Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1868-03-30
rerror,.m An rennessss.

The new ofk lftou"o VI 80 ~ -
ont with column article on the subject
of anarchy, lawlessness and terrorism
in Tennessee especially in the extremes,
the eastern mountain regions, and the
city of Memphis" A mysterious or
ganization" called the Kuklux Klan,
SAYS the Tribune, has "spread over the
whole State" and created no little
ALARM And that the order, whatever
else il may be, is intensely rebel cannot
be doubted" All this it afiirms without
the suggestion Of doubt; and, 1t must
| be presumed, on the authority OF adven-
turers here, who have no interest in the
welfare of the Southern people, but hare
notifies, partisan and personal to do
them an injury. The statements OF the
Tribune, II true to any extent whatever,
cannot be established by proof in this
State. How then are such statements
to be justified in New York on any
ground stronger than may warrant the
exteuuation Of the most fagitous assev-
erations of the lying partisan 2 We in
Memphis cannot venture to affirm
the existence OF such "mys-
terious organization" We only know
the fact of the sworn and secret
"loyal leagues" But Mr.. Greeley,
wishing to believe men who would
not be believed where they happen
to live, has no difficulty in taking their
testimony for true, and affirming it as If
he knew it to be so. Has he so far lost
his self-respect that he will risk his repu-
tation for veracity by personal indorse-
ment of the suspicious statements Of
every follower of Brownlow, including
ell the convicted rogues in Tennessee,
and every culprit our governor has hast
ened to spew forth from the penitentiary Z
We take the liberty of suggesting, what
Mr.. G. should have the will as we'll as
the sense to keep in mind, that it
may be as crszinsl to affirm
that which he has no reasonable assn
rance is true, as II is to asseverate what
he knows to be false. We know not what
his partisan ends may require. But
fidelity to liberty and love of country will
warrant abstinence from ainging parti-
san lies broadcast, and resort to all the
means of maddening masses of men
already destitute of magnanimity and in
famed with unreasoning malevolences
We beg leave, moreover, to call
the attention of Mr.. Greeley to an
additional thought, which in fair
ness demands some sort Of notice from
him. If we admit the existence of such
an organization as that with which he
would alarm his Radical Republican SYM
pathisers, and admit also that it is an or
eanization of which men lately in rebel
lion compose the greater part, still 1t has
never rebelled against any government,
not even that infamous one which damns
Tennessee itself, It has never broken
the peace, never harmed an inno-
cent man of any party, never stolen
anything, never made or supported any
Migrants, never robbed or murdered on
the highways, never discharged single
criminal from one of our jails, and never
turned out forty scoundrels from the pen
itentiary at one fell swoop. But all these
things have been done by Tennessee
Radical officials, the Governor of our
State, and by his friends Of the Union
League. To this fact we would call his
especial attention. And we demand of
him the reasoH, if any he has which he
dare look an honest man in the face and
assign, why he should denounce as q
dangerous criminal the supposed Kuklux
association, which has 80 far been limo
cent, and is at the same time so emphati-
cally silent as to the known criminality
and the multitude of outrages committed
by the Loyal Leaguers, who are notori'
ously combined in a secret and sworn Or
ganization. Are Radical officers and
Union Leaguers to be permitted and
privileged to do up all the villianies they
please, without word of censure from
him or his friends, while innocent, law
abiding, Union and Constitution-loving
citizens are to be denounced
and further victimized and crushed,
for so much as liftisg q finger for the
protection of their property and lives,
the safety of their castles and highways,
and the preservation of the peace OF this
ill-governed State Then we tell him
that, whether we now have any Kuklux or
not, we have plenty Of klansmen, the
limit of whose forbearance may be found
when such forbearance ceases to be
virtue. Does he think that our manhood
is already destroyed in our subjugation,
and that we cannot even be driven to
union by oppression, when brought
finally and impoverished to bay2 Have
we right as simply human to demand
good government as the price Of obedi-
ence, and can temerity go so far as to be
sure we shall never even seek to compel
that right2 If so, there is limit to ty-
rant audacity, which we will venture
whisper of our suspicion it is wiser
despot who dares not pass.
Bring Flowers,
The day was when we were as pros
porous and happy people as could be