The Montana post., 1868-10-02
kU-KLUN.

lief that the Ku-Klux-hlan was merely
bugaboo-a kind of jack olantern ar
rangement invented by a number Of
jovial fellows for the lofty purpose of
frightening negroes and playing games
upon Radicals But the performances
of this band have become of so practical
a nature that even the Democratic press
can no longer term them jokes; and it
is acknowledged by all parties that there
exists in the United States formidable
secret organization, made mp 10 a great
extent, at least in the Southern States,
of the former members of the Confed-
crate army, ard having for its object the
annihilation of everything that is Rad
ical" and the establishment of those
principles in the interest of which the
rebellion was inaugurated and prose-
cuted. As 10 how this society proposes
to effect it's objects is the point upon
which the two parties differ; the Dem
ocrats claiming that peaceful measures
alone are to be r;sorted to; while the
Republicans, basing their assertions
nature, assert that the hu-klux-klan
Is nothing more nor less than band of
assassins a secret army OF murderers,
organized for the purpose of controlling
by force the politics OF that section of
the country in which il exists. The no.
torious General Forest, the fend of
Fort Pillow, has recentely made some
statements concerning the hlan, which,
although biased by the pref udices of one
OF the most furious rebels in the coun-
try, serve TO throw some light upon the
subject.
In a conversation with CORE spond-
ent OF the Cincinnati Commercial, Gen.
Forest stated emphatically that there
was such an organization as the hu-
KIux-Klan, not only in Tennessee, but
throughout the entire South, and that
its numbers had not been exaggerated.
He further stated that the klan num-
bered $4,000 men. If Brownlow's mill
tia was called out he feared the most dire
consequences, for if they should commit
even enc outrage, they and Mr. Brown
lows government would be swept out
of existence no: a Radical would be
left alive Becoming warmed with his
subject, and his brain becoming fired
with the thought that another
Fort Pillow massacre might possibly be
in store for the chiyalrous murderers of
negro prisoners, Forest continued /:
There Is not Radical leader in this
town (Memphis) bat is g marked man,
and if a trouble should break out not
one of them would be left alive. =
Their houses are picketed, and when a
fight comes. not one of them would get
ont of the country. II the
militia attack US, Ae will resist 10 the
last, and, if necessary, / think l could
raise forty thousand men in FIVE days
ready for the field" These are the as
sertions of one who knows whereof he
speaks, and one who would attempt to
make as plausible a showing for his
brother assassins as possible, How do
our readers like the picture! The klan
is not only 10 be its own Judge as to
what are and what are not "outTages,
but is 10 appeal To arms on the first pro-
vocation, and leave not Radical alive.
Such is the programme, and il is being
carried out to the letter In Tennessee,
a reign of terror exists in two-thirds of
the State, and the Investigations OF q
Legislative committee, reveal the start
ling fact that the murders of Union men
in that section o; the country have been
at the rate OF one per day during the
last six months, these transformations be
ing perpetrated in retaliation for no
other "OutTrge' than the voting OF the
Republican ticket or the adoption of
Radical principles by the persons muir
dered. In Georgia, we find the people
ara determined that Radicals shall not
speak" and when they attempt il. this
ku-klnx-klau, in the full exercise of its
reserved right" to be its own Judge as
TO what are and what are not "outrages''
fires upon the assemblage and hunts the
negroes with dogs as in the case of the
Camilla massacre. In Arkansas, the
officers OF the government are being con.
tinually assassinated. the courts broken
up, and Union men hunted like wild
beasts. But In Texas, the climax of
atrocities is reached. There, not only
the secret assassin steals through the
darkness for his prey, but armed bands
OF traitors scour the State COM
mitting their depredations everywhere.
Not content with numbering over nine
hundred men since the close of the war
the Texas rebels now make open war
upon the Government. attacking its
trains and threatening the capture of
its forts, as will be seen by our to-day's
dispatches Throughout the entire
South the assassination of Union men
is a daily occurrence, and a general con-
tempt TOR the officers and resistance of
their authority is expressed. One who
is a Radical is, in Gen. Forests words.
"a marked man, and maintains a resi-
denee at the South only at the risk of
his life. A state of anarchy prevails.
property is deprecated. there is "deso~
lation at the South" and not a day
passes that does not see unsheathed the
knife of the murderer. Such are the
practical workings of the Ku- Klux. Klan.
which numbers over half a million men
IN the Southern States. and which could
raise an army of forty thousand in
Tennessee in FIVE days. Who can