Year: 1876


THE Truth, THE WHOLE TRUTH AND


NOTHING BUT THE TRUTH.


CHARLESTON, S. c., October 25.-The
President of the Chamber of Commerce
has united with the Methodist, Catholic
and Episcopal Bishops and the leading
Presbyterian, Lutheran, Baptist and
Jewish ministers and the Presidents of
all the national and other banks in
Charleston in the following address on
the condition Of South Carolina:


To the people ofthe United States:


Well-founded approximations that the
civilization Of our State is in danger Of
being utterly overthrown, and an over |
ruling sense Of duty to ourselves and
posterity and the country at large, impel
Us to make an authentic statement of our
actual condition to the American people, |
in the hope that it will induce them to
extend us their sympathy and aid in this |
distressing exigency of our affairs. There
Is so much at stake that we cannot afford |
to be silent or to withhold any effort that
may possibly be of avail. For ten long,
WCdiJ yCllo IlC WhllC PCopiO VI bOitl
Carolina have endured condition of
things which any Northern State would
have been tempted to throw off in two
years at the point of the bayonet, if it
could not have been done in any other
way. They bore and forbore in the hope
that some returning sense of justice or
happy stroke of fortune would bring re-
lief, and hope sickened and died away in
their hearts. At last they determined, by
q natural impulse and natural and un-
controllable instinct of freedom, to make
one supreme effort for their redemption,
but to make it under and within the law.
Those who hold authority here having,
through party affiliation, access to the
highest organs of political power in the
country, and to the equally powerful or
gans of the partisan newspaper press,
have subjected this people to the yilest
Misrepresentation and the most cruel
/ ISLANDERS some Of these we desire to cor
rect .r
It is not true that the white people of
South Carolina are disloyal or disaffected
toward the United States Government. On
the contrary, they are loyal and well affec-
ted towards it. They obey it at home,
and would defend it promptly from for
eign aggression.


It is not true that South Carolina or
any of its counties are in state ofinsur-
rection or domestic violence against the
Government of the State, or that law and
process cannot be duly enforced within
her territorial limits, or that there Is any
lawful cause or occasion whatever for the
Federal Government to interfere for the
protection ofthe State Government against
the violence of her citizens.


1t is not true that the white people OF
the State are hostile to the colored people,
or have any desire or dispositiouto abridge
or infringe upon their political or civil
rights. On the contrary, in their conven-
tions and in the speeches Of their candi-
dates for six years or more, the most pub
lie and solemn pledges have been given
that all the rights of the colored people
shall be respected and protected. The
colored people should know that these
pledges will be faithfully kept.


1t Is not true that the few rifle clubs in
/ the State are combinations of men against
the law, or that they are engaged in MUIR
4 dering some peaceable citizens and intim-
idating others or that they cannot be con-
|trolled or suppressed by the ordinary
course Of justice. The President has been
deceived. These clubs enlisted with the
knowledge and recognition ofthe Cover
nor. Not one Of them ever acted In de-
fiance of law or against the Government
or constituted authorities. The hostility
to them of Governor Chamberlain and
his coadjutors Is recent; it is political and
Is designed to affect the coming election.
It is not true that in the recent race
collisions the white people have been the
Iaggressors. Their forbearance, as in the
Charleston riot, the unprovoked Cainhoy
massacre, and the still more recent assas-
sination Of white citizen in Edgefleld,
has been wonderful. The truth is that
the leaders of the colored people, fearing
that the day of their power is drawing to
a close, have excited their ignorant dupes
have supplied them with arms, have ar0us-
ed their fears for the loss of their liberty,
and have thus encouraged them to COM
nit deeds of violence.


! We may also affirm some things which
are true.


It is true that there is in the State
most active, earnest and excited can.
vess to overthrow corrupt rule and re-
establish honest State government.
, This a legitimate and lawful object, which
should command the sympathy and sup.
port of every lover ofhis country. 1t is moi
treason to defeat Chamberlain, nor is il
insurrection 10 elect Hampton. 1t is true
that while the white rife clubs are order
ed by the Governor and the President tt
disband and disperse, the colored militis
of the State are allowed to remain in Or
: ganization and in possession oftheir arms


and to attend political meetings in mill
tary order with rifles and other arms
The object of this discrimination is a
obvious as is the comparatively defense
less condition in which it places the whit
| population. We simply ask what woult


the people of New York or Massachusett.
: think or do upon like application of tn
bayonet policy..t them undersuch circnm


stances


Fellow-countrymen: We have sough
to place before you briefly and in trut


colors the condition of South Carolina
o 1 the wrongs of her people, their patien
4 | forbearance and their newborn hopes
: Not long ago Governor Chamberlain, il