the massacre of six colored citizens of the united states at hamburgh, s. c., on july 4, 1876 (1876)

8/3/2019 The Massacre of Six Colored Citizens of the United States at Hamburgh, S. C., On July 4, 1876 (1876)

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^-r K^^o Vi

k CEHTEHIAL FODRTH OF JULY DEMOCRATIC CELEBEATIOH,

The Massacre of Six Colored CitizensOf the United States at Hamburgli, S. C, on July 4, 1876.

DEBATE ON THE HAMBURGH MASSACRE, IN THE U. S. HOUSEOP REPRESENTATIVES, JULY 15th and 18th, 1876.The House of Representatives being incommittee of the whole on the bill for the

protection by United States troops of theTexas frontier

:

Mr. Smalm. I offer the amendmentTjvhich I send to the desk.The Clerk read as follows :Add tb the first section the following:Provided, That no troops for the purposes nam-ed in this section shall be drawn from the State of

South Carolina so long as the militia of that Statepeaceably assembled are assaulted, disarmed, andtaken prisiiiers, and then massacred ih coldblouU liy lawless bands of men invading that Statefrom the State of Georgia.Mr. Smalls. I hope the House will

adopt that proviso as an amendment tothe bill. As I have only five minutes Isend to the desk a letter published in oneof the newspapers here from an eye-wit-ness of the massacre at Hamburg, and Iask the Clerk to read it.The Clerk read as follows

:

The origin of the difficulty, as I learn from theDCst and most reliable authority, is as toUows

:

On the Fourth of July the colored people of thetown were engaged In celebrating the day, atidpart of the celebration consisted in the parade oftUo colored militia company. After marching-through the principal streeta of the town, thecomjjany came to a halt across one of the roadsleadmgout of the town. While feating there twowhite men drove up in a buggy, and witli cursesordered the company to breali ranks and let thempass through. The captain of the company re-plied that there was plenty of room on oitjier sideof the company, and they could pass that way.The white men continued cursing and refused toturn out. So the captain of the militia, to avoiddiflSculty, ordered his men to break ranks andpermit the buggy to pass through.Mr. ScuLEiCHER. I rise to a point of or-

der. I wish to know if this proposition isgermane to the bijl.Several Members. Too late.The Chairman. The Chair desires tosay that it strikes him as being as ger-mane as other propositions which have

been generally entertained to make it al-iowajMe.Tiie Clerk continued the reading of the

letter, as follows

:

The order was obeyed, and the white men wenton their way uttering threats. The ne.xt day acolored trial justice issued processes against theofficers of the company, based on the complaint ofthe two white men, citing the officers to appearand answer to a charge of obstracting the publichighway. They obeyed the writs, and after a

slight examination the justice adinurned the trialuntil Saturday, the 8th instant. On that day, atan early hour, the town commenced to fill up witbwhite men, armed to the teeth with repeatingrifles and revolvers. The colored people bad noidea of the bloody tragedy which was soon totake place, and consequently made no prepara-tion to resist an attack, and were almost defense-less.Late in the afternoon Gen. M. C. Butler, one ofthe most malignant of the unreconstructed rebels,rode Into the town, accompanied by a score ofwell-armed white men, and stated to the leadingcolored men that he came for the purpose of pros-ecuting the case on the part of'the two whitemen, and he demanded that the militia companyshould give up their arms and also surrendertheir officers. This demand the militia wasready to comply with for the purpose of avoidinga difficulty if General Butler would guaranteethem entire safety from molestation by the crowdof white desperadoes. This Butler refused to do,and persisted in his demand fur the surrender ofthe guns and the officers, and threatened that if,the surrender was not immediately made hewould take tlie guns and officers by force of arms.This threat aroused the militia company to a real-izing sense of their impending danger, and theyat once repaired to a large brick building, sometwo hundred yards from the river, used by themas an armory, and there took refuge. They num-bered in all about forty men and had a very smallquantity of ammunition. During this time, whilethe militia were taking refuge in their armory thewhite desperadoes were coming into the town ialarge numbers, not only from the adjacent countyof Edgefield, but also from the city of Augusta,Georgia, until they numbered over fifteen hun-dred well-armed and ruffianly men, who wereunder the immediate command and direction ofthe ex-reb"bl chief, M. O. Butler. After the en-tire force had arrived, the building where themilitia had taken refuge was entirely surrounde*and a brisk fire opened upon it. This fire waskept up for some two hours, when, finding thatthe militia could not be dislodged by small arms,a messenger was sent to Augusta for artillery.During all this time not a shot had been fired bythe militiamen. The artillery arrived and wasposted on the bank of the river and opened fire oathe building with grape and canister.

Mr. Schleicher. I rise to a questionof order. If this be read as a part of thegentleman's remarks, is he not subject tathe five-minutes rule ?The Chairman. The gentleman fromSouth Carolina was recognized at thirty-two minutes past three o'clock. There isstill half a minute remaining.

Mr. TowNSEND, of New York. I hopthe paper will be read thit)ugh.The Clerk resumed the reading of thepaper, as follows

:

The militia now realized that it was necessaryto evacuate the armory at once. They proceededto do so, yettlns out of a back window Into a corn-


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fleld. They were soon discovered by the rufcans,and a rush was made for them, l^ortunately, byhiding and hard fightiniJ:, a portion of the com-imand escaped, but twenty-one were captured bythe bushwhackers and taken immediately to ajvlace near the railroad S'tation.Here a quasi drumhead court martial was or-ganized by the Wood-hunters, and the last sceiieof the horrible drama began. It must now beremembered that not one of the twenty-one color-ed men had a pistol or gun about them. The mo-ment they were captured their arms were takenttata, them, arid they were absolutely defenseless.The oiKlerly sergeant of the militia company wasorderexj to Call the roll, and the first name calledout to be shot In oold blood was Allan T. Atta-way, the first lieutenant of the conxpany, and hold-ing the position of county commissioner of Aikencounty, in which county Hamburg is situated. Hepleaded for his life, as only one in his positioncould plead, bnt his pleadings were met withcurses and blows, and he was taken from thesight of his comrades, and a file of twelve menfired upon him. He was penetrated by four balls,one entering his brain and the other three thelower portion of his body. He was instantly kill-ed, and after he was dead th brutes in humanahape struck him over the head with their gunsand stabbed him in the face with their bayonets.Three other men were treated in the same brutalmanner. The fifth man when taken out made adash for his life, and luckily escaped with only aslight wound in his leg.in another portion of the town the chief of po-lice, a colored man named James Cook, was takenfrom his house, and while begging for his liftbrutally murdered. Not satisfied with this, theinhuman fiends beat him over the head with theirmuskets and cut out his tongue.Another colored man, one of the marshals of thetown, surrendered and was immediately shotthrough the body and mortally wounded. He hasSince died. So far as I have been able to learnonly one white man was killed. It will thus beseen that six colored men were brutally murderedand one woiMided, while on the side of the whitesonly one man was killed.After this hQloa


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b given in ord^r to have another negro;. killed, he will not get it from me. (Ap-.^pJause.)Mr. Jones, of Kentucky. I ask the^gentleman from Michigan [Mr. Ck)nger]jito yield me two minutes.t Mr. Congee. I have already yieldedmve to the gentleman form South Caro-^lina, [Mr.SmaUs.]The Chaikman. Does the gentlemanfrom South Carolina wish to occupy therest of the five minutes ?Mr. SMAX.LS. r do not.Mr. Conger. Then I resume the floor.

Th'e Chairman. The gentleman fromMichigan has three and a half minutes ofIlls tinxe remaining.Mr. Conger. When an amendment wast)eforfe th committee to increase the regi-jaients without any reference to the action


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to be shaken into the face of the House forpolitixial and bad party purposes, for thegentleman knows that in the distributionof the airmy there is strength enough inthe South to protect every one to whomprotection in the South is due.Mr. Hill. The Hamburgh riot was gotup for that express pui-pose.

