The record-union., 1894-04-03
THE SOUTH CAROLINA TROUBLE.

THE SOUTH CAROLINA TROUBLE.
The South Carolina situation would
seem to be very simple. The people in
their sovereign capacity took charge OF
the LIQUOR traffic. Under the law, agents
for dispensing liquor according to law
were appointed, and no others are per-
mitted to sell liquors.
To enforce the law and prevent its in
fraction Constabulary was put on duty.
These officers opponents of the law term
''spias." But that opprobrious title is i'll
applied. Every officer is in a sense a
spy, since it is his duty to detect violators
OF law and bring them to justice. 1t is
not his function to run about shouting
81 am comingl Look out for mep On
the contrary, the good officer moves
secretly always. until prepared to pounce
upon the offender.
These ConstabIes, then, are officials of
the people, and entitled to the same re-
spect as is any peace officer, and likewise
to the same protection and are subject to
punishment for excess of doing. If this
were not SO there would be no use in ap-
pointing officers at all for any purpose.
In discharge of their duty these Con-
stables made certain entries into houses,
public and private. People opposed to
tho 1iSpancarU ouv raeiutod tbasa SaorobaO
claiming that the Constitution of the
United States guarantees them i'm
munity from search of premises,
and guarantees the sacredness of
the "castle" of the citizen. Out of
this resistance to the law there grew up
bitterness, and hot blood being engen-
dered resulted at the last in conflict at
Darlington, in which officers and citizens
were killed and wounded. The mob then
arose against the Constables, chased them
into the swamps, and declares it's inten-
ton Of taking them and lynching them.
The Mayor of the place went so far as to
use bloodhounds to track the Constables.
In this extremity the Governor of the
State, as in duty bound, comes to the aid
of the officers, and finding the local Off
Gals at Darlington refusing to obey him,
or to do their sworn duty, he suspends
the civil laws and declares martial law.
Calling upon the State troops to turn out
and render the beleagured Constables
protection, q portion of the organized
militia becomes mutinous and disbands.
The Governor threatens to punish these
head court-martial. Other companies re-
spond and move to the rescue of the off,
GERS. There the matter rests.
We believe the South Carolina dispen-
sary law-which is by no means the
Gothenburg system-an imperfect one;
that it will prove unequal to the task it as
sumes. But it is the law, the expressed
will of the people themselves. Any re-
sistance to it should be orderly and in the
courts, which will jealously guard the
constitutional rights of the people, and
which always regard with disfavor any
travelling by legislative authority outside
of the strict bounds of constitutional
grants.
The Governor must, therefore, put
down insurrection and resistance to the
law and hold in check all disorderly peo-
pie, leaving to the courts the maintenance
of the rights Of those who claim to have
constitutional support in their resistance
to the laws. The Governor has to deal
only with the fact of disorder and resist
ance to the officers of the law. If he should
refuse to give these officers support and
protection, and should by non-aetion ac-
quiesce in the assault of the mob and the
slaughter OF the officers, he would him
self become a party to their murder and
subject himself to the penalties for failure
to do his duty.
In his seizure of the telegraph lines, he
probably went further than was neces-
sary. 1t was hasty to say the least, though
the announced purpose was good. But
under martial law he clearly had the
right, as Commander and Chief of the
State forces, to do so, ill-advised as may
have been his action.
In short the policy of the law and the
views of the excited people regarding the
trouble, cut no figure in the case. 1t is
the law the Governor is standing for, and
if bad one the speediest route to its re-
peal is through its vigorous enforcement.
The people cannot afford to rebel against
themselves; if they permit for one mo-
ment the substitution of mob law for or
derry procedure, they open door upon
the path that leads to disruption of free
and self-government