New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1868-11-21
NORTHERN TEXAS MATTERS
Ku-Klux Dirty Column. %
VII TEvN~ -r
vELRxING UNION dEN.
FIRST TRADUClD, THEN MuRprRrD.

writers:
Whenever public opinion prohibits free
| discussion. murder and riot will surely en-
sue. Jefferson, Texas, gives us an exam
pie. They have several Democratic pa
pers there, but no Republican organ. So,
of course, the falsehoods of the press can
not be refuted, and are regarded by many
honest people as unquestionable facts.
Besides, Republicans are too few and OBJ
noxious to resent or deny the ISLANDERS of
their opponents. One of the jefferson pa
pers is called the Ultra Ka-KttI. 1t states
| its mission to be TO abuse the CARPET
baggers and scalawags up to the hub for
the money" So it heads its articles villi-
flying noted Unionists, thus: Our Dirty
Column" Fortunate, indeed, is that man
who can live unmolested by mobs after be-
ing thus exhibited to an excited people.
Among these unfortunate victims were
Hon. G. W. Smith, of the Texas Conven-
ton, and Captain Kirkham, Bureau Agent
at Boston, Texas. After repeated attempts,
both these gentlemen were murdered.
Many others, after being thus slaDdered,
very narrowly escaped assassination.
Among these were Hon. Aaron Grigsby,
Judge Caldwell, Judge Campbell and
others, of Jefferson, together with Captain
AN@bNf ASuiD0u AECAt al SiuThsNIilSs I1Ous
u. W. Whitmore, of Tyler, Judge Hart, of
Greenville, and divers other persons of less
prominence.
A special article was devoted to each
one OF the above named gentlemen except
Mr.. Grigsby, and sometimes the onslaught
was repeated undl the people seemed al
most transported with rage against the
| helpless objects of their malice. If the lat
ter had not fled from their homes to dis
tant localities, their destruction would have
been inevitable. The narratives of some
OF these fngitives are fearfully thrilling and
! romantic, but are withheld from the public
for prudential reasons.
1t is proper to state that the most viru-
lent articles that appeared in the Ultra Ku-
htuT were published during the editors
absence and against his advice, being pro-
badly written by several different persons.
The editor himself has repeatedly
evinced a spirit sof magnanimity by
cohdemning crime.
But the most iuveterate foe to Republi-
canlsm among Northeastern Texas news
papers is the Jefferson Times. For several
months the Republicans at Jefferson we're
IN constant alarm lest the rawlings of that
organ should cause their massacre. For
months they hardly dared to walk the
streets at night For months the doomed
Smith seldom ventured to sleep two sue
ce-sive nights in the same house. During
several weeks the County Judge was OBJ
liged to sleep at the soldiers quarters, and
for some time he was afraid to go home
even IN the day time. Armed bands of
marauders prowled about nightly, robbing
freedmen of their arms, and in many in
stances committing murder and other atroci-
A tArr1lia
OF such crimes was always feared immedia-
tely after the publication of an incendiarv
article in the Jefferson Times. That paperis
shameless apologies for CRIME and persecu-
ton can commend it to body but Conan
ches or New Zealand cannibais.
The Times, fin apologzsg. iorj the mar
der OF Smith, charges him with heading
several negro mobs. As everybody in JET
ierson knows there never was but one ne
gro mob In that city, and that mob" as
sembled to extinguish the great fire which
consumed the main business portion Of
town about the first OF March. The white
people aided this mob, and no one worked
harder during that fearful night to save the
properly OF the citizens of Jefferson than
George W. Smith. The Times also charges
that Smith made many terrible threats and
lnsolent boasts. The man can NOT he
found who ever heard the accused utter
such threats as have been charged to him.
None OF his murderers ever dared Co look
him in the face and make such charges,
The Jefferson Jtmplecute. in a late issue.
sees fit to deny some well-known facts
rather discreditable to the mob element at
Jefferson. As the circulation of the jim.
pLecMe is less extensive than the knowledge
ot those outrages, we deem it unnecessary
to Teassert the facts in question, although
we could easily prove them by incontro-
vertlble evidence. AS to Smiths unhappy
dlliiculty with Judge Caldwell, it did not
prevent the latter from denouncing the
foul murder of the former in the most
manly and emphatic manner. Like every
olher ehlvalrous and conscientious gentle
man, he speaks in the highest terms and in
Tue most feeling manner of the undaunted
courage and enthusiastic self-devotion of
the victim.
The Galveston Ae,es, in excusinc the
murder of Smith, states that the neo5le of
Jefferson had, for some time previously,
been greatly alarmed at the turbulent con-
duct OF the negroes who were under his in
huence. The truth is, that the freedmen
there have been so terrified for several
months that many have sought safety bv
publicly renounciug po les; many by ioin-
ing the Conservatives, and the residue bv
avoiding political meetings, and in every
otner conceivable way. Very many Of
them have fled in terror to Marshall
Shreveport snd New Orleans. Multitndes
OF them bdve slept in the woods for long.
periods OF time for security. And will
Conservatives never cease to reiterate the
charges of turbulence and iusnrreotion
against the most inoffensive people on fbe
globe? s,,s-. PNOPi' VH '"0
A Jefferson (Texasl dispatch. pubIished
this evening, states that Marshal Daniel
Sandford, OF that city. was killed yesterday
~ desperado named William E. Rose.
ne deceased was an efficient officer. and
'oraVe to fanlt," but these good Qualities
70 necessary IN that lawless locality. did
iot save him from a tragical death in the
discharge of his duty. The dispatch further
tates that there was great excitement in
ne city in consequence of the murder. and
hat the murderer is in the hands of The
nilIary, which facts indicate waking uD
= the law-abiding citizens, and the au-
horities Of that place.
Rose has been several times under ar
est for assault with intent to kill. but AZ
aost OF his victims were freedmen, be has
bus far escaped punishment. Last sprinc
Ion Geo. W. Smith, lately murdered st
eherson, reused perfect storm of indJg.
alton sgainst himself for causing the ar
rst OF bose for cutting a Begro's throat
he Jetersonites will have reason ke sus-
eet that their pet "nigger-kille-s" are
)nst'mes dangerous to white Deetle. N.
we also learn from Drivake sol1rca th.s.