Mr. Cox. I have no doubt of it. TheState of Georgia i^ not touched by thismatter, but is entirely innocent in regardto it.

Mr. Rainet rose.Mr. Cox. The gentleman must wait un-til I get through. The State of South Car-olina is to-day a Republican State and theworst governed State in th-e Union; it isbad all around; bad at its borders; ba^ inits heart; bad on the sea-coast; bad inEdgefield county; everywhere rotten tothe tore, as your own party papers havesaid. Give Souih Carolina a Democraticgovernment and fair play as has been thecasiS in Tennessee, Virginia, and otherStates which have been rescued from mal-administration, and you will see that everymam, black and vfhite, will be cared for un-der the law.

Mr. Garfield, (in his seat.) As theywere at Hamburgh.Mr. Jones, of'^Ky. Sir, as far as M. C.Butler is concerned, to call him a Ku-Kluxwould be an insult to the most honorableblood in America. I have known hisfamily all my life. They have been inevery war of this country from the Revo-lution down . They have been distinguishedsoldiers, heroes, and statesmen, as he isone to-day. He was a gallant and brilliantofficer in tlie confederate army from thefiring of the first gun of the war to the last

;

and when the war ended he surx-enderedlike a soldier and a hero, and he has he>-haved himself as a soldier and a hero eversince. He was one of six or seven brotherswho went to the front, and I believe butthree survived the conflict. In addition tothe noble Butler blood which runs thi-oughhas veins, he inhei-its through his veneratedmother, whom I well knew, the blood ofthe gallant Commodore Perry, of LakeErie fame. He has been eminently conser-vative and loyal ever since he surrenderedhis sword.Why, sir, the conservative party in SouthCarolina five years ago sent here to liavehis disabilities removed. They were re-moved at my instance ; and they ran himfor heltitenant-governor upon the conserva-tive ticket with R. B. Cajpenter, who wentfrom Kentucky into South Carolina, andwho was always a most loyal Union man.Mr. BucKNER rose.Mr. JoNKS, of Kentucky. I will notallow myself to be interrupted. Sir, if

there be a man in the Union whom we canyecogdize as the proud cnevalier sanspeuretsans reprocheit is M. C. Butler, ofSouth Carolina.

I repeat that I have known him fitnboyhood. I knew his father and all hjBgreat unclesall distinguished^and honor-able men. Wliat is stated in that letter isliterally true. I would vouch for M. C.Butler the world over. -Mr. Raiket. Mr. Chairman, no mem-ber on this floor can deprecate more heartilythan myself ttie ei)ening of this discussion.I had anticipated that when this Congressmet its action would .be such as to exercisea salutaiy effect upon the entire Demo-cratic party of the country ; that it wouldclose its deliberations without agitatingthese questions affecting the lives and lib-erties of American citizens. But it fkp-pears to me that so long as the negrd hasa vote in this coimtry, so long as iya has avoice in this government, it is necessary^that he should on every proper o


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Tfitji whisky and with a determination tsubdue the negro in the South, told them"mth threats that they must stand fromacross the road so that these men might beenabled to drive by unmolested.

"Wby, sir, just think of it ! What wouldbe thought if here in Washington City,when a- military company was parading onthe Fourth of July; two men should comeup in a buggy and demand of the officersthat the company should get out of theway, and if they did not, should at onceset to work and murder the men of that-military company? I ask you, citizens ofthe United States, would you stand it ?I ask you, brave men who fought foi" yourcountry's liberties long, before you tookpart in the war of the rebellion, would youstand it? I ask you, proud Southern menwho boast of yaur gallantry and your ih-telligence and your superiority to my race,would yon stand it? I ask you, men ofthe North who sacrified your blood andti'easure, who sacrificed the lives of yoursons and your relatives, would you standit? Do you. then, expect negroes to standm this? Do you expect my race to sub-mit meekly to continual persecution andmassacre by these jteople in the South ? IAre you not going to allow us any right


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day when the horn shall sound, and thaquestion will be not "whether he was ablack sheep or a white sheep, but whetherjt is good mutton." (Laughter.)It may be that the great body of theblack i)eople in South Carolina belong tothe category of the good sheep; but 1 amafraid from the testimony in this book thatsome of them will not go on the right sideon the day of judgment. I am afraid theGood Shepherd will not provide for them."Mr. Smalls. Have you the book thereof the city of New York ? (Laughter )Mr. Cox. I presume that the gentle-

man from South Carolina, by making thatremark, seeks to embarrass me in conse-quence of the fact that I belong to thatportion of the democratic party, alongWith Governor Tilden and others, whodrove out the rascals, as you did not inyour party in South Carolina. (Laughterand applautse.)Mr. TowNSEND, of New York. Mr.Chairman, I have no time to talk aboutSouth Carolina, but

There is a land of pure delightWher-e saints immortal reign,and that land is the city of New York.The population of South Carolina in 1870was 716,500, the population of the city ofNew York was 942,000. The populationof South Carolina was about three-fourthsof that of the city of New York. Thegentleman from New York who has justtaken his seat [Mr. Cox] said that therepublican administration are eating outthe substance of South Carolina.Now, sir, the debt of South Carolinaoverhand above every deduction is less than$1-0,000,000. The debt of the city of NewYork over and above every deduction is$1U, 000,000. Who eats out the substanceof xhe people ?

But, sir, more than that. Gentlemensay that bad men with bad motives haveruined the State of South Carolina. Howabout VVilliam M. Tweed? He was theruler of the city of New York in one formor another for more than twelve years. Hewas the ruler of New York through Tam-many Hall at the time when the e:entlemanfrom Ohio brought his little " carpet-bag "to the city of New York and set it downin Tammany Hall, which was then flour-ishing in all its power and glory, and lookedup smilingly for the approbation of Wil-liam M.Tweed. (Great laughter.) WhileWilluim M. Tweed ruled New York$40,000,000 was stolen from that people byTweed and liis immediate associates, andthere is to-day a judgment entered againstWilliam M. Tweed for his share of thestealings which could be traced to hishands of over $6,000,000; Peter B. Swee-ney, thdcity treasurer, stol'e another share;Richaili B. Connolly another share; An-drew J. Garvey stole his sluire; and luger-soll stole still another share of -theT40,000,000, and every man of them hrfs

left this couutiy for his country's good ex-cepting twoGarvey, who is in State'sprison, and IngersoU, who has been par-doned out by the "reform" governor ulthe State of New York. But there waanot only this stealing of $40,000,000 hjthis Tweed gang, but Thomas C. Fiekls^ another glorious leader of Tammany, gotan appropriation from the Legislature t&the amount of more than $100,000 noas-inally for the benefit of the firemen, hnthe actually stole every dollar of it. HenryGenet got an act pa&sed for a court-bonse-in the city of New York and stole tlie-$100,000 appropriated for the coui-t-ho-


