_On Outrages In Edgefield County S. C._
The House, in Committee of the Whole, having under consideration
the following message from His Excellency:
STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA,
Executive Chamber,
Columbia, March 1, 1876.
HON. ROBERT B. ELLIOTT, Speaker House of Representatives:
_Sir:_--I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of a copy of
a resolution adopted by the House of Representatives and
concurred in by the Senate, by which I am requested to report to
this General Assembly at the earliest practicable moment all the
facts and information in my possession in relation to outrages
alleged to have been committed recently in Edgefield County.
I have the honor, in reply, to say that the information received
by me respecting the matter referred to is, in substance, that,
on the night of the 11th of February, some twenty-five or thirty
mounted men, in disguise, went to the house of James Perry,
living near Ridge Spring, in the County of Edgefield; that they
found in the house Freeman Gardner, his wife, Julia Brooks, a
woman between seventy and eighty years of age, and Zilpha Hill, a
young woman--all colored; that this disguised band took all four
of the immates of the house to a point of about a mile and a
quarter distant and then stripped and whipped them all; that
after the whipping was over, the woman, Patsey Gardner, was
severely and systematically burned by the application of liquid
sealing wax or burning pitch to her back and limbs; that the
young woman, Zilpha Hill, who was pregnant was also beaten and
severely abused, to such an extent as to endanger her life; that
the only pretext for this conduct was given in a remark of one of
the disguised band about John Gaston's goods.
This is the account given by the victims of the outrage, and the
condition of the woman, Patsey Gardner, seems to indicate the
truth of her statements as to the injuries inflicted upon this
woman.
This is the substance of the information in my hands at the
present time.
Very respectfully,
(Signed) D. H. CHAMBERLAIN, _Governor_.
Mr. Hayne said:
_Mr. Chairman_--Perhaps no member regrets this outrage more than
I do, for in the last campaign it was my earnest desire, yea, the
height of my ambition, to bring about not only purity in my
party, but harmony between the two races, and therefore my
regret. I am disappointed, almost discouraged, for it seems as
though 'tis love's labor lost. But, sir, just so long as the
newspapers of the country continue to exert their influence in
this direction will our State be disgraced by these foul
outrages. They fire up the hatred of the hot headed, indiscreet
youths of the State by their incendiary articles, and make them
believe that to slay and scourge all who differ from them in
opinion are doing God and their country a service. They never
heap the ashes of charitable oblivion upon the coals of prejudice
and hate, but continue to replenish it with the most exciting and
fiery appeals. The Edgefield paper makes light of this dastardly
violence done to aged and inoffensive women by ascribing it as
the work of "rash boys." Manly pastime for these brave boys! a
crime sir, that in any other State, and done to any other class,
would have demanded and met with immediate punishment, perhaps in
the Court of Judge Lynch, as was the case in Marlboro County a
few weeks ago, when a white lady was abused, the perpetrators,
two colored men, met with immediate punishment. They would not
have brooked the law's delay. Yea, sir, an outraged community
would have taught these "rash boys" a lesson that I fear they
will learn in no other school, and the courteous Sheriff would
not have been put to the trouble of "inviting them to be
arrested."
But, Mr. Chairman, it happens to be the poor despised Africans
who have tilled their fields for centuries, educated and amassed
for them princely fortunes, and while they were engaged in
riveting tighter the chains of bondage, were engaged in the care
and protection of their defenceless families. Mr. Chairman, I
ask, is this the mode to bring about harmony and prosperity? Will
this tranquilize this already distracted country? No, sir. On the
contrary, it will raise to its highest temperature the ill
feelings of an outraged people, and cause them to adopt for their
redress _lex talionis_, in opposition to the Edgefield _lex
loci_, as Mr. McDuffe truthfully says, "God has planted in the
breast of man a higher and holier principle than that by which he
is prompted to resist oppression; the vilest reptile that crawls
on the earth, without the gift of reason to comprehend the
injustice of its injuries, would bite, or sting, or bruise the
hand by which they were inflicted. Is it to be expected, then,
that freemen will patiently bow down and kiss the rod of the
oppressors?" I had hoped that the swift retribution that followed
the K. K's reign, and the withering rebuke administered by their
own counsel, (Hon. Reverdy Johnson,) would have put an end to
these inhuman and disgusting outrages; but, sir, the newspapers
must live and thrive, and this can only be done by a healthy
subscription list, and, in order to swell that list, they must
excite the worst passions of depraved men and pander to their
prejudices.
Are the disgraceful scenes that darkened the history of South
Carolina and cast a foul blot upon her proud escutcheon to be
re-enacted? It must not. If we expect to enjoy peace and
prosperity in our State, we must be more mindful of the rights of
each other, more tolerant in our political views, and finally,
leave the punishment of violators of the law to Courts of
Justice, and not constitute ourselves a Vigilance Committee for
every imaginary wrong. The Courts are certainly doing their duty,
as our increased appropriation for the penitentiary will evince.
If this course of action is followed, then, and not until then,
will South Carolina blossom as the rose, and peace and prosperity
flow as a river within her borders.
Again, Mr. Chairman, if the people of that and any other County
would only turn away from the siren voice of selfish
office-seekers, and put in office men who would dare to do their
duty at all times and in all places, without fear, favor or
impartiality, then, sir, would their rights be secured, and they
would sit down under their own vine and fig-tree, with none
daring to molest or make afraid; then would these lawless men
respect the rights of the occupants of the humblest cabin; for
the law properly administered would indeed be a terror to these
evil doers, and wherever that aegis of America's honor, and her
citizen's protection floats, men would fear to disregard the
rights of his fellows or take the law into their own hands; and,
my fellow-citizens, let me entreat you, in the exercise of your
rights as citizens hereafter, select only such men as are worthy
of these high offices--men who will do their duty. When I have
given such advice hitherto you have scorned it, but take heed in
future, for your interests, the security of your rights, make it
an imperative duty on you.
Mr. Chairman, if departed spirits are visitants of this earth,
and familiar with the actions of men, the spirits of the
patriotic Rutledge and of the sainted Gasden must have wept tears
of anguish over the degeneracy of these men bearing their
patronymics as they witnessed the outrages (the details of which
are heart sickening) which were perpetrated upon those
inoffensive women. Has the chivalry of South Carolina degenerated
thus far? Is this the work of her brave sons? Could they find no
more worthy foe than an aged, infirm woman, brutally maltreated
and her person exposed, who, even if guilty, should have excited
their sympathy? Another, in a condition that would have appealed
not in vain to the protection of savages, much less civilized
men, cruelly beaten, and her life and that of her unborn child
endangered thereby. Shame on you, degenerate sons of a brave and
chivalrous ancestry! The recording angel in heaven's chancery
must have shed tears as, with his diamond pen, he noted this
additional evidence of man's depravity. I am no advocate of the
"bloody shirt" doctrine, neither do I endorse the rash
sentiments expressed by the member from Charleston, (Mr. Davis);
but inasmuch as His Excellency has furnished this House with
official information of this outrage, I have felt it my duty as a
representative to express in positive, forcible terms my utter
abhorrence and condemnation of this brutal outrage. The Governor
has faithfully performed his duty in furthering the arrest of the
guilty parties, and I hope the Court of justice will administer a
lesson that will not soon be forgotten by that community. The
laws are adequate; we simply require efficient and faithful
officers to execute them; and as a legislative body we have done
our duty in condemning this outrage, the punishment of which we
leave to another tribunal--the Nemesis of justice.