Year: 1871

1he following letter appeared IN the
Daily Union, published at Columbia.
S. c., January 5, 1871:


To tie Editor Of the Daily Union:
DEAR SIG:-The glorious work of re-
formation goes bravely on, in Spartan
burg County. There is published week
ly, in this county, a filthy Shiny, black
guard sheet called Tie Carolnia Spar
tan, which it would be disgrace to any
gentleman even to refer to in public
print, were it not for the purpose of call
ing the attention of the public, and of
The Legislature, especially to the baleful
influence which is welded by this organ
of infamy, over that class of individuals
who are nightly prowling through the
country shooting. robbing. and murder
ing the peaceful and inoffensive citizens,
and producing such reign of terror as
has not been known in christendom since
the bloody days of the French revolu-
ton. Any one who has been close OBJ
serverer of the inhammatory articles pub
lished in this sheet, and has witnessed
tie fearful outrages and horrid tragedies
that have succeeded, cannot fail to trace
in them the relations of cause and effect.
So surely is this the case. that we who
live in nightly dread of being murdered
in our beds, grasp with eargerness this
bloody sheet, to see who has been chos-
en- as the next victim for its hellish rage.
1t is not essential to the accomplishment
Of its diabolical purpose, that this sheet
should dopenly advocate the assassination of
this, or that leading Republican, or that
the wives, daughters and mothers of
men should be out ragged and driven from
their homes. 1t is only necessary that
in the exercise of the lim;tless latitude
of the freedom of the press, the private
or otficia al career of man be criticised





that some real or imaginary defect in his
course. color or education, be pointed out,
and he at once becomes the object alike
of "Reform" hate and Kuklustic rage.


A few days ago an article in this paper
was devoted to very acrimonious, I'M
just and liberal criticism upon the quail
fications of Mr.. Anthony Johnson, the
only colored Trial Justice in this county,
and the most intelligent and influential
man of his race in this part of the state.
As Mr.. Johnson's official conduct stood
uutarnished, even the malignant preju-
dices of his bitterest political enemies
could suggest no more plausible grounds
for exciting public Indignation than to
hold up to ridicule his literary attain
ments and even this could not be affect
ed only by publishing what pretained to
be all exact copy of summons from the
pen of his officer, bu. which was in point
of fact fabrication as destitute Of truth
as was its author of manliness and hon
or.


But weak and ridiculous as was this
effort to heap contempt upon an officer of
the law, it did not fail to produce the de-
sired effect. On last Friday morning
between the hours of 12 and 2 o'clock,
the vicinity of Pacolet depot, was the
scene of one of the most cold -blooded.
unprovoked and atrocious murders that
ever blackend the annals of crime.


Mr. johnson was quietly reposing in
his own humble cottage, surrounded by
his little family, consisting Of his wife
and his aged mother, for whose mainten-
ance and comfort he had spent the pre-
vious day, as was his custom. in patient.
unremitting toll, when he was suddenly