted to the Governor Of q State, for
his information, and that it may also be
forwarded to the President OF the United
States, and published, in justice to tho
people of our county, the great majority
of whom stand always ready to render
cheerful obedience to the constitution and
laws Of the United States, and to perform
every, duty of good citizenship; but, at
the same time demand that their rights,
rs treemen and American citizens, shall
be respected by the constituted authori-
ties.