tsJt
DEVOTED TO POLITICS, MORALITY, EDUCA'ION AND JO THE GENERAL INTEREST OF TI1E COUNTRY.
VOL. Vi. PICKENSi S4 C., THURSDAY, OCTOBER 19, 1876. *0. 7.
THE STATUS OF. THE ST&T14.
Extraordinary Proclamation from Gov
ernor ChamberlaiL
'Atre&s Ab the People of the' United
taas $y fte Stte itxecutive Com.
mitttee of the Democratic Party
"Ge"'cral 1atnpton's Letter to the Chief
Jutice of the State-His reply-As
sociate Justice Willard and Circuit
Judge Mackey's Opinions on the Sit
uation.
Proclamnation.
d ISTAT:19 fF SOUTH CAROLINA,
EXECUTIVE CHAMBFCR.
Whereas it has been made known
to me, by written and sworn evi
dence, that there exists such itilaw
ful, obstructions, coinhinations and
assemblages of persons in the coutin
r1et of Aiken and Barnwell, that it
has become impracticable, in my
jndginent, as Governor of the State,
1( enftrce by the ordinary course of
judicial iroceedings the laws of the
State within said cutitie; by rension
whereot, it has become necessary, iii
my jndginent, as Governor, to call
forth and employ the military force
if the State to enforce the laidifiul
executiunl of the law(;
And wheieas it has becui made
known to me as Governor that ceriaii
S.rgaliatioiis and combinations of
11 enl eXiSts in all thl e Colilies of the
State, c tunmonly knwn. us "Rifle
Ci bt.;"
And whereas such organizatios
anid combiiatiuios of tnvi are illegal
and strictly forbidden by the laws of
tIA State;
Anjd wherons such org-nnizitions
a.d coibinations of menull are elig-atr
ed iii promnotig illegal objc its aio
iii cninuiitting oien acts of lawless
iej;q and vi.-lenet;
N .w, th1erefoe, I, Daniel 11.
Chambelain, Governor 4f said State,
do i.ue llis, nv procltn-ation, at
vqnied b the 13 h section of ch"p.
ter 133 of the GenerLl Stattitesi of the
8 ate, irAidiig t he said unlaw i li
(obiiations aid assemblages of
jersonls ill the c)ounties of Aiken 'inid
Baruwell .to disperse and retire
jaceaI)ly to th~eiri hlomes witin
th.ree days from the date (of this pr~o,
eltimiation, anid hentor?lth to abstaini
fromi all unlawfull 1 iAt erferenice withI
I lie righlts; Qfeitizehnts anid from all
violaijoons of the public ieace.
And I do fnrther, by this procla
mation, torbidi the existence of all
said organizations or combinations ofl
men1 Commonly knowni as "Rifle
O.)obs," anud all other organizaLtionsa
n tot fo)rmhig a part of t he organizo.
uuiiJtia of th e State, which are airmed
with fireanuits or other weapo.s oh
war, or which engage or are forme~d
f$r'the puirpvse of engaging in drii'
ling, exercisinug the manual oft armis
or-nditary m1aIonv res, or whichi ap~
vi-ar pr are formed for the purpoise
oif apearing uinder arms orndr
th~commirand of uflicers bearing the
fitlle or' assuming the tauctions oh
nedinauy mnilitar'y officers, or iln aniy
61ther mai&ner acin 01' propooing ti'
act as organized and armed bo)dies ol
mnen; arnd I do commitfand atll sulch or'
g:inizyti1on, pombiniations, formiaatjins
or bodies of m'en ft'h hithll to dikbanid
and cease to exist in any place 0r
untder any circu mfstanices in this
Sta'e.
And I do further dclare and make
kne~w by this proclamation, to all the
peopIe ol this State, that ini case this
* proglepnaion shall be dist-egarded for
tI*.pace of thr'ee days from the date
th'ereof, I shall proceed to put imto
aCtitre use all tihe powers with wienm
as Governor I am ihvested by the
cOflilitton and laws of the State for
thlegfrteet of theo lawvs and the
4protection of the rights of theo citi
zenas )af'Il~4larfy t -wr
centrred on me;~ tyhapter' CXXX
~tatej an.ge l Statutes of tie
rateas wibbythe Conlstitutionl of
the wites 'vher. . aeIlrut
set my hand and oansed the
[L. s great seal of the State to he
uffixed, attOulumbia, this 7th
day of October. A. D. 1876,
and ii the 101st year of
A mer ican Independence.