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discussion should have been turned awayinto a partisan direction, and partly andmainly turned into laughter.Now I want to state in a word what 1understand to be the facts which we arecalled upon to consider by this amend-ment. A legally organized militia com-pany, parading with arms that are legallyheld by them, in their own town, on thecentennial Fourth of July, were accostedby two young men who demanded thatthe company should get out of the road;and because the whole company did not atonce move out of the road for the two menwho could have gone quite as well a littleat one side, it was resolved by sundrypersons to disarm that legally organizednmlitary company of the State ; and be-cause the company did not consent to bedisarmed at the command of unauthorizedpersons, an organized mob, led by a dis-tinguished gentleman who served as anofficer in the war against the Union, as-sailed, surrounded, opened fire upon them,captured some of them, and after capturemurdered in cold blood, without warrantor authority, a considerable number ofAmerican citizens. This has been statedhere in the House on the official authorityof the attorney general of South Carolina.The papers of the dominant party in thatState and Georgia admit that the real andonly ground of this outrage was the factthat the military company was composedof colored men ; that colored men hadused their rights as citizens to orga,nizethemselves as a part of the State militia.Now I have no doubt that there are mul-tkudes of good men in the South, andmany on tlie other side of this House whodeeply deplore this bloody and atrociousoutrage. But how has it been treated inthis discussion? The first utterance wasby the gentleman from New York, [Mr.Cox, ] who arose in his place and declaredthat the negroes began the affray by kill-ing a white man. That statement has beenanswered by the fact that they made nohostile demonstration until they were firedinto by the mob. Again the gentlemanfrom New York [Mr. Cox] stated thatthis matter was introduced here for a badpurpose, a bad motive, to stir up badblood, and to affect the elections. Andto-day we have been treated to an extremeexample of his usual method. He hasattempted to laugh at a group of atrociousmurders. His levity was never so horri-bly out of place.The only calm and thoughtful declara-tion which has been made on this subjecton the other siflo of the House was by thegentleman from Georgia, [Mr. Hart-ridge.] who spoke manfully and regret-fully upon the subject and suggested thatwe should wait until the offiLcial examina-tion was had.

I am more troubled than by the merefa(Jt of the murder about the symptoms

that I see around me. Has it come to-pass that a murder like this cannot be dis-cussed in this House without its being-charged that there is a bad motive for-speaking of it? Do our northern dem-ocrats care more for the interests of theirparty than for the safety of the lives ofcitizens? But I am still more anxious toknow, and to know from gentlemen of theSouth who can speak with knowledge andby authority, whether this is a sporadiccase of murder, or whether it is a symp-tom which indiqatcs a general condition offeeling in their section. My anxiety is toknow whether this instance indicates a set-tled purpose to declare that black menshall not be legally organized into militiacompanies, shall not parade peaceably inthe streets under arms, shall not be allowedall the rights, privileges, and immunitiesof citizens of the United States of what-ever color. That, Mr. Chairman, is mygreat anxiety in regard to this case.We fought a great war to establi.sh theUnion and the equal right.s of citizens be-fore the law; and I wish we could layaside all the bitterness of that contest; butI say distinctly to gentlemen from theSouth that the era of our good feeling cannever be ushered in in its fullness untilyou let us know that the old spirit of casteand race which caused the war has beenlaid aside with the weapons we carried inthe field; and until a black man, while hebehaves himself, lawfully and peaceablyshall enjoy all the rights, all the privileges,all the protection, and all the guaranteesof the Constitution that a white man enjoysin all our States. "When that is done, wccan shake hands in full assurance of peace,and can hang the olive branch over all ourdoors; until that time comes, we mustkeep watch with that eternal vigilancewhich is the price not only of liberty butof equal justice to all citizeiLs.Mr. Lamar. Mr. Chairman, I do not

propose to discuss or analyze this terribleand disgraceful afiair at Hamburgh, al-though 1 think that the gentleman fromOhio [Mr, Garfield] has not given a fairand impartial statement of the circum-stances in which it originated. But thosecircumstances are of no moment here uponthis question, nor are the provocationswhich led to the final fearful tragedy in-volved in the proposition now before us.Nor are they, in my opinion, (and here Idiffer with the member from Ohio,) thelegitimate topic of debate or discussionon this floor ; they belong to another tri-bunal, to which the constitutions of Statesas well as that of the Federal Governmentremit these subjects."Whether in the circumstances and theseprovocations the whites or the blackswere most to blame is a question to which,I shall not now recur. Through all theconfusion which has been thrown aroundthis transaction, (and I must say, notwith-


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iHniiiiig tie booonble ehanetar of theiÔDKHifc of ttw BMKbw fron Sootii Car-olxBi^ 'dudi I do aat questka in thedigJMest desxee^ Ub dacMaaMt was evi-dbntlj- wrttten, shI patbapfSrwcyaatanBTvmadtx ^tamk exteftmtian aad e tciitncwit,OurQc^h aH tiw wHHttUBty vbkk eaoMspe-

'^nfcifQB aad gaa^!gttipas bav thrownuroond this snliiBci, thrae is one tcwhiek gksms oat aeknowledêd. or. ifnot ack3C>Tledgd. is indispaxsibie. It isthac a body of wbite men diJd. witliouc au-thfOritjofiaw. pi^t to death a number ofUat^ mea, who had been taken as prison-as ; I mean who had been capfnr^ anddqpchred of their liberty, bat who werenot fxisoofirs in the legal sense of thetem, inasmnch as thoi$e capturing themhad no right binder tiw law to deprivethem of their perscsial liberty.

2fow. sir, I wish to say here in myplaceînd what I say here just ;is it dropsfrom my lips and falls upon the reporter snotes is at on*:e sent throughout the entireSouth, and every constituent of mine, inerery home and hamiet, will read what Isay ; and even if I were base or ignobleenough to utter here what I would swervefrom there, as has been falsely chargedagainst Southern men, the Record wouldalways convict mein my ' : andwith the responsibilities si'. , me,I assert that no excuse or ..^ .... .u. canpossibly be found for these outrages andthis barbarism. [Applause.]As a Southern mxn and as a Democrat.I have a remark or two to make upon thissubjerrt. ilr. Chairman, we of the Southhave a lawless class precisely as you ofthe ôrth have lawless classes. As a con-sequence we have riots in which humanlife is lost precisely as you have suchriots, with this diflsrence : Ours withoutpreconcert dame up in difierent localitiesand are coniined to short periods of time,while yours in more than one instancehave held several counties in terror, haveextended over months of time, and haveinvolved a larger loss of human life, defy-ing the authorities of your States,Mr. Co:sGEK. I move that the commit-tee rise in order that the time may be ex-tended.

Sir. ScHUEiCHSK- I gave the longesttime that was asked for. Twenty minutesbad been agreed upon ; but at the sugges-tion of the gentleman from Ohio [Mr.Garlieid] it was extended to thirty min-ates.The CnAiBiULS. Discussion is not inorder.

3Ir. ScHiiEiCHEK. If we keep on ex-tending the time for discussion it will goover until to-morrow, and I do not ôwhw much longer, for, sir, the time neverwin t'e in this when some member doesnot wi^h to speak.

T-iie Chatiuia^. The gentleman fromM.chiiran moves thai the coaunittee rise

for the purpose of extendiB$( tho time fordebate on the first sectioii of the pendingbilLThe committee divided ; and there wereayes 101. noes 43.80 the motion was agreed to.The committee accordingly rose ; andthe Speaker p-rv iitmv'm having resumedthe chair, Mr. 3Ionroe reported that theCommittee of the Whole on the state otthe Union had. according to order, hadunder consideration the "joint resolution^^H. R ô. 96^ to provide for the protec-tion of the Texas frontier on the LowerRio Grande, and had come to uo retsolu-tion thereon.

Mr. ScHXEiOHEK obtained the rioor.Mr. CoxEK. The committee rose for

a special object on my motion, and I in-sist that I am entitled to the floor.The Sfbakek p'-o t&mpore. The ChaL-is supposed to know nothing of what takesplace in committee. The gentleman fromTexas is entitled to the lioor.

Mr. Co>"GKR. I believe the Chair waspresent when my motion was made andwhen it was carried by a vote of the com-mittee.Mr. SciTLEiCHEK. I move that theHouse restÂre itself into the Committee ofthe 'Whole on th^ state of the I'mon ; andpending that motion I move that aU fur-ther debate on the lirst section of thepending bill and amendments thereto belimited to ten minutes.Mr. CojfGEK. I move to amend that byextending the time for debate to one hour,

giving: the first five minutes to the gentle-man hwm Mississippi [Mr. Lamar] whowas on the fioor ait the time the debawclosed.The Speakeb pr* teraport. The ques-tion is on the amendment of the gentle-man from ilichigan.

