Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1882-03-30
.ArroRsEY GENERAL pnEwsrER's 1sD1or-
nlENT OF OUR WHOLE PEOPLE.


nlENT OF OUR WHOLE PEOPLE.
The letter Of Attorney General Brewster
on the subject Of the political prosecutions
IN South Carolina, published yesterday, is
40 extraordinary production.s Apparently
Mr.. Brewster has been faithful reader Of
Stalwart te'egtams aud is student Of Stall
wart atilddsi,s. The conclusion that he
comes to (odioially) is that the South Caro-
lina Democrats arc set Of horrid rasoals
for whom babging is too good. For their
benefit lie creates crime hitherto unknown
uDdcr the Constitution and laws of the
United States The Constitution declares
that "trcason against the United States shall
consist ONLY in lcvyiug war against them,
or adhcring to their enemies, giving thom
aid end comfort" MIR. Brewster, however,
declures that 'sthe abuse of tho right of
suffrage, such as is charged to havo been
perpetrated in South Caroline, is practical
TREASON against tho dignity of the people
This is truly ia tho Graut-Sneridan vein.
Wo may we'll anticipate that, ut tho next
meeting of tho cabinet, Mr.. Brewster will
be assured by his colleague that call of us"
approve of his course.
What if there havo been frouds OF cleo,
tions in South Carolua! Have there not
been sickening frauds, by Republicans, 10
Pennsylvania, MIR. Brcwster's State? Ia
his own City Of Brotherly Love the cleo
tiops, under Republican rulo, have been
miserable farce. Bat such an abuse of the
right Of suffrage is not treason there Mr..
Brewster would not dare to talk iu the he
roo vein to the election rogues in Philudel.
phia, in Now York, 10 Boston, but does not
hesitate to shake his venerable fist at the
honest people of South Carolina Yet the
people whom Mr.. Brewster arraigns hive
tho samo rights that the people Of any other
have, and arc subject to tie very same
laws, deeply as tho Attorney General muy
regrctit
The trouble with Mr. Brewster is that
he does not realize that the war is over. 1t
is evident that he has made up his mind
that every dark and devlish charge levelied
against the people Of South Carolina is true
to the letter. AS We arc all guilty. where
is the need of goiog to the trouble aud
expense of prosecution and tri,l? Wo
advise Mr.. Brewster to send to South Car
olina the braggart Sheridan (who is in war
what the present Attorney General is 10
CaroIua "banditti" in the way tha, he pro-
posed to deal with tho white people in Lou
isiana, whom he branded as 'bandtt" snd
whom he was anxious to dispose Of by drum
head court martisl In this fushion, aud 10
no other. can D whnle people be Indicted as
Attorney General Brewster desires.
The people of South Caro'ipa. the Demo
Gratis, have no voice 10 determining who
shall and shall not be tried in the United
States Courts. 1t is not their choice, if
merely Insignificant pcrsons," as Mr..
Brewster sneeringly calls them, are to be
brought from their homes, u this busy seq
son, to confront the hireiings who would
swear away their freedom. Why does not
Mr.. Brewster strike higher, if there are
any citizens in South Carolina higher than
Tho sturdy yeomunry of tho State? There
is the State Executive Committee Of the
Democratic party. In every County there
is. likewise, on Executive Committed of the
party. The members of these comm ittees
are as innocent or as guilty as tho citizens
who have been picked out Nay, if wrong
has been done anywhere in South Carolina,
10 the determination to keep the Govern
men: pure and respectable for whites and
blacks alike, tho whole of the white people
are responsible. What is done for US, and
in our name, is dopo by us. The cause of
tho accused Democrats is the cause of tho
white people of South Caroline. Mr..
Brewster makes it so, aud We take him at
bis word.
We want and we need no mercy, no con
sidcration. Justice. wc shall have. Our
hope is that the District Attorney will arr
rest and bring to trial hundreds of citizens
from every part of the State. Whether
they are guilty or not is of no consequence,
as Mr., Brewster's doctrino is TINT every
South Caroioiau is guilty until ho is proved
to be innocent. Not, however, the accused
citizens of South Carolipa. but the laws of
the United States, Republican institutions
will be on trial! Then we can meet Mr..
Brewster on equal ground, defending,
against him and his subordnates, the right
of our people to "a speedy and public trial
bs an impartial jury under tho laws he
scouts and the Constitution ho ignores
Charleston Ne,Os and Courier.
Chicago Inter-Occan.l