By the Governor,
D 1. CHAMUrIAIN.
II. E. HAYMC, Secretary of Suite.
ADDRk9R To TiE PEPLE OF THE UNITED
ITA".
,G)LUMrA. S. C.. Oct. 7. 16.
To the People of the United States:
Ini a pet oiod of orttojnid peace,
w ith the laws unresi-red aid the
pr()Cessq of thie cour's un ppoeed, the
Goverir fit South Carolina has bj
prcclamatin declar'd that in the
ctimities fit Aiken and Barnwell, it
has become impracticable to entorcu
by ordinary c )Ise of judicial pro,.
c(edings, I aw s I oft fihe State, and it
has become iecessary Io him as
Governor, to call torth anl eimploy
the m1111i'ar-Y force of the State to eti
t .rce the taitihfll executiou of the
He has also alleged that. certain
organizointiti and coubinaitiun ex
ist c.n tray to law iii all the couities
of the S ate, wiii are etigaged in
prl,iomotiig illegtJ objects and in CoM
Ililitig openl Ite6 of -lawlessness, and
he has threatel)e(l to declare Ilartial
iw%% and :-niel)eid the writ of habeas
Tho charges )erferred by G Pvern
%I Chamiberlailn against thie citizons
411 the State Is all fase atnd libe,4lons its
ia thireaenied ilkiupaion of I)W0e
is tyralnical anu(d ni warrant.d, uld
his6 extratterdliary prlelamation cmi
he expl ane onil v upou the asta i
6ion th1aIt G1v. Ch1aMbJerlaii With a
kii:ilar dlitrekgard of ilawv and of facet,
a delt ililled t( ) reskrr to il '13t ex
Iretile lIlea l1'i's t) preveint Ihe 4)thei
wit,- certain dete ,t t- hiiikeulf and
his c(rrtu,t party.
There have bven disturbnces ill
Aikeii County, Ml poitical inl their.
charaicter, tt:ev have long since ceass
ed, all th ar 1. ties~ for whlom wvarrants
were issuuted promanptly su)rrentdere~d
t haemselves to the law. Perf'ct
peace and the profoundet(Ist qatnet pre
vail. No) atrmed Com) )3bination hider
t he process . fk tec'u rts, anid the
Reynblican Co dunty Conttvenition, last
week, held a coniitneous Bssionl (o
t wenty day4 without ni'lestati a.
T1he dibturbances inl Farniw hi were
Reputblican ini their origion, begio
ning in the retitance if anl armted
band of niegroes of the arret oft &
:bher, f r w homn a warrathad beer
duly isued. Th's band( tore uip ae
railroaid, v. recked a ta ajin, fired aipoui
and w, unaded the Shevritf of the Conn i
ty, and wecre dispersed by a so-callet
artned hand oft whites, who had beet
duly si umong by the S;eriff as a
posse, '4ith the sanction of the'Judgi
of t he Court, thent in sei'oln
The , osse, aftIL r performning '.hei11
duties quietly dis,uersed. S3o fa
tron opp >i ng the law, the w hub
pIeople dIesire the promJpt dispatea
. biusineCss ini the~ couarts and the ezi
liorce:inent of the law by the ei vi
arm. The white people th roughon
lihe S ate haive volunteered thiei; ser,
vices to the Governor to minutamu thit
law anid be hasi retused theinua in lhbel
tuns comm)inunication, intended solely t
inra'ish a pre-ext to force the intro
dtuctioni 't Fuderal trt)ops to be place<
nder the cuI ot of irrespionsible ami
noscruIipnalons otfiwuas to overa se th,
peo ple anid control the election).