Mr. Hals. Ic is understood by thesegentlemen that it is to be divided up intofive-minute speeches.Mr. CoxGKS. Yes; tinder the five-min-

ute rule.Mr. Lamab. In view of the evident

difiiculty we are getting into. I will saythat I do not wish to prosecute my re-marks.The Sfeakkk pro tempore. All this dis-cussion is unnecessary and out of order.The House divided on Mr. Co>"gek'samendment ; and there wereayes 74,noes 139.Mr. CoxGEK. I demand the yeas andnays.

Mr. KAssoy. I will move to make ittwenty minutes.Mr. CosGSK. I demand the yeas andnajrs on my proposition.The House divided ; and there wore

ayes 37. noes 137." So ( one-fifth having voted in the :xiSru:-

ative the yeas and nays were ordertd.Mr. Hokrss. Inview of the lateness


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of the session I ask we may compromisethis matter by allowing thirty miiiutos Iwdebate.The Spkaker 2^^o tempore. That canonly bo done by unanimous consent.Mr. CoRGKR. I pi-ofor to have the yeasand nays 6n my motion.The (lucstion was takou : and decidedin the negativeyeas 67, nays 12G, notvoting 'J;J.The Si'KAKEii pro tempore. The ques-tion is on the motion of the gentlemanfrom Texas [Mr. Bchloiclier] that whenthe House again resolves it-sclf into Com-mittee of the Wliolo all debate on thepending section and anicndmeuts be closedin ten minutes.

Mr. CoNOKU. I move to amend that bymaking the time forty minutes. I askthe gentleman from Texas [Mr. Schleich-er] to accept that jn-oposition.

Mr. Hancock. We made one contractwith you already and you would not standby it.Mr. Randall. The time was fixed bythe request of that side of the House andthat time has expired.

Mr. CoNoicu. When was it fixed ?Mr. Kanj)ALL. This morning. Theoriginal tiiiio suggested by that side wastwenty minutes, and the agreement was |

fiinally made at their request that thereshould bo thirty minutes. What theyasked was acceded to, showing that therehas been no disposition to cut olf debate.

Mr. CoNGKii. The gentleman fromPennsylvania cannot deny that there hasbeen a disposition to cut ofl." debate. Wohave aslced an hour, or forty minutes,, orthirty minutes, and that is refused with astrong hand.Mr. RanpaT;L. This is brouglit in toexcite bad feeling. We want to preservepeace.

Mr. CoNGEK. The gentleman does notwant us to discuss particular subjects.That is the trouble. I will modify myamendment and move to strike out tenminutes and insert thirty minutes ; andupon that I call for the yeas and nays.On the q,ucstiou of ordering the yeasand nays there were ayes 47.Bo (the afFumative being more than one-fifth of the last vote) the yeas and nayswere ordered.Mr. Mills. I suggest that we compro-mise on litteen minutes and give it all tothe gentleman from Michigan.The Speaker pro tetnpore. The propo-sition of the gentleman from Texas is notin order It can only bo entertained byunanimous consent.The question was taken on Mr. Con-ger's amendment, and there wereyeas73, nays 111, not voting 103.So Mr. Conger's amendment was notagreed to.

Mr. SciiLBiCHER. I move that theHouse resolve itself into Committee of tbo

Whole on the state of the Union uppn theTxas border bill, and pending that mo-tion I move that all debate ni)OH the ih-stsection and amendment thereto bo closedin twenty-live minutes, and on tJiat mo-tion I move the previous question.The question was taken on Mr. Schleich-er's motion, and on a diviisiou thei-o wereayes 119, noes 30.So the motion was agreced to.Tiio House accordingly resolved itself

into Committee of the vVholo on tho stateof the Union, (Jlr. Monroe in tho chair,)and resun)(Ml tho consideration of thojointresolution (II. K. No. 00) to provide forthe jjrotcction of tho Texas frontier on thoLower Rio Grande.

Mr. Kasson. Mr. Cliairman, for thofirst tiuio diuiiig this debate tho Househas heard from a gentleman of the oi>po-sition adivstiuot, diicct, and ])ointcd Qpn-dcmnation of this most serious and alarm-ing outrage upon human 1 Ho, human lib-erty, and constitutional riglits.

Mr. I.1AMAR. The gentleman is mis-taken. I only re))eated what my gificdfriend from Ccorgia [Mr. Hartridgc]said.

Mr. KAS30V. The gentleman fronvGreorgia "deplored" tho outrage. I failedto hear him condemn tho num who wereinvolved in its commission.Mr. llARTKiDOK. Tho gentleman wiH

allow mo a word?Mr. Kasson. The gentleman must, ex-

cuse mo, as my time is so short. Eventho gentleman from Mississippi was notablo to close his eloquent denunciation oftho outrage without impliedly turning thoresponsibility for these riots and outragesupon the Republican element in theSouth.Let us come to tho point before thisHouse under debate. On tho Fdiuth day

of July last a militia company was assem-bled in tho streets of Hamburgh, SouthCarolina, celebrating the anniversary oftheir national independence and ours.They were lawfully obsci-ving it, whentwo young white men got into a quarrelwith them ; but tho day dosed withoutdisaster. On tho following day an armedorganisation from Georgia, where thechief criminals yet remaui, invaded thoState of South Carolina and committedmurderous outrages which are certified inthe report of the attorney-general ofSouth Carolina over the signature of Gov-ernor Chamberlain, which report I nowhold in my hand. The question is, werethese militiamen violatnig tfce law wI:onthey were attacked? Had this militiacompany the right to assemble and paradeon the national holiday ? Your Constitu-tion tells you,' in the second amendmentto it, that^-A \7cU roffulatoil militia being iiocoasary to thesecurity "fa frco Statn, the ri^-ht of the people tol-^nt, :,iVl bear arms sUal! not be ialnng-ed.


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And yet the gentleman, General Butler,who is commended as a noble exponent ofchivalry, (and his personal character maybe all that his friends claim,) proposed, asis admitted, that the arms home by thismilitia company should be surrendered tounauthorized persons, and to deprive themilitia of South Carolina of the rightsecured to them by the Constitution of theUnited States. And then from the firstproposition to violate a constitutionalright they vrent on to other and moreserious violations of constitutional rightsand liberties, even to the taking of priso-ners who were lawfully in the militia com-paay, and not on'ly that, but disarmingthem of the arms they had a lawful rightto hold. And not only that ; "let theangels weep, but let honest men do morethan deplore ;' ' let them condemn with allthe energy of which human nature is capa^ble ; they told these prisoners to run. andas they ran from them they "chivalrous-ly" amused themselves by shooting themdown, and even in two instances mutilat-ing their dead'bodies.

