Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1881-01-14
LETTER FROM sOUTH CAROLINA.

ONhAIh HOUND ~ MULE Al ALL hANAhbbs
Especial Correspondence of The VERMONT PHaSI1.l
AIKEN, 8. c., Dec. 20, 1880.
Editors Of PhGni1 Thinking your read
ers might like something a, little stirring to
the blood this cold weather, have mailed
you copy of two issues of "Tho journal and
Review" published in this place. The issue
of Dec. 10th contains what purports to be an
extract from letter from lady living here,
and editorial remarks upon the same. The
issue OF Dec. 22d contains that lady's reply.
Miss Scoheld, the lady referred to, is q ma
tive Of Pennsylvania, who came TO South
Carolina fifteen years ago, and has been en-
gagged in teaching colored children; three
years on the Sea Islands and in Charleston,
and the remainder Of the time in Aiken. She
was sent out by a society organized in Penn
sylyania for the purpose Of sustaining teach
ers among the freedmen Of the south. The
society has disbAnded but Miss Scofeld re-
mains here and continues her school, depend
ing largely on contributions from the North
for its support. The school is called the SEQ
field school, after her, and is the only good
school, 30 far as | can learn, in this part of
the state for colored children. The only rea-
sons for the feeling of hatred on the part of
the natives toward her, that / can discover,
are her feArlessness in remaining here and
teaching the negro in spite Of their hatred,
and her bravery in exposing their brutal and
disgraceful conduct toward both white and
black Republicans who dare TO vote at cleo
tons. In 1876 she wrote to the editor Of the
New York Tribune describing the condition
Of affairs at that time which drew out a re-
ply, signed by fourteen citizens Of this place,
denying her statements which was also pub
lished in the same paper and led TO further
letters from Miss Scofeld which entirely 81
fenced the fourteen nhite men. They have
never forgiven her for that, and for secreting
two witnesses at the request Of the district
attorney for three weeks, to protect them
| against the whites who were anxious to put
them out Of the way Of testifying against
some of the principals in the Ellenton riot of
that season These white Democrats do not
hesitate to make false charges against her, as,
for instance, the insinuation in the article in
| the Dec. 18th issue, that she offered to testi-
| fly against the Elenton rioters, which state
ment or insinuaton is entirely false You
can see from the tone of Miss Scoheld's re-
| ply that she don't scare easily. She has not
oyerdrawn the truth in her description of the
conduct of the election here last November,
as related to me by several Northern people
who were here on that day. Mounted Red
Shirts were on hand rs early as A. NJ, after
having been riding about the streets until
late hour the previous night, firing pistols
and yelling like fends. A cannon was hauled
into tho street opposite to and pointed
toward the polls; local military company
was under arms, and men were tramping
about the streets armed with knives and pis-
| tolls several negroes were cut; even the
candidate for state senator was, am told on
the street with his pants tucked into his
boots and navy revolver strapped to his side
When the negroes got to the polls, which
was made difficult, they were detained from
fifteen to twenty minutes answering all sorts
OF foolish questions, to consume time and
prevent as many as possible from voting
| Many colOred men were scared from the polls
| by the cannon and conduct of the whites
while about 100 were in line waiting TO vote
Wien the polls closed at G ?. NJ, and Yet the
pols had been open since A. NJ, giving am
pl time for all, both white and black, to vote,
hal there been disposition TO have fair
election here. What makes the conduct of
thu Democrats here and elsewhere in this
stae all the more inexcussble, is the fact
tina, through the influence OF Mr.. b. P.
Chhfield Of this place and other white Re
puHicans, no Republican state ticket was
PLACED in the field. but the Republicans were
to Content themselves with voting for Presi-
dental electors and Congressman. have
beer told by a member OF the Democratic
part, who is editor of a paper in this state,
that mis- party would make use of intmida-
ton, bulldozng and other means so long and
as hr as seemed necessary to keep the ne
groe down and continue the state govern
men in the hands of the Democrats. have
not written the above for publication, but to
explain to you the political situation in this
town but if you want to use any of it you
can % so. Yours truly. - --
Th above letter is from gentleman or in
tellgnce and high standing, well known in
Brattlsboro, whose name we withhold only
becaue OF the possible "unpleasantness'
which might arise from its publication. As
COORDINATION of the statements made by the
Republican state committee of South Caro-
lima in regard to the manner in which the
late election was conducted in that state, its
testinny is valuable. The copies OF the
Democratic newspaper forwarded by our cor
respondent afford interesting reading. The
lady tacher referred to, Miss Scofeld, in a
letter her Northern friends pictured the
conditn of the colored people in language
as follNRs
"Thse hard-working, Industrious people
in affection make thousands of bales OF
cottonlDr white people, who will not sell
them bud or do them justice. Fifteen hun
dred ofthem went TO the courthouse know
ing the, were men TO whom the United States
government had given the ballot-taxes paid,
with etey right to exercise citizenship; yet
only min men voted, because hundreds OF
armed vlite men crowded the polls and voted
over andover again, getting to the end of the
line, putting in their ballot, and forcing their
way in Aain. Hour after hour the blacks
waited, ecause they had been told to let the
whites tte three hours. and then they should
vote thfe but their time never came. A
loaded ohnon confronted them. Armed men
cursed ITEM all the time, when they saw there
was no hpe and quietly turned and went
home. his whole town was disgraced on
election dy by mounted red shirts filling the
air with yils and curses. II the next Con
gress and resident does not protect them,
, they had Ar better be disfranchised. Five
innocent len were stabbed while standing in
line. WI saw one after he had been carried
away dripping with his own blood. Every
one that vted did it in front of cannon
loaded wit grape shot The North rejoices
the South uffers. The nation must save il
\ honor noF0r never. feel with Garfield, al
l did with lincoln, that he was raised up fol
our hour b greatest need"
On whic the chivalrous and heightened
t editor of y journal and Review remarks;
1T IS JN such malicious stories as the
above that eep up the i'll feeling between the
North and te South. We really do not thinl
we would b'much to blame if we expelled
! their author from our midst. No higher ties
timony as tour character AS a law-abidnl
people can asked, than the fact that VIZ
-, allow them remain here peaceably."
The next nmber of the above newspaper
= contains leer from Miss Scofeld to the
J editor, in With she vindieates herself for the
a crime of hayis told the truth and performed
=, what she conoived to be her privilege snt
y duty, and shFs that she does not propos,
to be moved the threats of her persecu
. tors. The san paper also contains a lengthy
s communicable from gentleman who is evi
IDENTIFY one OF g leaders of the Democracy,
i in which he rtlews the race issue from
; philosophical II physiological standpoint,
I and 'vindieatG the course pursued by thu
whites An exact from this remarkable ar
tiola mill garynA h.. -. A.. ~.