T1he Doi'cr'atic nlonunelaes in sey
enateeni oat the tirtiy--twvo coun ties il
the State~ have held meaetings attem(J
ed by thonsands of citize:ss of .buti
races and parties. The Reopublica:
have held mngetinugs, wheunand wher
they pleased, N'riot a Isingle act u
violenice has yet occurired. Oni th
18tha uit. the Democratic Excceuniv
Committee inavited the Republica
canvassers to a joint diiensiona a
their meetings.
Thbis invitationi was ronoward on a
28th it., and accepted by the RU..
publican Executive. Omiotee on
the 5a inst., upon t1 .neol, termp.
The proclanation ot tbe Governor is
utterly at varianve W1th the action of
the Executive Compui'ttee*o1 bia own
party. The latter acqnioes. in free
diecossion; tie former, in effect, sup
presses debate, and substit1(es arn
ed force for freo speech. We asert
earnesily, with a full eenee of our
remponsibiiLy, that no condition of
things in the Statte which juitifies o
extrlardinary a proceeding on the
part of G.vernor Ciamberlain.
Its i -le object is to irirate and to
provoke collisions, which vafy be the
excuse for kn appeal to the admiil
tration of the UnitedoStates to garri~
son the State- We shall counsel our
people to preserve. the peace, obey
the laws and calhny await the day of
their deliverence from thik wantoi
despotismn.
To the people of the United States
we stibmit oir wrongs, confidently
rlying on their wisdoim and justice
-o rebuke thi daring attempt to re
giilate the ballot by the bayonet, and
crush t he liberties of a people.
(Signed)
A. (. IIARKELL, J . D. KleNNICDY.
T. B. FicSER. J. A. [oYT.
J1nN BRATroU, I R. O'"N EA1.,
S-ate Democratic Ex. Cum -.ittee.
GEN. nAMPTON TO TIE sUPRIEME G)URT
JUDGES.
SUMTR, October 7.-Detr S r: In
view I'l the grave charges made by
Gov. Chiamberlain against the D
mocrat ic party and their mlde of
c'nductintg dh present catvass in his
lelter to Colonel llaskell, declari(:g
that the State is an armed camp
and that or meetings are att:ided
by organized arimed bodies, may I
aSkyu as a RepublicIn aid As the
Clief Jusi ice of lie State, to say it
iii your observwioi tice cliarge
are borne out by facts f the case.
You taw to day one of the largest
meet ings w'.e have held, anrd you cant,
thierefore speak troni experience and
persounal observation. I have been
thr ough seventeen of the coun t ies oh
the Blate, and have addressed, I am
sure, at least one hundred ihousand
peopile, and I can say with perfect
irth, thaut I. have not seen onze sin-~
gle armed bony ot men, nor has any
dibturbanlce occur red at any~ of these
My solicitude for the good nmame
of Ont State will, I trust, be a~ suffi
eient excuse for my calling your at,
teuti''n to this matter. Regnecsting
ani early aniswer, I afn, very resipect-.
hully, your obedient servant,
. W AE h1A MPToN.
Tu 1isi Lion. F. J Moses,
Obiet Justice.
REMPJ,Y OF OIEF JUSTIUE M 'BES.
SUMTER, Ocr. 7, 187.- My Dear
Sit: I am just in receipt of your note
and at once reply ,to the same. For
tLhe last threor fi our mont ha I have
not been~ in any of th II onnt rties but
- thlose of Snumter anid Richlanid wit hirt
i that period. I have beeun present a'
Iit nly two polit ical meletinigs-onie held
by the Republicant patty arid the
., other to day at this place by the
- Demoicrats.
,Althoughd I was att the latter place
- but a shiert time, I was fo'r the great,
I er part of the day ini the streets with
I every opportuntity of' observing the
.3 behatvIf'r and demeanor of .the large
conteonrse, w hich the occaslin ha;d
- brought noge' her. The collection
I consisted oif citi2Tms on loot arid
horseback. I saw in no Inrisace an v
iexhibitirn of Arms, or any behtair
B inconusistent with the stricteBt pio
b priety.
I At thte R~epublican meeting to
u whioch I have abLov4 referred, there
p was no0 attempt at i*nterrnp'.ion. I
r1 shiall require var*y strong evidence to
,t satiefy ure that South Carolina is arn
atrmed camip. I know of nothing
a Jwhich would lead ane ao to nonchrda.
