668 rnocnnn Arrous. No. 8. Oct. 17, 18*76. BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. A PROCLAMATION. Preamble. Whereas it has been satisfactorily shown to me that insurrection and domestic violence exist in several counties of the State of South Carolina, und that certain combinations of men against law exist in many counties of said State known as “Rifle Olubs," who ride up and down by day and night in arms, murdering some peaceable citizens and intimidating others, which combinations, though forbidden by the laws of the State, cannot be controlled or suppressed by the ordinary course of 'ustice - dud whereas it is provided in the Constitution of the United States that the United States shall protect every State in this Union, on application of the Legislature, or of the Executive when the Legislature cannot be convened, against domestic violence; And whereas bylaws in pursuance of the above it is provided (in the laws of the United States) that, in all cases of insurrection in any State (or of obstruction to the laws thereof,) it shall be lawful for the President of the United States, on application of the Legislature of such State, or of the Executive when the Legislature cannot be convened, to call forth the militia of any other State or States, or to employ such part of the land and naval forces as shall be judged necessary for the purpose of suppressing such insurrection or causing the laws to be duly executed ; And whereasathe Legislature of said State is not now in session and cannot be convened in time to meet the present emergency, and the Executive of said State, under section 4. of Article IV of the Constitution of the United States and the laws passed in pursuance thereof, has therefore made due application to me in the premises for such part of the military force of the United States as may be necessary and adequate to protect said State and the citizens thereof against domestic violence, and to enforce the due execution of the laws; And whereas it is required that, whenever it may be necessary, in · the judgment of the President, to use the military force for the purpose aforesaid, he shall forthwith, by proclamation, command such insurgents tc disperse and retire peaceably to their respective. homes within a limited time: _’furbulcnt ¤ n d Now, therefore, I, ULYssEs S. GRANT, President of the United States, $‘**g*'*‘3Y do hereby make proclamation, and command all persons engaged in
- '(Q"jm"dm, ,0 (,,8, said unlawful and insurreetionary proceedings to disperse and retire
,,..,·,,.,, peaceably to their respective abodes within three days from this date, and hereafter abandon said combinations and submit themselves to the laws and constituted authorities of said State. And I invoke the aid and co-operation of all good citizens thereof to uphold the laws and preserve the public peace. In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand, and caused the seal of the United States to be aiiixed. Done at the City of Washington this seventeenth day of October, in [SEAL ] the year of our Lord eighteen hundred and seventy-six, and of ' the Independence of the United States one hundred and one. U. S. GRANT. By the President: Jour: L. Cnnwnnnnnn, Acting Secretary of Slate.
