"New York, Oct. 15.--A Washington despatch says that Congressmen Smalls
and Rainey have been obliged to flee from South Carolina on account of
their activity in organizing Republican meetings, and they were
yesterday promised protection by the President."
Protection where? in Washington or South Carolina? It cannot be in the
latter, for the President has put his "Federal bayonets" into the hands
of Gov. (?) Hampton, and voluntarily shut himself out of that State.
Nay, more, he has driven the bolts through his military power as
commander-in-chief of the nation, and the last Congress screwed on
the nut, which leaves the President powerless, and the Governor
all-powerful. Let us see how he is using that power. The Democratic
paper of Sumter County, edited by one of the aids of Wade Hampton,
calls upon the Democrats to turn out and break up the Republican
meetings in such appeals as the following:--
"Men with mothers and wives; men with sisters dear; men who expect to
raise families in Sumter County,--let your sons and daughters turn out
on Saturday and meet the thieves whom Sam Lee is gathering together and
attempting to fasten on us as our rulers and masters in this county. Let
everything be conducted on Saturday with military order, promptness, and
decision. In 1861 our Southern braves left their homes and firesides and
encountered every conceivable bodily privation, every danger, for a
cause that dwarfs into perfect insignificance in comparison with the
Democratic cause in this county to-day, and yet are there men who are so
ease-loving and unpatriotic that they will not turn out on Saturday to
meet the Republican thieves? If such there be, go mark them well.
"Let Northern speakers come; we intend to carry Sumter County
Democratic, at the next election, in spite of the world, flesh, and the
devil.
"Democrats should rally as one, on Saturday. He who dallies is dastard.
He who doubts is damned.
"Surely, no one, who is worthy of the name of man, can hesitate, under
such conditions, to take a hand on Saturday."
The following, to the rifle clubs, is given as the programme for the
Democrats, on Saturday, Oct. 19, the day the Republican meetings are
called for nominations:--
"Presidents of clubs are requested to report to county chairman, who can
be found at the rooms of the executive committee, in the rear of the
town hall, up stairs. The clubs will be earnestly enjoined, by those in
authority, to remain in line and under command of their respective
presidents until they are turned over to some higher officer, from whom
they will receive orders during the day."
Ex-Senator Swails, of Williamsburg County, and also deputy United States
marshal, has committed the unpardonable sin against the Wade-Hampton,
Hamburg-Butler, shot-gun Democracy, by speaking at Republican meetings,
for which offence he has been twice shot at, and finally driven from the
county, having been visited by the Democratic Executive Committee,
accompanied by a band of Red Shirts or Rifle Clubs, and presented with
these good Democratic resolutions:--
_Resolved_, That S. A. Swails be required to leave Williamsburg in ten
days.
_Resolved_, That he is a high-handed robber.
_Resolved_, That he and his rioters be held responsible for all
incendiarism which may happen.
_Resolved_, That unless the above be complied with, he must forfeit his
life.
These facts were yesterday brought to the attention of the President by
Congressman Rainey and Mr. Swails, and it is reported that he thinks
something ought to be done about it, and says just what the man whom he
made Governor of South Carolina said: "Tell the people they shall have
all the protection the law can give." Wade Hampton has the power to
fulfil his promise, and it is apparent he never intended to give the
Republicans the protection they asked, and we fear that President Hayes
is putting them off with a promise of the protection he is well aware he
cannot give.
These South Carolinians come to Washington and claim government
protection to their persons and property while in the exercise of their
constitutional political rights. The President "thinks something ought
to be done about it"! Wonderful! So does an old hen when the hawks are
after her chickens. But the difference between the two is this: the hen
blusters about and immediately calls her subjects under her wings, thus
giving them all the protection in her power. But the President _thinks
something ought to be done_, but does nothing worthy of the occasion.
Wade Hampton promises "all the protection the law can give," and that
was none at all while in his hands to administer, for the reason that
the theory of the shot-gun Democracy is, that the negro has no _rights_
that the white man is bound to protect.
While the South is entitled to the palm of victory for shot-gun
Democracy, the North is a fair competitor for doughface flunkyism.
Ex-Senator Swails, by the testimony of his personal friends in Boston,
bears a character the direct opposite of that given him in the following
paragraph from the Philadelphia "Times." While despotism is the rule in
the South, owing to the natural soil in which it is nurtured, we are
happy to believe that flunkyism _in the superlative degree_ at the North
is the exception.
"If State Senator Swails of South Carolina, had lived in any Northern
State and prostituted his senatorial office as openly and recklessly as
is clearly proven he did in that State, he would be in the penitentiary;
but having resigned his seat to escape dismissal and fled to escape
punishment, he has settled down in Washington, where a few carpet-bag
thieves yet linger, and is telegraphing over the country how the Hampton
rifle clubs have driven him from the State. As the South Carolina
penitentiary evidently haunts his dreams, he should hie himself to
the Massachusetts Botany Bay of public thieves, and put himself
under the protecting wing of Governor Rice. He will find Kimpton
there, and a fellow feeling will make Kimpton wondrous kind to
Swails."--_Philadelphia Times_.
[Special Despatch to the Boston Traveller.]
Washington, D. C., Oct. 21.--The statement made to the President, last
week, by State Senator Swails, that he was forced to leave South
Carolina in consequence of receiving a notice that his life would pay
the penalty if he remained, is fully confirmed by the Charleston "News
and Courier" received here to-day.
That paper admits that such a notice was served on Swails, and says it
was done because he was a dangerous man, and disturbing the peace of the
country where he resided. Instead of lynching him the Democrats gave him
the opportunity of leaving the State.
The "News and Courier" contains an account of the capture of a
Republican meeting at Lawtonville on Friday last, showing that the
Democrats are determined to carry out their policy regardless of the
instructions sent out by Attorney-General Devens to the U. S. officials.
The meeting was called by the Republicans in the interest of Smalls, the
Republican candidate for re-election to Congress. The despatch to the
"News and Courier," from Lawtonville, says:
"This morning the negroes began pouring in, attired in the
recently-adopted radical uniform of blue shirts, several mounted clubs
and other clubs on foot, embracing large numbers, being included. Fully
2,000 men, women and children gathered, when some eight red shirts
galloped in and captured the meeting and proceeded to run it on a
division of time schedule. Rousing Democratic speeches were made. Mr.
Smalls failed to appear. Some of Hampton's men rode forty miles to hear
Smalls. The effect of the day's work was exceedingly good."