For myself I do not know of any
thing which would make me doubt
ful in any part of the State, of enjoy.
ing the name security which I feel
attachas to me under my own root
I trust the day is far distant when
violatious of the peaaco in our own
bordere will require the interetiece
Af any erm more poteist than that of
the law. Very repectfully, ywirs,
F. J. MosEs.
ro General Wade IIam ptcn.
REPLY OF AssOCIATE JUSTICE WILLAED,
In reply to letters from A. C. [las
kell, C-1m1rman of the Democratic
Executive Committee, Associate Jus
ice Willard, Republican, of the Su
Preme (ourt, writes:
COLUMBa, S. C., Oct. 7, 1876.
Tt Col. A. C. Haskell: Dear- Sir
Your note of this date is before me,
isking ain exprossion of my views as
o the existeic-et of rancor and mani
statioits of violence in the character
A the Democratic canvi8s of this
3tate. I an r.nable to throw much
ight on this subj ect, for two reasons.
[I the first place, I have been absent
From the Siale for the last ihrce
mr,ths, and only a week has passed
;ince my return to This city.
In the st-cond p!aen, my ideas of tihe
Abaracter and respoonsibilities of the
judiciAl office,have led me at all times,
timJegs, to abstain from participating ImI
political action, and accordiingly I
have little information, exceplt that
derived fron public rumor and tlie
newspapers, f whal has traispired
at pollitieal gat het ings. I can only sa
t at I have witues3ed not hing beyond
the circutusiances generally clatiac
ieristic of an excited p'lit ical cativas
I have seent no violen;ce. Oin tIN
cmitrary, as far as I have had in
tercourre wit etlemn
.arty, I have observed less displosi
Ei011 to eXCi ed rtatuinent und pcrHona
hitterness, than diuring any of tlu
previous pohtical campliaigns ot thi6
State I siucerely hope that tihe fear
of many, that te lawless piortio'n ol
the con tionity w'ill he perumuitted w
dis ir b t he peceC and injur t heI good
name of the St ate, are grounmdless.
I amf satitieid that it is the initen
tion of thle leadiung mecn oft your party'
to prevent snieh a state of thinigs, amnd
I believ.e they have t.ie ability to d.
so. Very respect fully, our obi'r sv'
A. J WILAnD.
R~P[LY CF CIRCUIT JUDGE T. J. MAcKa~Y
Circuit Judge l'. J MLackey (ltep.
teiegraphs as talows:
CHaEsTIa, Oct. 7.-To A . C. IIas
koll, Chtairmana State Democratic
C' mmnittee, Columbnida, S C.: In re
ply to y tur inquiry of t his date, j
would stare that peace anid ordos
prevail t hrougho&ut the limits of th<
Sixth Judicial Oitrenit, embracing~ thia
tour couties~ of York, Obester, Fair
[ieldl and Lantca t r'.
In this Circuot no tar med organ iza
11 ns obs? tnet juadicial pre ceed ings.
tn I no resistanc~e has beent offere
to thme due execution of legal pro
In charging the Grand Jury<
Yo:k on 1ast Mo'tday, I stated t h
at any cit izeni, whatev er it aigt be bi
race, c.>lor, or party, had beeni thtreti
ened wit t bhoss of emj ploy 1 enit, or. j
in te, ior, because (of his politic
opin ions. hie hahsuld nake comp jlain
betor e t he Grand J ury,) or ini opei
Comurt, amnd the law should be put ii
motion01 to sustaitn him in tthe tree ata
tartrammnelled exercise of all hi
rizh;s of cil IZenship.
IThe g' antd juryI), consist ing of n it,
white and' six coloredl citizens, re
pored unmanitiiontely on last Wednes
dIay night that inoor'gantizLtiots, ehh I
er armted or *otter wise, having to
their object the ex hibition, of fote
'o Control thle free exercise
tbe eketive francise, cziwted in the
county, and no complaint chargine
the existentce of such organmizationI
basi beent usade toth.