Aiid when the gentleman from SouthCardfliua, [Mr. Smalls,] whose State anddistrict ha^ve thus been invaded and out-raged, bings tlie matter to the attentionof this House, the gentleman from NewYoiii [Mr. Cox] calls it bad in morals, badin motive, and charges that it is broughtin here for a bad political purpose. Sir,the Democratic party did not always takethis position. In 1840 they declared intheir national platform

:

That every citizen of every section of the coun-try has a right to demand and insifet upon anequaiity of rights and privileges and to completean ample protection of person and property fromdomestic violence or foreign aggression.They re-enacted that in their platformsuntil 1864. But when there came to becitizens of another color, citizens who weredependent, ignorant, poor, and needingprotection, the Democratic party com-menced leaving out of their platforms thisprinciple of the right of the citizen to pro-tection i>n person and in property. I standhere, independent of all party on thisquestion, to say that, bo the wronged citi-zens white men of Texas or black men ofSouth Carolina, this great Republic of44,000,000 of people owes all its energyand all its power to protect all citizens ofthis country against outrages upon libertyand life such as have been perpetrated inthis case. This is what the gentlemenfrom South Carolina [Mr. Smalls] has as-serted, as is his right. And I rise here todefend him and the race he representsagainst being laughed out of this tribunalof the nation and from the presence of theAmerican people when they bring theircomplaints before them aiid demand re-dress and protection in the name of human-ity and of constitutional right.Mr. Haiê. Mr. Chairman, thisHouse baspreîb'nted this morning a remarkable spec-

teicle. This has been no ebullition of senti-ment. The subject-matter before us hasbeen nothing of fancy. It has come upfrom no desire to ' 'shake the bloody shirt."The gentleman from South Carolina, [Mr.Smalls,] representing a defrauded andmurdered race, has offered a practicalamendment to the bill before the House, aperfectly germane amendment to a billwhich proposes to regulate the moyementsof the United States Army. The amend-ment is in these words :Trovidcd, That no troops for the purpose named

In this section shall be withdrawn from the Stateof South Carolina so long as the militia of thatState, peacefully assembled, are assaulted, dis-armed, taken prisoners, and then massacred incold blood by lawless bands of men invading thatState from the State of Georgia.The circumstances calling out thisamendment are that at least six men, citi-

zens of the United States, equal citizenswith you, sir, and me and the leaders uponthe other side ; men whm we have under-taken to clothe with all the high privilegesand rights that spring from our Constitu-tion and laws ; men whom we have madefellow-citizens with us have been wantonlyand foully murdered. And yet the major-ity of this House upon a deliberate roll-call have refused to allow sixty minutesdebate upon this subject of the slaughterof our fellow-citizens. Why, sir, the tak-ing of the life of a single British subject,entitled to the protection of the Britishflag, has forced entrance to the House ofCommons and has there dominated allother subjects for weeks and months. Andthe French Assembly has again and againdebated for days and "eeks upon thewrongs of a single French citizen. Thistenderness for the life and property of thecitizen has been the common pride of everylegislative body that has ever been knownto the civilized world. And yet the ma-jority of this House decline to give an hourfor debate to this overweening, overmaster-ing subject, or inquiry into the causeswhich led to the murder of these six menand for discussion of the means by whichwe may prevent like occurrences by thepresence of United States armed forces.The gentleman from Georgia asks whydo these things continue to occur? Let me

tell him that they will continuejust as longas members on ihat side of the Chamberrise as one man to stanp down the discus-sion of these atrocities. Let me tell himthat so long as the Democratic party areled by men in whose neighborhood thesescenes are enacted, and who have nothingbut good words for the actors in the ter-rible drama, the raiders and murderers inGoorgia and South Carolina will go high-handed on their bloody work^nd wilf, asthey believe, be protected in ft;

Sir, these is something to do besides in-voking sentiment and quoting poetry, ashas been,doae in this case. I charge upontê gentleman from Mississippi, [Mr.


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Lamar, ] who bas a philosophical, specu-lative mind, and has hu^man sympathies ;who sees the wrong and infamy of thesethings! here the hammer fell]I chargeupon that gentleman who has been twicechosen by his constituents a Representa-tive in this House, and has been furtherendorsefl by electioii to a seat in the Sen-ateI charge upon him the responsibility,not of the acts themselves, but of puttinga stop to these things in his State. Icharge upon the gentleman from Georgia[Mr. Hartridge] that lie and his associatesmust stop them there. [ Here the hammeragain fell.] I charge upon the leaders ofthe dominant party in all the SouthernStates that they must stop these murders.[Cries of "Order!"] IMr. Lamak. I have discharged my re-sponsibility in part by defeating theauthors of such disorders in my State.Mr. Mackey, of South Carolina. Mr.Chairman, in connection with the subjectnow under discussion the gentleman fromNew York [Mr. Cox] has seen fit to de-nounce South Carolina as one of theworst-governetl States in the Union. Forthis assertion there is no foundation what-ever, and instead of South Carolina beingbadly governed at present she has a bettergovernment to-day than she has had foryears. I would like to remind the gentle-man of this fact, of which he seejns to beenfcely ignorant, that to-day the onlyqu^ion dividing the Democracy of SouthCarolina is whether or not they shall nom-inate as their candidate the man who isnow the Republican Governor of oiu' State.If .the present government of South Caro-lina is so bad and corrupt, why are theDemocrats discussing the propriety ofmaking the head of that government theircandidate in the next election ? It is anindisputable fact that should GovernorChamberlain again be the nominee of theRepublican party he will receive hundredsof Democratic votes. Many of the lead-ing Democrats in the State know this, andhence they argue that it would be inexpe-dient to nominate a Democratic candidateshould Chamberlain receive the Republi-can nomination. At one time the State

. government of South Carolina may havebeen exceedingly bad, but such is not thepresent condition of affairs. Taxes havebeen reduced, assessments lowered, cor-rupt officials removed, and numerous re-forms inaugurated, and the vast improve-ment in the government is fully recognizedby two-tliirds of the Democratic papers inthe State. Quotations from Pike's Pros-trate State have no application whateverto the present condition cff affairs in ourStale. This much I have deemed it neces-sary to say in refutation of the assertiontiiat South Carolina is to-day the worst-governed State in the Union.

Mr. HoGE. I move to strike out thelast wlrd.

Mr. Chairman, in rising to speak uponthis question I will say that I had hopedthe occasion would not have ar.'sen at thislate period, when I as a member of Con-gress should be called upon to rise in myplace and speak upon the subject that isnow occupying the attention of the House.I was in hopes that the time had passed inSouth Carolina when these outrages, thesedeeds of blood and murder could neveroccur again. I was in hopes they Trereforever passed.

I can remember, Mr. Chairman, that m1868, during the memorable election in thethird congressional district, which I hadthe honor to represent on ths floor, therewere nearly three hundred of our citizensthat were murdered ; so that this outragethat has been perpetrated in Edgefield isnothing new in the history of South Caro-lina. Over three hundred of my constitu-ents at that time sufGered loss of life byadhering to and advocating the principles.of the Republican party. But while thisstate of affairs has existed, I do not want-tomake the statement to-day to this House,nor do I believe it, that even in SouthCarolina 'all the white men who belong to-the Democratic party are in favor of the-murderers. I do not believe that. Onthe contoary, I know there are manymen in our State that belong to that partywho are as much opposed to these deedsof blood and violence as I am.But I do state to-day, and I stated fromthe knowledge that I have gained from ex-

1 perience, after nearly eleven years's resi-I dence in South Carolina, and having been,intimately connected with the politics ofthat State during that timeI do statethat there is an element in the Democratsparty either controlled or partly controlledby the men who headed the band of mur-derers atHamburgh,a party headed by suchmen as General M. C. Butler and General.Geary, and men of that class, who by.theiracts and their words, by their counsel tothe people who do these deeds of blood,urged them on to commit these greatcrimes. While perhaps General Butlerwould be too much of a gentleman or toohonorable a man to shoot a negro if he hadtold him to run off, for the mere pleasureof seeing him fall, yet by his advice the.sedirty scoundrels and murderers who didthat shooting were actuated and encour-a"-ed to do these deeds of blood; it was byiust such men as Butlec and Geary, ofEdgefield County. Those ai-e the menwho advocated and reccnumended this out-rage upon the colored people; and it wassimply because they are members of theRepublican party, because thej cannotcontrol their suffrages and get tliem taputthera in. oflace by their votes. They say tothem, "You have to act with the Demo-cratic party in South Caiofina, or we will'make you d'o it." The edict has goneforth that a black man in South Carolina


