Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1921-10-26
Their activity consisted of: First,

Ce1u lilSCGll6SJ SSSoiio1 oS1SitoA'S civ
offensive action against negroes gull
| ty of crimes; third, dexterous action
on election day; fourth, making
Chamberlain's attempts to be govern
or of more than the state house a de
facto farce. The first of these numer-
ated lines of activity demands detail
ed treatment.
On August IL, three days before
the Democratic convention, the prac-
tice of forcibly disturbing Republi-
can meetings as first resorted to
in Edgefeld by six hundred mounted
and fully armed white men under the
leadership of Butler and Gary. Gov
ernor Chamberlain, Judge Mackey,
and Robert Smalls, colored mem
Der of congress-the speakers of the
day-were forced to listen to the
two Edgefeld Generals, backed by
the drawn pistols of their retainers,
roundly denounce the governor.
Chamberlain's speech was interrupted
by jeers. Butler replied in bitter
words in which he demanded that
the charges of the governor concern
ing the Hamburg Riot be proven. The
third speaker, Mackey, fearful of the
personal safety of the Republican
leaders, was very mild in his words.
While he spoke the improvised stand
collapsed. The last speaker, Gary, ac-
cused Chamberlain of fraud and per-
sonal dishonor. He, at later meeting
declared "that the Democrats would
carry this county peaceable, but car
ry it they would" Chamberlain left
the village of Edgefeld in hot haste,
never to return. At later date on
which he was scheduled to speak here,
the train en- route was searched vain
ly at every station by armed men in
search of the Elusive governor. The
conduct of interrupting Republican
begun in Edgefield was re-
peated in Newberry, August 18, and
at almost every meeting at which Re-
publicans tried to speak. Only at
Chainhoy, Charleston County, did the
negroes get the better Of the day;
there the whites were driven away
and six of their number killed.
The effect of this practice of di-
viding time is obvious. The Republi-
can orators and audiences were
frightened into timid campaign of
defense. The governor himself, the
equal of any South Carolinian in
peaceful debate, became thoroughly
by the "rebel yell" and
the open display of revolvers. The
timid leaders became so discomfort
ed that the Union Herald, Chamber
lain's organ, declared: "Public meet
ings are not necessary to arouse Re-
publicans or inform them" Cham
berlain's frequent trips north during
the heat of the campaign were ascrib-
ed to fear.
The conduct at Hamburg bore
in another riot in Aiken County
known as the Ellenton Riot; impor-
tant because the series of events
growing out of it lead to the procla-
nations of the governor and the pres
ident of the United States demanding
the dispersion of the rifle clubs. These
orders were not obeyed. On August
II came the war department order
to General Sherman ordering the dis
patch of all available troops in the
military district of the Atlantic, to
South Carolina as reinforcements to
the eight companies of 5S9 officers
and enlisted men already in the
state. General Ruger, the general in
command at Columbia, divided the
troops sent to him, which on election
day consisted of 1926 in all, into
different units distribut-
ed throughout the state. 113 men
were sent to Edgefeld, the largest
contingent except at headquarters. y
All evidence indicates that the tenn
porary benefits derived from the re-
inforced military occupation mpre
than offset effect expressed in the
justified alarm of those fearful for
civil liberty and government. Accord
ing to General Conner the troops did
not in any instance interfere with the
voting. The Democratic members of
the committee later charged with the
of the situation in South
Carolina in 1876 said that the bear
II