Th'e same in trna of anh and. ee.
county in this circuit. Th( only case
of political intimidation that hns
transpired in this circuit was tried at
York on Wast Thursday, the defendant
being one Edward McDonahd, charg
ed with threatening the life of one
Henry Lowery, also colored, because
lie lad joined a Democratic club,
and had declared his purpose to vote
the Democratic ticket.
The jury consisted of six Repub
lican, c-lored citizens, and six white
men, one of whom is an.avowed Re
publican. The priioner was ably do
fdAed;L bj Wv . 3. Williams, Es
himself a candidate on the Demo
craic ticket. The jury.were charged
by me, t lint they were the sui I j idg
vs of ftle evidence, anid that theguilt
of the pris-ner must be established
beyond a reasonable doubt, to war
rant it af coviction. They rendered a
VI'dic,t ot guilt ' y, and I senlenc( d the
prisoi or to three months in jail, the
lowest penalty plrescribed by law Im
the offenece. I have traversed man%
countie in) the State canvassing fml
Ia:es and Wleeler, UI nd in ftvIr of
Chatmberlain for Governor, diuring
the past sixty days, and I have nc
where sEen an attempt oil the pa, t
4-t anTy portion (4 thle pqpuklaition t(.
suppress the right of free speech by
armed violence. I-lemnly prtest
- ainst the proclamation of Governor
Chanberlain as ab3lutel f lal.-;e, il
s., far as it iiplites to tie iihlabitanms
within the limits ol this circuit any\
purpose to ostisuct the ordinary
COIIISe of jtdici:il proceedin-gs, or to
resist in any manner the-due execti
tioi uf the laws tir tho pnotection ot
11 fe, prop.rt y, (or to i ights t citi
Cnslihip. I have goud and siilicent
reasis to bmleve, a:d do believe,
that thetsaid procwanim*11on1 ils rqmfj1J)
l)p)uos to the white poplion 11 in
the olher ci rcuits of this State.
I re'!-d tihe i rocl amat lin as sVm
b)Ilizilg litly, a formidle) Conspi
rc, ag~ainist th le r'ights ot the pe)ople,
anid htaving~ for its object the carry
inrg < f thiiis State by' D. Hi. Chiambi er
haini and his cand(idwtes, whIIi conl
spiracy is futherIic typi lled by a board
of State conv assers, or election re
lurnling board, the mnajity of whos~e
members1)21 are c:andIidat es (on ChIam
berlain'si ticket, and( b)y nliniy six
commlisionerst' (of electi'on ini the Se
ver'al ce'unti1s, Seventyv of whom are
lanntberlai n's declared ptartisans,antd
of wvhich last unmheIr,someri thirty areo
-tirial justices, hioohinig l'ucr'ative I)flices
by his~ app )oinutment, and1( remIZovable
f.a m ' fliee at his pleatsurPe; or' are.
kniowi to 1him1 as declared canididaites
fort ''ffice, indorin his, ticket; who
un iseat thI emsel ves it they maitke a de
elarat io of ~ the el ection, whiebcl seats
the canididaues opplosed to Chamberm
liii anld his ticket.
The~ rile elatibs that he0 has1 ordered
'to be dIisbanided are, ini the main, or
ganijzat io n chta' tered uInder' the act
lef the R -publicain Legishou re, ini
.1Wi4; :nIII all (of themti are actintg bt,
in theo assert niof the rihts of1 the
peCIp!e~, to kee'p and1( bearIi arms1, guaLr
seconid ar; ice of' the' amendmen iCits to
Sthe Contstintllion of the Unit ed States;
and aill assert their loyalty to the
SUnion and11 oediecelC to) its Jaws, and
respejcCt aind ItphoIld its flag.
T- J. MAcKIEY, ttige.
I RkPLY I F CIRcUlf JUDGEJ Coo,JK.,
Judge TP. H,. Cooke, Itepnbiican,
SwIrites asflos
C(Xej IIBA, Oct. 7.-T1o Cel. A. (1.