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rzmust citliCT vote the Democratic ticketin the futnre or follow in the footsteps ofthose who fell at Hamburgh. It has placedmy distinguished friend from Mississippino, I do not know that he would allowme to call him thatit has placed him ina position to obtain a scat upon this floor,to be elected to the Senate. He says thatthey have pyace in Mississiqpi and in Ar-kansas. So they have; but it is the peaceof the grave; it is the lasting peace to thecolored man and to the white man whodares to advocate those great principlesof civil and religious liberty that havebeen advocated bv the loaders of our

that it lies vrithin your power to stop theseinfernal outrages. Be as active in huntingout the human fiends who crossed thebridge at Augusta, Georgia, to Hamburgh,South Carolina, with artillery to shell outof the citadel the forty negroes that couldnot be dislodged by hundreds of armedwhites from your State and the State ofSouth Carolina. See that they are caughtand punished.Mr. Cook. What evidence is there thata sii^gle man went frcmi Georgia?Mr. Conger. I call the gentleman toorder.Mr. Cook. These men never went frompartyprinciples which came down to us i the State of Georgia.from our forefathers, and wlvich it is ourduty to perpetuate aVid hand down to ourchildren as a sacred heritage.Mr. HocE. I withdraw the formalamendment.

Mr. Foster. I renew it. I have a

'

Mr. FosTEK. They did. General But-ler admits it.

Mr. Cook. No. sir.Mr. FosTEu. When you have caughtand punished these men then sing to us apanegyric to the vindication of outragedword to say on this subject to gcnllemea law, instead of talking to us about noblefrom the South. It lias hc.on my good or | blood. Ay. a nobility that murders in coldbad fortune politically (I do not know I blood a captured negro.which) to join other gentlemen in a reporton Louisiana altairs in which the truthwas told when it bore heavily n my partyfriends. I denounced the fraud of thereturning bo.ard of Louisiana, and joinedhearLiiy with Mr. Wheeler in bringingabbut the compromise that bears hisname. I have never failed to denouncemy party when I found it in the wrong.I concede that you have had bad gov-crnmont in some of tlie Southern States,perhaps in South Carolina, though I doubt

it now. Under Governor Chamberlain the

If you gentlemen have not the influenceto stop these outrages you are not lit to beRepresentatives in the A.merican Congress.You can do it if you will. Wlien you havetried and have succeeded you will hear themost welcome shout of " Well done, goodand faithful servants" that has been heardsince the dawn of Christendom. We willfall on your necks and rejoice.

[LauTihter on the Democratic side of theHouse and cries of " O, no! "Mr. Cook. You must not fall on my

neck; you have fallen on our property andgovernment of South Carolina has greatly on our rights as it is, and now you want toimproved. ' ~If I know myself, I have none but thekindest feelmg for the people of theSouth. I long to see the day when peaceshall reign throughout your borders, whenprosperity shall bless all yoiu- undertak-ings. I long to see the day when we shallhear no more of the color line, when eveiyman, be he black or white, shall bo in the

full, unrestrained possession of every rightvouchsafed to him by the Constitution andthe laws.I cannot, however, close my eyas toscenes of horror and bloodshed, of whichthe Hambm-gh massacre is a sample ; scenesand otrtrages that would disgrace the sav-age.Talk not to me about your clievaliers,your men of high honor, when they standby and witness (and, as I believe, encour-age) the barbarities of Hamburgh.Are Mississippi outrages and tactics tobe transplanted to South Carolina? Did

you sell out the solid vote of the South to

fall on our necks. [Laughter.]Mr. Foster. We did fall on you, andyou remember tlie fall.Stretch out your hands in charity toGod's poor whom you have with you. Givethem to understand by every act of yours

that you recognize their complete politicalrights. Wipe out all distinctions in yourlaws on account of color.Let them feel and know that their oldmasters axe their friends, and that theywill if need be fight the world in arms topreserve their liberty, notwithstanding itwas obtained against the masters' will.Your iH'ofessions will not do. Thesebarbarities must cease. If they do notyou must expect that the power of theGovernment will be exerted to its fulllimit if need be to protect the humblestAfrican in your midst.Lay not the flattering unction to yoursouls that because you can give Tilden aunited vote he will be elected.The instrumentalities used to bringabout a United South for Tilden will asilden; and do you propose to i-atify yourbargain by scenes of bloody barbarity, a I certainly give the Northto Hayesparallel of which can only be found in the ' We are as tired of Southern misrule asSouth where you prate so much of honor

jyou are. This misrule is not a one-sided.and high breeding?

I matter South as well as iN'orth. .The ras-Let mc tell you, gentlemen of Georgia. ' cals hunt in pairs, as thevdoin the North.


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When you atch a Belknap you catch aPendleton with him. [Laughter and criesof ''0 1 (Ol^'on the Democratic side ofthe House.] So in the South, the steal-ings are divided between the parties.

I beseech and implore you, men of theSouth, to stop these outrages' 'upon theblack man, thus restoring confidence inyou in the North, and then henceforth wewill dwell together in unity, peace, andgood-will. The horrors of the war will beforgotten. Then we will go hand in handexalting and glorifying the Republic.

Doc Adams's StatementThe Story of theTv;o-Haur3 Siege, and how he with aDetachment of his Company Escapedfrom the Armory.

[Froi our special correspondent.]AiKKK, South Garolitca, Jidy 12.

I send yoii a statement of Doc K Adams, thecapt.ain ol llic uitljlla couipany,just as it liais beengiven by liini. lie saw a part ol' the affair andwas quite au interested paity. Here is his siaie-mcni:I am captain of Company A, Eighteenth IJea;!-nibnt National Guard ofUie State of SkuiU Caro-

lina, vrhicti company has Been stationed at liam-buT^jii; in fact ix was made up there Irom tliecitizens of the town and vicinity.OnSalurday, ilieStU day of July, al^out half-pastfo^r o'clock, G-oeral Butler, with ahout thirty orforty men, assembled at the olhce of Trial-Justiceliivers, in Ilutuburgh. The occasion of this wasbecause at that hour the trial of I Ik; inilitiautricerswas to take place. I went to Trial-Justice Klversanfl stated to him that I amt the other odicers ofthe company did notwantto be tried beluro bimthat evening, and that we would give bond for ourappearance before the circuit court. lV1yrea?onlor saying this to liim was because I had lieardthreats made against myself and others by theforty or more armed men who were crowded roundKivcrs's olhce. On making this statement toliivers he told me 1 could use my own judgiacntabout llBe matter, as he was of the opinion hiinselfthat it would be unsalo for myself and tlic otherofficers to be tried at that time. 1 having con-cluded not to go to the court, a committeo'catuGfrom General Butler for me to meet him at tliehouse of S. B. Spencer, where a hundred or morearmed white men were congregated. 1 refused togo, belitiving my life would be unsafe. The whitemen were armed with revolvers and sixteen,shooters. I then made the proposition that ifGeneral Kutlerwould meet me halfway and keephis men back I would meet him. and we would tryanil seille the matter without any trouble. ThisGeneral Butler refused positively to do, ami senta message to the effect that the arms of the com-pany and the officers must be given up lo him,antl that he would not guarantee any j)rotectionwhatever even if the anus and officers were sur-rendered. 1 refCised to agree to this, as I saw if Idid my men and myself would be at the mercy ofGeneral Butler and his men. 1 then, to preservethe lives of ray men and myself, took refuge in ahrick building we used as an armory. There werethirty-eight of u3 in all. We had hardly got inand secured tUe entrance before General Butler'smen-opened fire on us. At this time General But-ler had about two hundred jnea. They kept up abrislc tire on the building for over half an hourbqfore we tired one shot from the building. Gen-eral Butler's men were posted under the trestle ofthe Chariotte, Columbia and Augusta Railroadand under the abutment of the bridgeof the samecompany. This was between six and seven o'clockp. m. We remained in the building until abouteight o'clock.

