The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-04-04

hrst day, had desisted from the execution of
warrants and returned to their hotels, and
when the chief was ordered there with rein
lorcements the mayor had allowed them to be
lnsulted, abused and cursed to their faces; an
armed mob had broken into the armory and
stolen the guns OF the military company, and
the spectacle was presented of citizens seizing
the arms OF the state for the purpose of shoot
ing down officers of the state. ordered out
the local company and the captain tele-
graphed me ne had recovered the guns. Not
trusting his command, 1 ordered the Sumter
company to go there When they reached
there everything was quiet and 1 ordered
them TO return home.
THE ROW AT THE DEPOT
Now, when the constables got to the depot
two boys, striplings got into a fight. one got
whipped and ran of and got -re-inforcements
and came back with twenty-five, fifty, I'VE
don't know how many armed to the teeth;
they rushed down to the depot and picked a
quarrel with the constables; the collision oc-
Cured, men were killed on both sides, and the
fault cannot be clearly placed yet, if it
is ever clearly placed. Now the mayor
of Darlington said that the taking of
the arms by the mob was fun-the same
kind Of fun we have seen elsewhere in the
state-the armories were broken into here
and the aTmory at Chester was broken into
and some Of the militia have been in open
mutiny against the commanderin-chiefa and
have refused TO obey orders but thank God
enough were left to respond to the call
enough of you old soldier boys to realize the
danger, and know that this government is a
government of people, by the people and for
the people, and no oligarchy shall ever rule
it again. You responded to the call of the
governor, and are here to uphold the laws
[Cheersl
THE CLAIMS OF THE MAYOR.
The mayor of Darlington this morning, in
an address, tries to throw the blame else
where-saying that I claim and exercise
power no other governor or executive or
officer of the United States ever exercised. 1
cannot undertake to go through all the
charges or explanations he has made I will
briefly show Just what the facts as stated
from their own standpoint. prove These
trOOps-these bGndboX trOops-who have re-
fused to obey orders laughter and cheers;
these soldiers turned politicians and influ
enced by political rancor and frenzy, have
by their action, and the men in different
places in this state who have sent
word to Darlington Offering assistance-have
convicted themselves, in the estimation of
1
they are lynchers at heart. The information
sent forth was that these men were to Re
hunted down and lynched and not one to be
left alive, and when ordered troops to go
there to stop insurrection, to stop this mob
violence, restore law, protect life and prop
erty and let the law resume its sway they
would not obey. The mayor said he had the
right to arrest; of course he had, but he had
no right to send out mob army, under no
officer, without the sheriff or some regularly
constituted constable in charge of it.
RIDICULOUS SIDE OF IT.
Let us look at the ridiculous side Of it. In
some respects has the appearance of big
April fool. except that it occurred on March
30. I say these men were advertising them
selves to the world as lynchers and that
they intended to lynch these constables who
were in the woods, none of them guilty Of
having started the row; they were gallopng
and hurrahing over the country sending for
reinforcements and all bearing arms, but
they never fired a shot at single constable
They waylaid constables at the depot but
have never seen one since the first fire
laughter and it seems they did not want TO
find the constables. If they were lynchers, as
they advertised themselves to be, why did
not they lynch the man who they claim Origi-
mated the trouble and whom they had IN
their power: They have slandered themselves
by proclaiming that they would lynch those
who had not caused it, but would not lynch
the man who they say did cause it.
Now gentlemen. it is proper for me to re.
call the scene 1 witnessed here in 1873. When
South Carolina learned that troops had seized
this state house, within two days time this
whole escarpment, back to the monument
was black with indignant citizens Il was
among them, but they were all OF one mind
We were all brothers: we were oil friends
| and Carolinians and patriots.
AN ATTACK on OPPOSITION PAPERS.
To-day we find the state divided into two
hostile camps. Why? Simply because the
minority are not willing to let the majority
govern. The body polite is diseased; it is in
fever Why? Because in this city and Charles
ton the people have taken to their bosoms
viper in the shape of a newspaper, which dis
tills day by day poison into their system, and
will not let the fever subside. They give me
credit for nothing; in their vocabulary, Gov.
Tillman's side of the ledger is all debt and
no credit They try to sting me personally
by abuse, slander and misrepresentation I
wear coat of mail which they have
never pierced that is an hon
est heart desirous Of bettering
the interests of this state and looking to the
welfare Of the whole people. But fellow cit
izens. this strained relationship between the
factions IN South Carolina must stop, must
cease. it cannot go on without precipitating
civil war. We of the majority faction are not
TO blame. 1 deny that we have done anything
except in accordance with the law and the
constitution. These men who have opposed
us. and are sull opposing US, must come to
their senses and realize that if democracy is
to govern in this country they have got to
submit to the rule Of the majority These two
newspapers are like a thorn in the flesh
which continues TO tester; they will not let
the wound. which was caused in 1890 by the
displacement Of the old order of things and
the establishment of the rule of the people,
heal up They keep open the sore. they pour
poison into It. and they are encouraged to do
it. aided and abetted in doing 1t, by those
who are forever and eternally blaming me
with it.
RuSHING TOWARD A POWDER MAGAZINE.
Well. this patient is delirioUs; he is like a
maniac; there is powder magazine not far
off, he has a lighted match and is strainlng
all his nerve TO reach it. The collision in
Darlington produced flash, but it was gas
and not powder, mostly newspaper lies. 1t
flashed abroad flashed a light that illumi-
mated the state and the United States, based
on falsehood. The people listened with bated
,----.1. For 4, ,ravarharatfoD n the raport for