Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1900-05-12
aFiseellansuus &eaaing.
"WHITE SUPREMACY"

Senator Tillman's Amazingly Frank Story
of the Suppression of the Negro Vote.
From Leslies Weekly.
The overwhelming majority of the
white people in South Carolina, grown
dess.. ate at the misrule and robbery
to which ,hey had been subjected, and
with their angry pa.~-,ns aroused by
the threatened destruction uc ourcivili-
zation, set to work in January, 1879,
to redeem the State at any and all
hazards. The Democratic party was
reorganized, and its one battle cry was
"white supremacy" The work Of
reorganizipg was soon rapidly under
way in all the upper portion of the
state. In many of the lower counties
the whites were so downhearted and
depressed at the hopelessness of the
struggle that they made little or no
movement; but in the piedmont, where
the Hampton canvass had its begin
ming, there was inaugurated one of the
most remarkable campaigns in history.
The whites were organized rapidly
into military companies and armed,
for the Negro militiamen, armed and
we'll equipped, numbered upward Of
5000 and were frequently on the move
to and fro from the place of regimental
rendezvous. There were not lacking
threats and actions by them to terror.
ize the white women and children and
enrage the white men. The whites
were in a minority of 10000 voters in
the state; but this had no effect on the
leaders. The Democrats adopted the
red shirt as a uniform and followed
Hampton as he went from county to
county, marching in procession as his
escort. AS many as 5000 red-shirted
horsemen were seen in different coun-
ties riding across country from court
house to court house. When Cham.
berlain began his canvass his first
meeting at Ehgeield, where the Ne.
groes were two to one, was captured
by 10000 Democrats in red shirts
under Mart Gary, Confederate briga
dier, and the boldest leader of the
whites in the state. A division Of
time was demanded and the negroes
were addressed by the Democratic
speakers, who to his teeth told Cham
berlaiu, who was running for reelec.
ton, of the villainies which he and his
associates had perpetrated.
This was the first fruits of the new
policy, and the effect over the State
was electrical. Cowed and crestfallen
at being thus branded in the presence
of his black dupes, the Governor left
Eigefield never to return, and after a
similar experience at Midway, in Barn
we'll county, a week later, he quit the
canvass and began TO lay plans for the
use of the United States troops as the
only hope left. The Hamburg riot,
which occurred the 9TH of July, gave
the excuse, and regiment of troops
was sent into the state under General
Ruger. The EIlenton riot followed in
September, and more troops were sent.
1 was in both riots but space forbids
any details. Hampton in his canvass
urged persuasion and peaceful meth
ods. Gary and Butler, on the contra
ry, advocated the shotgun policy"
and the favorite maxims of the former
we're: Flight the devil with fire."
"An ounce of fear is worth ton of
persuasion" The respect for the state
constitution and the laws which had
been thrust upon the people at the
point of the bayonet by the carpet-bag
government were overthrown at once.
Oaths became idle words, without force
or meaning. The purpose was to carry
the election at any and all hazards,
and in any and all ways necessary.
As the election approached, the sky at
night was lit up by the light of blazing
gin houses, the work of incendiarles.
Having such large majority to
overcome and knowing that in only
about two-thirds of the state the
whites were enthused, there were no
scruples on election day as to how the
votes got into the boxes and how many
times a man voted, or whether the
negroes were allowed to vote-as they
were not in many instances. The
people were wrought up to such a
pitch of desperation that life was not
worth having upon the conditions
which existed. 1t was openly declared
to be the purpose to have white mans
government or military government,
and in those counties where the troops
were stationed the Democratic MAORI
ties were greatest. At the election
Hampton had most votes and was de-
clared elected but Grant sustained