The Portland daily press., 1878-11-27
SOUTHERN OUTRAGES.
Letter from Secretary Sherman.
A Solid North Must Meet the Solid
South.

NEW YORK, Nov. 26-The editor of the
Christian Ulion having enquired By letter OF
Secretary Sherman as to tbs truth of report
that United States revenue officers are and
have ben for months imprisoned in South
Carolina and that the administration fails to
protect them, the Secretary has written a letter
explaining the matter at considerable length.
1t seems that in March last one Redmond
with 40 organized band of thirty men attacked
the Jail Of Pickeus county, South Carolina, and
released three Uoited States prisoners commit
ted for illicit distilling The collector of that
district was authorized to employ hundred
men TO arrest the escaped prisoners with Red
mond and his band. This Redmond was
North Carolina for the murder of U. dep
uty marshal. After getting force of 26 men
the collector, at the suggestion OF Gov. Hamp-
tor, deferred employing them for the contemp-
lated arrest to await the action OF the circuit
court of PickenS county. So far from aiding
the collector in the arrest, the action of the
court seemed only to LAY and in the end de-
feat it. The collector was again instructed to
employ a similar force and to unite with the
deputy marshal in securing the arrest. In
pursuance of these instructions several Jail
breakers were arrested and on tbs 9th of June
last four revenue officers undertook to arrest
one Ladd, for whose arrest they held a warrant
as one of the jail breakers. He had also been
engaged with Redmond in, the illicit manufact-
ure and sale of spirits. Ladd resisted the ar
rest and attempted to fire upon the officers.
Seeing their danger they fred upon him and he
was killed. They at once surrendered them
selves to the authorities and were Indicted for
murder in the Pinkens county circuit court,
but change of venue was taken to Green
county. In the prison of that county three of
these officers remain pending the decision Of
the question as to the removal of the action
against them to the U. s. Circuit Court.
The Secretary encloses letters and documents
from the Commissioner of Internal Revenue,
plainly demonstrating that the government has
done all that it can do In the legitimate exer-
else of its legal powers to secure the liberation
of the officers, and closes as follows:
1.-THE difficulty of enforcing the laws Of the
United States in South Carolina has been illus
trated during the recent canvass and election
IN that state where organized bodies OF men,
fully armed, broke up pu lie meetings and
bullied unarmed, unorgaulzed and defenceless
citizens who are invested by the constitution
with the right to meet and and disc ass political
questions and vote for the candidates Of their
| choice. When these proceedings were not suf-
ficient for success they cheated the poor blacks
| of their franchise by the neanest tricks of
ballot box stuffiog. Such Offences are more de-
| grading and dangerous than resistance to the
| revenue laws. You must see that it is diff cult
| for the executive officers of the United STATES,
crippled as they are by recent legislation, to
meet this formidable opposition TO the exrcu-
| ton of the laws. All they can do is try and
| enforce the laws through the courts and if the
| machinery of public justice is SO corrupted by
| local prejudices that it cannot punish such Of
| fences, then the only remedy is in combining
| the political power Of all those who will not
| tolerate this new form against executive au-
| thority. 10 this way remedy will be found
| or made, and its application will bs FASTENED
10 PROPORTION as the true state of affairs comes
| to be understood. The disgracsfu incidents of
| the late canvass at various points in that Sec
| ton will but give additional strength to the
feeling that the rights of all citizens euaran-
| anteed by the constitution must be secured"