Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1868-04-21


eyes to the country that gave him birth,
but unlike the exile he will lament its
condition, not his own.
Secret Political Organizations.
As we have heretofore indicated, there
are features about the alleged Ku Klux
organization in the South which leads us
to doubt whether it can be an actual en-
tity, or, if it is, whether it has any objects
beyond masquerade and fun. We can
very we'll conceive how weak or youthful
imaginations or idle brains should be
captivated temporarily by the ingenious
devices and mysterious phrases INDUCED
in the fanciful announcements and pre-
tended orders of the Ku-Klux. There
are those who are fond of being tickled
with such things, and are likely to at
tempt to initiate them, aud who, not
realizing the mischief that may ensue
through the misconstruction which may
be put upon their acts, get committed to
follies which positively bring down un-
just judgment and punishment, upon
whole communities, as has been the case
in the South in regard to this Ku.Klux
nonsense. We even see grim major gen.
erals, in the live flesh, arraying them
selves against the ghostly phantoms of
the Ku.Klux Klsn, and general pro-
mulgates general orders No. IL, J" in the
sub.district of Alabama" against the
outrages against life, the peace and
good order of the community, perpe-
trated by band disguised with masks,
and styling itself the Ku Klux Klan,
whose "placards and newspaper cards
are prohibited" etc.
One good reason for believing the Ku-
Klux pretty much myth is the we'll
known repugnance of Southern tastes to
secret organizations, as was shown in the
emphatic manner in which, though hav-
ing less of the foreign and Catholic ele.
ments in it than any other part of the
country, the South put its heel upon
Know Nothingism, secret organization,
not gotten up as such associations
usually are, by oppressed classes of men
for defense, but for political prescription
aud religious persecution. Finally, the
Ku-Klux appears to us humbug, be-
cause asa general rule the old adage is
true, that barking dogs don't bite, and
the u-Klux have done little but bark to
make their existence known. The idea
of shrouded horsemen, decapitated
giants, resurrected ghosts, cabalistic
letters and the like being used by
any organization really meaning
mischief is supremely absurd. 1t
is generally the habit of murderers
and assassins to warn their victims, as
the Ku-Klux are said to do before they
strike That is not the style in which
the Loyal Leagues do their business.
Some of the republican journals have
mentioned the Ku.Klux in connection
with the Carbaneri. There is no doubt
that despotism always engenders secret
societies for protection or vengeance, but
nothing could less resemble the Ku-Klux,
always footing their horns, posting pla-
cards and writing letters, than the Car
boner, who punished with death the
faintest whisper of their secrets to out
siders, and never permitted word to be
put in writing, their agents communl-
eating by certain preconcerted signals
known only to the initiated. The num-
bers of this association in Italy and
France were immense, and they we're
formidable and feared. The Loyal
Leagues, in their subtle secrecy and ST.
lence, resemble the Carboneri more than
the Ku.Klux do. While the military com
manders are putting down one they
would do we'll to put down both and all.
The New York EUening Post has the
candor to concede that the Loyal Leagues
have produced the Ku.Klux, which last,
however, we do not believe to be
anything more than a nonsensical
affair of light'hearted young men. The
goblin paraphernalia are manifestly got
ten up as q scare-crow for superstitious
negroes. Yet the Washington Chronicle,
which seems to have an unappeasable
thirst for the blood of the Southern peo
pie, accuses this organization of murder
ing Union man nearly every day The
| Chronicle is only able, however, to give
an account of bat one murder, that OF
Ashburn, in Columbus, Georgia, who,
it is stated by the Sun of that
city, was killed in a negro house Of
| ill.fame, by whom is unknown and has
not been proved. Yet the Ku-Klux "
are to be saddled with every crime In the
South as a pretext for inficting new mis-
cries upon the Southern people. Ii this
organization had been only in existence
last summer, when book-peddler was,
in mere mischief, set upon near Chester
town, in this State, by some disguised
assailants and hustled somewhat roughly,
we should, no doubt, have seen that at
tributed to the Ku-Klux Klan. The New
York Erening Post, in an article TO which
we have referred, and which bears the
evident stamp ofhoRest intention, though
some of its statements in regard to the
Southern people are founded upon eIag-
gerated reports Of their enemies, speaks
as follows:
at will not do to say that the Loyal
League meant right and the Ku-Klux
means wrong. The Ku-Klux have com
mitted some murders (2), but we think
there is no doubt that the Loyal Leagues
have done the same thing. The Ku-klux,
n is said, have shielded their members,
when criminals, against punishment by
Law; We know that the same thing has
been done in Soath Carolina and other
States By Legal League Clubs
Nov, there is no evidence that the
Ku- Klux have committed any murders,
or shielded any. The Post well adds,
however, that il must begin TO be clear,
even to Southern Uniouisss, thstthe pol
icy Of prescription and disfranchisement
Is wrong, unEise, and can produce only
violence, hatred, disorder, as tyranny
n n -