My reasons for leaving waa because I heard;threats made by General Butler's men to blow thebuilding up, and to send to Augusta for cannon,and I knew we could not hold it if either of thesemoans were resorted t*. After getting out of thebuilding with my men the company divided, andI took command of one portion and gave Lieuren-ant Attaway command of the other. The numberwith me amounted to about a dozen or so of men

;

Attaway had twenty-one. I vrent to the leTt ofthe building with my men and escaped. Attawayand his men were captured. This is all that I caaspeak of positively, as when I mad6 my escape Iaiid the portion of men with me came right on toAiken. At the time I left I think there were fouror hve hundred men under General Butler, with,re-en toroemcnts coming in froaa Augujla andKdgetield. Between twelve and one o'Clook atleast t\VK) thousand men were present, armed tothe teeth. 1 left for Aiken about three o'clocliSunday morning. Doc Li. Adams,Qapt. Co. A, Etghteenth licgl. N. O. .V. 6'. C.The above statement is signed with Adams'own signature. Ho seems to be a man of someintelligence, and as 'mild-mannered" as possible.Jle gave the .statement without hesitation, and in-a manner whioh convinced me of his sincerity.

C. IVlciK.r __PRIKCE RtVEns' STATEMENT.The testimony was closed at this point, andthough many other witnesses were waiting ihis-

was deemed sutticieat. The verdict has not yoEbeen rendered.I'nnfte iiivcr.s made the following written state-ment In substance to Attorney (}encral Stono to-day:On the affidavit of one Kohert IluUcr he issuedwarrants as trial justice lor Doc Adams and thoiher eoiiimtssioned otiicers of a militia company

in the town of HamburgU for obstructing theliigluvay and preventing the said Robert ButlerJruin pa.'isiiip. This was on the fill) of July, 187ff.Owing to some confusion taking place in tlusofip':on the said day he jost|oned the trial till Sat\Ji'-day, the 8th, at 4 p. in , atwhich tlmoGeneral M.C. Jlutler appeared as counsel lor Bobert Biitler.'During the said trial l\t V. Huiler asked for mCrolime, which was granted, hr, Hutler, prt^misingto be ready within an hour; but he neVer returnedto Kivcrs'otfice any more, but went to Augustaand returned with two companies of so'ldlers anddeinandeii the immediitle suriender oif the arrasin the possession of the iniutia lo him. After sometalk with Uivers he, (Jencral Butler, grantedIhcui a half hour to comply tvit li his terms. lUverjfthen went to the drill rocnn


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14company was kn6wn as Company A, Ninth Eegi-ment, National Guard of, the State of SouthCarolina. Anns were at thajt time famisheij to*t, and Eomo ajiunnnlUon. This Company, previousto May, 1878, had for some time but few names onits roll, drilled rarajy, and scarcely kept alive itsorga"ni^aiion. But in Blay of this year the num-ber of members increased to a'hoat eighty, andone Doc Adam^ was chosen captain.On the 4ih of July the company drilled on oneof the public street? Hn the lami of Hamburgh.The street on wiiich Ihey drilled was betweenone hundred and one hundred and fifty fet wiiJe,bjit it was irtile used, and was ovetgrown withgrass, c.Kcept tn that portion which was used as aUed inthe negative.Rivers then asked if he woulil not consent tohave hiin receive the arms, box them up, and sendthem to the governor. To which General Butlerreplied that ho would box them up and send tlicruto the governor, and if he, the governor, shouldreturn them to the comj)any it would be at his own

risk. Rivers then asked if they would give abond for the arms, to which General Butler saidthat ho wouM stand the bond, and turning toanother persdnI think R. J. Butlerasked if bewould not go on a bond also, to which he repliedttM.t he would.Rivers then asked for time before fire should beopeney on the militia, so that he might have aconference vrttli the militia ofBcers. 'This was ac-ceded to, and Kivers then went to the buildingknown as the Sibley building, in the second storycf whicli the company had its armory and drill-room, and where it was then assembled, and toldAUaptain Adams what might be expected rf he

should refuse to give up the arms. To this Ad-am's replied that General Butler had no right tothe,guns; that the cornpany held them, and haproposed to hold them, unless General Butlershowed some authority to take them. *After this Interview Rivers returned to GeneralButler, with whom was Robert J. Butler. Hetold them the decision to which the company hadcome. Then Robert J. Butler said that GeneralButter was his attorney; that he had come tosettle the matter. If the company would apol-ogize for the insult to his son and son-in-law hewould do nothing more. But the whole matterwas in G-eaeral Butler's hands. General Butlersaid that, as the men would iw5* meet him, hewould have no more to do with the#ar the South CarolinaRailroad, where .a lar^ party of armed meastood guard over them.None of those thus captured had arms in theirhands.Subsequently, and at about two o'clock a. m.,six men took A. T. Attaway out of tho "ring."He and his mother begged for his lllo, but iavain. He was t hen toltl to turn round, and waashot to death by tho crowd*David Bhillips was next taken out and waasimilarly killed.Fompey Curry was next called out. He rocoj-nlzed among tho bystander's lleory Getzen andDr. Pierce Butler, and called on them to keep theother men from Killing him He ran, and wasshot at as he ran, one bullet striking him In theright log below the knee.Allerward Albert IVlynlanl. Moses I'arks, andHampton Stevens were killed. Stevens did notbelong to the company. Nelder .I(din Parker, whohas been commonly referred to in the newsi>aperreports as John Tliomas, was corporal in thecompany."When he was arrested and taken to the spotwhere the other prisoners were, he recognizedamong the party two gentlemen of Augusta,named Twiggs and Chatfee. He appealed to themfor protection. They said he should not be hurt.He states that General M. C Butler asked him Ifhe was one of the dd rascals. The rejUy was Inthe affirmative. He was then shot In the back.Messrs. Twiggs and Chatfee then said il' he waashot again they would shoot the ones wl>o did it.They took him off, and had Iwm taken to^ugusta.He was shot before Attaway waa killed. He mayrecover Irom his wounds.


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One Batler Edarards wa taken as a pnaonor.He says ho waa taken before Greneral Butler, whoat that Umc was in the street near the Sibleybuilding. This was about twelve o'clock.Threats were made to shoot him. General But-ler directed that he betaken to the others. Herecognized among the crowd one Captain Carwileand Dunbar, of Augusta ; said he liad a longtalk with the former. He waa among the prison-ers who were let loose and told to run : as they ranthey were flred at and he was shot in the head.He was not a member of the company.Willis Davis, one of the members of the com-pany, was taken to the place where were the otherprisoners. The men stated that John Swarlnger,of 'Edgefield county, had charge of the prisoners.He states that he saw General Butler before themen were killed, who asked him what he wasdoing, and told him he would have enough of Itbefore he got threugh. He was shot in tuo arm,near the elbow, when about twenty paces diatantfrom the crowd. The ball is still in his arm, andhe suffers much pain. He also states that some ofthe youngmen from Georgia remonstrated againstShooting the prisoners, but in vain.Besides the killing and wounding of the menherein named the party broke open several storesand houses and, in some instances, robbed the in-mates. They took from Mr. Charles Koll, thepostmaster, and a very respectable white citizen,a gun whicn he had in his store, and his privateproperty. From an old colored man named JacobSamuels, in his employ, they took a watch and setfire to his house. They broke open the house ofTriaS-Justice Rivers and did much damage, aswell as robbed him of clothing. They obtainedkerosene oil and attempted to set fire to a bouse,but were preveuted by Colonel A. P. Butler fromdoing so. The ropes of the public wells were cutand some fences were torn down.So far as I can learn the primary object of theWhites was to take away from the militia theirarms.The man Parker, who was wounded, states thaton Friday, the 7th instant, he had a long talkwith one Harrison Butler (wliite) on Broad street,Augusta. Butler told him that if Rivers did notgive orders for the militia to give up their armsthey would take {"hem any way on the next day.On,Saturday rumors wero abroad in Hamburghthat there were armed parties coming In to take 1the guns, but little credit was attached to them.

