The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1915-10-29

w ~ IhSIe W pIOlecC lne COnSCaDleS
In searching houses, but to keep men
having the governors commission
from being lynched. These men we're
under his orders trying to enforce the
dispensary law. The governor was in
honor bound to protect these con-
stables, and eXerted his whole powe.
to do so.
The whole story of that lamentaoie
tragedy is told in my message to the
general assembly, November, 1894. IT,
go into details here and now l have
neither the time nor inclination.
Charleston's citizens then, as they are
now, were intent on having their own
sweet will, and on governing them
selves regardless of any Legislative
enactments.
What Charleston Did.
Blind tigers and brazen disobedience
of the dispensary law has been the
prevailing condition in Charleston for
Fl years. That city in effect seeded
from the State, or nullified the laws
passed by the legislature. For 21
years the city has sneered at and
resisted and refused absolutely to obey
the law in regard to whiskey; and the
spirit which caused this is the direct
cause of the recent lamentable and
disgraceful outbreak; the spirit of
lawlessness has become chronic. "The
State be damned. We want our own
way" appears to be the feeling. The
better educated and more wealthy.
classes have approved and particl>
pated in this policy. Not only toughs
have been lawless. A community
which Systematically and with malice
aforethought disobeys one law must
necessarily lose respect for all law
and suffer the consequences. Charles
ton sowed the wind in 1894 and is now
reaping the whirlwind.
The Charleston Light Infantry, un-
der the governors orders, now up
holds the law. The editor of the Or
angeburg Times and Democrat has re-
Gently visited Charleston and the fol-
lowing appears in his last issue:
Someone tells you that the forces
of both sides were about to fight when
the Washington Light Infantry took
charge of the streets"
This same famous and historic COM
pany did not behave so well in 1894.
Governor Tillman by proclamation had
disbanded many military companies,
among them this one. 1t belongs to
the Fourth Brigade and had the same
feeling as General Hugenin, and haa
been disbanded with other companies.
When the demand was made for them
to turn in their arms they claimed
their rifles were private proerty and
when the governor a second time,
demanded them, after having exam.
lned the law in regard to the matter
and found that the arms were State
property not owned by citizens, the
company employed lawyer to appeal
to Judge Golf, of the U. S. circuit
court now senator from West Vir-
glnla, to grant an injunction against
"one b. r. Tillman, styling himself as
governor, ETC." The case was argued
in Baltimore, and overwhelming evil
dence and unanswerable arguments
were presented to the Judge, but the
judge delayed his decision and | do
not know whether he ever handed
down one, but I do know that B. r.
Tillman went out of office while the
honorable Judge "held the papers"
| have no desire to rake over these
old ashes in order to infame any
body's mind. My purpose is to teach
a moral lesson and to show the vital
necessity of obeying law and submits
ting to the rule of the majority.
Charleston must learn this lesson
some day. The sooner the better for
its prosperity and happiness and the
happiness of its people. It's citizen
ship must give up the desire to rule
or ruin. B. r. Tillman.