The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1879-01-09
THE PRESIDENTS PROOFS.
4 Package Of Proof, Collected by Presi-
dent Hayes, now Ready for Congress.
E,.nm fLc Y I II.;L,tne


which was adopted by the Senate, calling
for the information upon which the
President based that part of his annual
message relating to affairs in the South
ern States.
Tn response TO this resolution the Pres
idcnt will send to the Senate, when Con-
gress reassembles, large package Of
documents treating chiefly of occurrences
in South Carolina and Louisiana. The
papers comprise reports made to the at
torney-general by district-altorneys, Uni
ted States marslla!s, United States cuni-
missioners and special agents of the de-
partment of justice, who were gent into
those States for the purpose of ascertain
ing the truth Of certain reports which
had been made to the attorney general,
and the causes of complaints from citi-
zens who represented that they had been
deprived of their Constitutional rights.
The President had copies of all these
documents prepared in November, in
tending to send them to Congress with
his Message, but withheld them on being
informed That this would be an unusual
course, and that if Congress wanted the
information it would be called for. The
package that will be sent to the Scuate
contains all the correspondence relating
to the outrages that has taken place be-
tween the department of justice and oHi-
cials in the South, except such as must
for obvious reasons be retained as conf.
Dental until after the trial of those who
have been or will be indicted.
The first document in the South Caro-
lima collection is the letter written by
Attorney. General Devens to District At
torncy Northrop on the Sd Of October
last, and which was published at the
time. This letter put sudden stop to
the Rcd-shir demonstrations and to in
references with public meetings of Re-
pubicaus in most parts of the State.
On the 18th Of October the United States
marshal of South Carolina wrote to the
encouragement, enclosing extracts from
Democratic newspapers OF the State, and
added:
"The publication of your letter of in
structions to the district attorney of this
State has made them q little more cir
cumspcct in their movements, but at the
same time more defiant in expressing
their determination to crush the Repub-
lican party out Of existence. if necessary.
They do not fear the operation Of the
United States laws when not enforced by
bay0nets. l can arrest men against
whom complaints are made, but in doing
so make heroes and martyrs of them,
They will submit to arrest, knowing that
men OF property and Influence will con-
tend for the privilege of becoming their
bondsmen, and the best lawyers in the
State will volunteer to defend them. n
We will use every effort to protect
the Republicans from outrages when we
can, but we have The moral influence of
the whites, and the entire machinery of
the State Government, with powerful
and INSCRIPTIONS party, against us. You
will notice from the newspapers | send
you that prompt retaliatory measures
were adopted in Sumter as soon as my
deputies arrested Il man for the violation
of Section $500, and the leading white
Republican Of the county WAS arrested
for inciting riot. Unless some compro-
mise is made to suspend all prosecutions
they will be certain to convict him. 4
Republican in case like this has not
the slightest chance for justice in our
State courts"
On the Goth of October, the attorney
general telegraphed District-Attorney
Northrop urging prompt action in prose-
cutting the men who broke up the Re
publican meeting on the 18th of that
month in Sumter County and committed
the outrage upon United States Commits
sioner Lee. Under date of October q,
Mr.. Northrop telegraped as an excuse
for not having acted that the Democrats
were intimidating the witnesses for the
prosecution, and it was with great diff
Guilty that he could induce them to testi-
fy. He concludes by saying, II was
never in better earnest, and the best
proof Of it is that there was not the
slightest interference at tile meeting yes
terday."
On the same date, October 81, District
Attorney Norihrop submitted report TO
the encouragement, in which he de-
scribes the Red-shirt demonstration in
Sumter on the 18th OF October, the arrest
of citizens Of that town and their exami-
nation before United States Commits
siuner Marshall in Charleston. OF the
examination, he says:
"At o'clock Saturday afternoon the
examination WAS resumed, and attend.
ed. | called for Mr.. Lee and his deputy
who made the arrests, and sent two Off
GERS for them, but neither could be found.
The warrants aud witnesses i'll each case
were identical. The same four witnesses
on the back of each warrant and the
same afIiant to each affidavit. The pris-
oners were all young men without inhu-
ence, and in no sense leaders. They
were the parties who had assaulted Mr..
Cughlan on the steps Of the Court House
in Sumter. The defence WIS represented
by an array of distinguished counsel who
advised me that they proposed to demur
to the legality of the warrants.
"The commissioner called the case
against Mccoy. No one gave me the
slightest intimation, and / supposed that
the two commissioners, Marshall and
Lee, had satisfied themselves at least of
the identity of the defendant. WAS
completely nonplussed " find that the
defendant vas the wrong man, and while
I could not resist his discharge | insisted
upon the arrest of the right man.
"On calling the next case I discovered
another surprise in the energy with
which the prosecuting witness, Coghlan,
the mainstay of the government, pressed
upon NE his anxiety to secure compTo-
mise with the defence, and drop the case.
He said the defence was ready to drop all
cases against Republicans, and guarantee
peaceful election and undisturbed
meeliDgs. Mr.. Coghlan made this state
ment in open court, and Gen. Noise, for
the defence, endorsed it. l objected, be-
cause | did not see how the matter
could be closed in that way in moment,
although l was not prepared to defeat
the quiet accomplishment of these very
objects, particularly if intelligent Repub-
licans like Mr.. Coghlan desired it.
| called witnesses, however, and was
,.-,l - .,,.; .a1 %, find tb,t Mr Dutlnr