One of the white citizens of Hamburgh heard aconversation between David Phillips and GelieralButler in the afternoon. Phillii>6 talked very"big," as the gentleman sid, and General But-ler told him that they wanted those guns andwere bound.to have them.In the afternoon Colonel A. P. Butler went tothe various stores in town and told the proprietorsthat they must not sell any liquor to his men. Inspite of this, however, some of the men compelledone of the storekeepers to furnish them liquor.From the same person they obtained kerosene oilto use in setting fire to a house.The whites were armed with guns and smallarms of various kinds, and many of them had axesand hatchets.

It is proper to state that the intendant of Ham-burgh, Mr. Gardner, was informed by GeneralButler, in an interview with him, that the armsof the company mnst be given up.Trial-Justice Rivers is now holding an inquestand taking testimony of witnesses. Until theirverdict is rendered, it will be impossible to tellwho were engaged in the attack on the militiaand the subsequent killing and wounding of thecolored men.

It may be possible that a careful judicial inves-tigation may show some slight errors in some ofthe minor details stated in ihis report. Butmaking due allowance for .ch errors, the factashow the demand on the militia to give up theirarms was made by persons without lawful author-ity to enforce such demand or to receive the armshad they been surrendered ; that the attack ontho militia to compel a compliance with this de-mand was without lawful excuse or justification ;and that after there had been some twenty ortwenty-five prisoners captured and completely intho power of their captors, and without means ofmaking further resistance, five of them were de-liberately shot to death and three more severelywounded.It further appears that, not content with thu3satisfying their vengeance, many of the crowdadded to their guilt the crime of robbery of de-

fenseless people, and were only prevented fromarson by the efforts of their own leaders.Yours, very respectfully,William Stone.Attorney- Generai SovUh Carolina.

lion. D. H. Chambeklain, Governor.

SPEECH OF HON. ROBERT SMALLS,IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, JULY 8, 1876.

Mr. ScHLEiCHKK. I HOW renew my mo-tian that the Hottse resolve itself into thecommittee of the whole on the state of theUnion for the purpose of resuming the con-sideration of the joint resolution (H. R.No. 96) to provide for the protection of theTexa.s frontier on the Lower Rio Grande.Pending that motion I move that all de-bate on the pending section and the amend-ments thereto be limited to twenty min-utes.Mr. Smalls. I ask the gentleman toallow a little more time. Twenty minutes

will allow only ten minutes for each side.I hope the gentleman will agree to give atleast an hour.Mr, Garfield. I trust the gentleman

from Texas will at least consent to allowthirty minutes. I think that will be satis-factory. Mr. Schleicher. I accept the sugges-tion of the gentleman from Ohio [Mr.Garfield] and modify my motion accord-ingly.The motion to limit debate in commit-tee of the whole upon the pending sectionand amendments thereto to thirty minuteswas agreed to.The question recurring on the motion of

Mr. Schliecher that the House resolveitself into committee of the whole it wasagreed to.The House accordingly resolved itsetfinto committee of the whole (Mr. Monroe


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in the chair,) and resumed the considera-tion of the joint resolution (H. R. No. 06)to provide for the protection of the Texasfrontier on the Lower Rio Grande.The Chairman. When the committeerose it had under consideration an amend-ment to section 1, offered by the centle-man from South Cax-olina, [Mr. Smalls,]which will be reported by the Clerk.The Clerk read as follows :Provided, That no troops for the purposesnamed in this section shall be drawn Irom theState of South Carolina so long as the militia ofthat State peaceably assembled are assaulted,

disarmed and taken prisoners and then massacredin cold blood by lawless bands of men invadingtbe State from the State of Georgia.Mr. Smalls. I offered that amendmentand desire to say a word upon it.The Chairman. Debate on the pending

section and amendments thereto has beenlimited by the House to thirty minutes.Speeches have bl??n^made for and againstthe pending amenc";^ rf jsnt, and it will bewell for the gentleman therefore to pre-serve the proper order and sitbmit anamendment to the amendment.Mr. Smalls. I move as a formal amend-ment to strike out the last word.Now, Mr. Chairman, in offering theamendment which has been read by theClerk I did it believing that the race towhich I belong are being outrageouslytreated in the district I have the honor torepresent upon this floor. Notwithstand-ixig that, sir, the gentleman from NewYork [Mr. Cox] rose upon this floor andattempted to state to the House and to thecountry that I had introduced this matterfor bad political piu-poses. If it has beenthe custom of the gentleman from NewYork to bring in matters here for badpolitical purposes, it is not so with me.That gentleman early undertook to s4ateto the House that South Carolina was theworst-governed State in the United States

;

that it was rotten to the corerotten allround* its borders. I agree with the gen-tleman from New York that South Caro-lina is rotten all round its borders, and forthat very reason I have offered the amend-ment to this bill to cut off that rotten partall round South Carolina so as to let thecore stand. It is those rotten parts whichare troubling us. We are getting along allright ourselves.He stated that I vouched for the authorof that report. I state again to this Housethat that report which was read from thedesk was signed by an honorable gentle-mai), a loyal gentleman, one who riskedhis life for the protection and defense oftliis Government. I say again I know thatilfi had given his name to this House inthe next few hours it would have been

known at Hamburgh, South Carolina, andI would not have given ten cents for hislife, for General Butler, the gentleman whowas attempted to be made a saint of in thisHouse, would at onge have organized an-other band of Ku-Klux and hunted himdown.

I will tell the gentleman from New Yorkthat I was vouched for by nearly fourteenthousand majority of loyal men to thisGovernment, and, sir, I will say men ofmy native State, the State of South Caro-lina, where I was born and i-eared. I wiUask the gentleman in God's name who en-dorses him, whether the people of NewYork or the people of Ohio ?Mr. Cox. Both of them. [Laughter.]Mr. Smalls. It is a good thing if thegentleman is endorsed by both of them. Ido not desire to take up the time of theHouse, as gentlemen on that side have onlyseen fit to allow ujs ten minutes to debateon this question. Thank God, I .hold . io.^my hand the official investigation of theattorney-general of that State, and if thatreport does not place everything charged ~in that former letter upon General Butler'shead, then I do not know how any mancan be proved guilty of any crime withinthe borders of the United States.

I have nothing to say in reference to thecomplimentary remarks of the gentlemanfrom Kentucky [Mr. Jones] in regard toGeneral Butler. General Butler mighthave been in the days he knew him every-thing he has stated in regard to him, butI can tell him that since General Butlerleft him he has either got into bad com-pany or has been badly advised, for therehas not been a row or riot in South Caro-lina since reconstruction in Edgefield thatGeneral Butler has not led ; he has beenthe leader of every riot or outrage perpe-trated upon the good people of that State.Why, sir, this military company is aregularly organized body of the militia ofthat State. It was celebrating the Fourthof July, and men having no authority at allasked those men to give up their arms.The Chairman, The gentleman's timehas expired.Mr. Smalls. I ask that the report ofthe attorney-general of the State of SouthCarolina be printed as a part of my re-marks.The Chairman. The Chair hears noobjection.Mr. Smalls. Also the statement of thecoroner and other papers.The Chairman. The Chair hears noobjection.The papers referred to are as follows :

(JFor these reports see pages 13, 14 aod15.)


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the massacre of six colored citizens of the united states at hamburgh, s. c., on july 4, 1876 (1876)

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