IaskelI -D)ear sir: I ha:ve jus~t r'ead
-ltie pro)clmat ion (of (Jov. O~nmber
rlhin als to a recign of terror i tis
? State andc his[ iniabi hnty to enforce the
f Ia thrVg t he ordinar chIanntel
t. anid I mutt say that the caus4es a1-.
hedged for' is uig theC same do not
S apl ty to thle 8th I(Cicit , over' wh ich
I presie; n or do 1 lpouieve thley have
V any existence asd to any other porio
kof the Stats. I 4 , -
TuomPwa Ni 1I. o; -xa
Judge of the S!h (*'goit.
SCUTHH, Lot. 9.-To o1 A. -c.
11askell: I know pf no .lw4gvwAsor
violen.co.Whinf tie' laW 6innot rew
mn iy. Il thiS, circuit th1Taw is
maitailn.ed wnd adiuhi)iter,ed With.
out difficulty,
A. J. Jdaw, J ge 31 Circuit.
NiwICUY, 041. 9-To Col. A V.
HIaskell: III reiply to your iiipiry, I
have to sav that Iilm in nowiso pre..
pared to express any just opinion
upon the peace of the State, except
so far as concerns the circuit over
which I have the hionor to preside.
Sincet my appointment to the bench
I havo been engross-d by my official
duties, which have boen and aro on
erout. They have left me neither
timo nor inclination to become adt,
vised of particidar matters outside of
the circuit. In the Sevwnth Circuit
I am not aware of any resistance to
the proccs of the court. In the
coutily wiere I have been holding
court for a week an unusual quiet
prevails. There seems to be a pub
lic apprehension that the tines are
(ut ut' j int and4i a r al aixi;y
tiat puleic order shiall be preserved.
Speaking for thik circuit, I Can only
say dhat whie1 thie public mind ispft
coUrt, inflaMed by the ardur of thu
cam paign, I have n t .jet becn con
fronted by any organized or individ
11al resisLtIce to tile authbo ity of 1h
con ris. The good stense of t he o
ple, I lope, will colintin to preIerva
the public peace.
L. C. NoIrrnor,
Judge Seventh Circuit.
BEAUFORT, Qc. 9D.-To Col. A. C.
Iaskell, 012fici,1m1 Democratic 8tato
ExcutivO Committ'eee Oflicers at,
temptinig to executo warrants duly
issued havo been resisted in this 'cir..
cUit. P. L. WIGGINS.
Cor.UMnIA, October.9.-Judge P. L~.
W iggins4: Please&name tho cases, and
i, color,and party of the persons re
.isting the wvarrants, arnd the ofTense.
A. C. IIAsia:!,
A. C. IIaskell: Judge Wiggin re..
fuses to anfswer to night, bu1 ay
has no ollicial in,fornmt.on of resist
aInco in this~ CIRCnit, Oxcep)t int the
Cases ot the Comnbabee riot, in B3eau-.
fort and Coloton, all colored; and has
a rumor of rusistance to arrest by
colored mnon in Aikcn as the causo of
the Ellen ton riots.
WM!. ELLrOTT.
In respon'a to a telegram of Judgo
R~eed, the Charleston operator sends
the following:
A. C. IIaskell: Your messago 'loft
at hotel; not in town; expected back
to morrow morning.
Ex-Governor R. K. Scott, Reopubli
can, wvritos as f'ollows:
Cox,uu!rA, 8. C. Oct. 9.
Colonel A. C. Ha'4kell, Chairman
Democratic E1xecutLive Committee of
South Carolina--Sir--I have the hon
or to acknowledge the receipt of your
letter of the 9th instant, making in
quiries as to my knowledge of lawvless
ness arnd violonco existing in this
State, and I have to say in reply that
I have been absent from home for
more than three months, and could,
only form an opinion as to the cond-.
L.ion of political affairs by the reports
in newspapers, which led me to be
hievo that, tho State was not quiet.-~
Ten days ago, I arrived at home and
found1( Columnbia as quiet as any p)art
of the States I have boon in whilo
North. In this city thero is certainly
nio violoneo, or lawlessness, nor are
the couts in any wtay Inl torfor rod
with in the dischargo of' thecir funo
tions. I have no knowlodge of wvhat
has~ ocuirrod in the coun ties refor,&i'
to by the Governor, viz: Ba~rnwol'and
Aikon. I have the honor to be, )ul-f
Irespctf'ully, your ob't rCV't,
R. K. Scotr