The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1878-04-11


tached should not be visited upon his
force (and he acknowledges that they
were a part of it} he simply stultihes
himself, and his whole defense 10
shown mp in it's. brazen falsity, and
must fall to the ground. #-
We have always, through our COL
umns and in private conversation, ad.
vised our mountain fellow citizens TO
let illicit distilling and traffic in whis.
key alone and pointed out to them the
hardships and punishment such a
course would inevitably bring upon
them, and intend to continue to dis,
courage oil violations of the revenue
laws as far as we possibly can; but at
the Same time we intend to pursae
with unrelenting vigor all revenue OF
fcials. it matters not who they are,
whether they be carpet-baggers Or.
ex~Confederate captains, who violate
the very laws they aro sworn to exc
cute, and commit outrages On peace~
able citizens of this County, until they
are overtaken and punished for their
crimes.
In conclusion, and in support of nll
we have charged, we here repuDlish
an extract from the presentment of
the Grand Jury Of this County at the
recent term .of court held, at this
place. This presentment was unan-
imously made by eighteen intelligent
and respectable citizens of this County
and who reside in different SECTIONS,
q majority of them entirely
away from the ''illicit" section
of the County. And we will here add
that the report Of the committee OF
three Grand Jurors, appointed by
Judge Mackey, when made, will like
ly cause a greater consternation in
the "revenue ranks" than any pabsica-
tion yet made in the SENTINEL. The re.
port of the Grand Jury bearing upon
CnlS SUBJECT IS as follows:
"We have enquired into tho ont
RACES alleged to have been perpetrated
by the United States Revenue officers
and Deputy Marsl,als, on peaceablo
citizens of the County, who wore not
| chargeable with any offoncso against
the laws. Wo have not had sufficient
time to prosecute our investigation of
this matter TO the extent which it's i'm,
portancs demands; but sufficient facts
appear to satisfy us, in addition to
those within the knowledge of many
of our members, that these officers
have. tor several years, committed
inc grosscst outrages upon the per-
sons and property Of many of our law
abiding citizens, on the more pretext
or suspicion, without any legal proof
whatever that they were in semo wuy
connected with the illicit distillation
or s"io OF Intoxicating liquors. They
have been seized under their own
roofs or while ploughing in their fields
and, without any warrant issued for
their arrest, have been. manncled md
thrown into Jail, where, after remain
ing several days, thoy have boon
released, on the ground that
there was no evidence agnist them.
These officers havo searched private
dwellings,, both by day and at night,
without any search warrant; and have.
in several instances, beaten, kicked
and otherwise maltreated the victims
of their lawless conduct, who protest
against the wnong thus done thom.
These officers are generally Northern
mon, OF the class known as ssCarpet
Baggers," of Infamous character, Bot
have associated with them a few of
the lowest and most unprincipled per-
sons of this community, who arc of
notoriously bad repute throughout
the County. AS our citizens have
heretofoio appealed, in vain, to the
; Courts for justice against these off,
clal wrong doers, whose conduct is
repugnant alike to law and civiliza.
ton; they mnst, il the wrong is not
remedied, assert their rights as men,
: and as American citizons, by defends
ing. their lives and property with
, their own strong arms, against those
who defy the law while pretending
to be engaged in executing it."
-~&D%-