New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1868-09-04
THE KU-KLUY KHAN.
JOHN FORREST AND THE KU-KLUx.
corrosnondant Of The Cincinnati Commercial

JOHN FORREST AND THE KU-KLUX.
A correspondent Of The Cincinnati Commercial
has been talking with Gen. FORREST The following is
portion OF their conversation:
well. Sir" said he " when I surrendered my 1000
mea I'm 1865 accepted parole. honestly and have OBJ
served il faithfully up TO to-day have oOunseed peace
in all the speeches have made have advised my peo
are and unconstitutonai az believe item to be-
paoed and not pdrdoned uut the issuance OF the last
proc ama0n OF general amnesty aud therefore ana not
thinl prudent for to take any active part until ne
oppression OF people became great that they could
not endure IT, and then would be with them My friends
thought differently aud sent me to NeWiork' anu am
Then suppose, General that you think the oppres-
SION has become 30 great that your people should not
NO. he answered. "it ia growing hourly. yet
have said to the people stand fast let us try to right the
Nashville counsel with other gentlemen who had been
prominently identified with the cause of the Conteder.
acy aud then offered pledges which We thought would
be satisfactory to Mr. BrOwnlow and his legislature and
We told them that II they would not call on, the militia
were enforced The legislative Committee certainly led
and nc no militia ofpanSsd BeSins thu came bone
no resistance 70 Il RsSR ts Fs%"h
recognized ne present. GoternReat % Tenntse as
hapi0 anu legal Srisiooe. yet Un5 10 sbHH 10
or lime Win tho hope that tue wrongs might be ryh'ed
What are your feelings toward the Federal Govern.
ment General o.
II loved tho old Government in 1861 | love the old
Constitution yet. think IL Is the best Government in
the world adpinSered as u ras before NE nar. do
not hate NJ a 9PposnS hoE o 's t nsr
70 be composed, as know it ia in Tennessee, o. tho
worst men Gods earth-men who would hesitate at
crime. and who have only one OBJECT In yiew-to en-
In tie event OF Gov Brownlows calling out the mill.
tia you think there will be any resistance offered to
! their acts I" asked.
That win depend upon circumstances II the militia
are simpl called out and do not interfere with modest
any one. do not think there viii be any fight H. on
NIT outrage or even ono outrage upon tho people, ey
crsnee; mol Raiieai tciiI be len alire II lie militia
called out, We cannot but look upon 1t as DECLARE
ton Of war because Mr. BrOwnlOw las already Issued
his proclamation directing THEN to shoot down the Ku.
Kluk wherever they find them and no calls all southern
| why General we people mp North have regarded tho
kuKluX kan an Organization which existed only in
the frightened imacnatiOifs OF few politicians"
"Wel Sir, there Ia such an organization not only IN
Tennessee but all oyr The South aud It's numbers have
What are It's numbers, Generalp
IL Tennessee here orer 10000: IN al NE So,her,.
! States they number about $4,000 metz" ...
What ID the character VI the organization, may In
ton am willing 10 show any man the consultation Of
the society. The members arc sworn 10 reeogpi., the
thing at all about the Government Of the State OF Ton
nessce. It's objects originally were protection against
but aftef Il became general it was found that political
matters and Interests could best be promoted within H.
| support OF course 10 The Democratic party.
- But s tho organization connected throughout the
US, In each voting precinct there IS Captain,
Radicals and ali the Democrats who are positively
known and showing also the doubtful both sides Of
both color The list Of names forwarded 10 the Grand
Commander OF the State, who Is thus enabled 20 know
| who are our friends and who are hot"
the commanding officer OF this Slater"
"Then suppose there can be doubt OF conflict II
the militia interfere with the people, IS that your yew"
lows prociamatlon by shooting down Ku.Klux-for he
calls all southern men KuKuT-h they to hunting
bloOder one than we have ever witnessed have told
h1d Ssv neI po ws. 10 sne. o an
tend 10 Kill he Radicals. Ihdre tod hem tks and
ns Is m9i aaed , . ,s 'oxa or s g IKE,
eO'ad be Ten olise have told them that they were try
Ing create disturbance, and then slip out and leave
the consequences TO fall upon the negro but thoy can't
DO It, o TEX s q SD, sc sss sr S ara Of me r me &
We don't intend they shall ever get out of the country
But want II distinctly understood that am opposed to
militia attack s we win resist TO the Last and II neces.
sary, nk eoHd raise 10000 men IN IRE days rsady
=" DO You think, General that the KuKuI have been
| OF any benefit to the stateP
have quit killing and numbering people. There we're
some foolish young who put masks on their faces
he See @ 70 oP a aIa has Yo
may say further that three mecrs o. ne NJ kte5 hte
1ee court oartiad and shot FOR riolahons hs oidfrn0
Are YOU a member Of the Ku-KIux Generalp
% am not, but IN sympathy and viii cooperate
with them. know that they are charged with many
crimes that they not guilty o. case In point Is the
killing OF BSrned, at Franklin. fow days ago. IAata
up there especially 70 investigate the case aud re-
port q me, and have his letter hcre now In which no
states that they had nothing to do with II organ
| IZatOn." ...... . r...
l., - What do yOu think OF negro suffrage" h
am opposed 90 40 under any aud all circumstances,
and 10 our VVhS enllol urged our party not 10 commit
themselves at all upon tho subject " The negroes roe 10
enfraHeiiSe ts, Do not hD u0uH gUor hfJ diFrda'
et'sptcL We viii stand by those who help Aud here
lWent yOu To understand distinctly, not enemy
to the negro We want him here among us" t 40
THE ,KU-KLCx IN TENNRssEF.
About 100 negroes are -sllployed Mt BOyds
Fornace which Is carried by OHIO company, Tho
negroes have worked f9r less wages than the whites apd
50 incurred beir displeasuro The KuKlux threatened
the blacks with visit and they therefore armed t m
solves ON the 18th Of August tho Kan appeared before
tthe Knnj tft Tor clinton INT wrrs mety the sheriff
who demanded their surreplsr They replied Nltn%.'h6
wheltDe sheriff bred upon them, IotTeai4nR unt al
Tb cd at tue JAIL around which stOokpde had been
erected Inc maskers" ven then Bted upon Wy laen
concealed b hind the stoGkAde. aud four OF Them ltll
wounded. the Khan thena Brel aud iied. Col 9luYY
iiSept 70 Chntonj where he met Mr.. Alson Who DO