New-York tribune., 1868-04-06
THE EU6-KLUX-KL4N.

THE KUh-KLUIRL4N.
We have been slow to put faith iii the
! curious stories told of an organization under
the name above given but careful study OF
facts and sitting of testimony lead directly to
| the conclusion that there is solid reality under
the stuff and nonsense with which the South
| Western papers mask this raDidly-SpreadlnS
| organization. We quote elsewhere more
serious notice of the Order from The Richmond
| Examiner, a paper doubtless thoroughly in
| formed in the matter. 1t is not unnatural at
any time that secret societies should exist, en-
| bYacing in q large degree men of the same
political and social faith. The harmlcssness or
| the danger of such organizations lies chiefly III
| the character of their members Say what we
| may, the tendency of men to unite for prOtec-
tiOn or for congenial association, will have ITS
way. Secret political societies have existed, and
doubtless will exist to all time just as MaSons,
| and Odd Fellows, and Good Templars have
existed and spread over the world.
| Not only the ordinary hatred of loyalty, but
the remote hope of political advantage, has
! led to the establishment of the order here re-
| ferred to. known generally as the kuk- kluX-
Klan. Their leading idea is, of course, the
of ANYTHING like admission to the Union until
they may realize the very remote contingency
| of q grand Democratic triumph in the North.
| Such triumph, they seem to believe, would
restore the now silent South to its old potency
| in the national councils; then they could ere
"duce the niger TO his normal sphere : the
| bugbear of negro voting would vanish under Il
| summary disfranchiscment of the entire race
and although absolute Slavery might not be
restored. the old arstocracy would be able to
hedge the negroes aud poor whites within
such labor regulations as practically to restore
the patriarclla institution in all things except
auction sales of human beings.
To this end work the X. X. X. They get
up a mysterious fellowship adopt a frightful
disguise scatter abroad horribly worded prOca-
nations; make sudden fOrays at midnight; and
do all fantastic tricks that may TIT their pur-
pose That purpose is 10 frightcn and annoy
! loyal cOlored men (and white men, too, If they
CAM so that they will leave the Southern States.
Thus, some time ago, in Mississippi, they circu-
lated ridiculous story about some horrible
monster in the swamps, a dreadful demon that
had an Unsuitable appetite for negro flesh; Il
similar monster was seen in Arkansas and
|
startling account of another OF the brood III
| some neighboTing quarter. This does very well
! for the cTedulOus cOlOred people but white men
must have stronger doses, and so the X. X. h.
| favor peaceful and hard-wOrl,ing Union men
| with cloudily- -wOrded warnings, and emphasize
these warnings by midnight vistations, threats
of violence, and sometimes actual assault
What shall be done Is it 10 be tolerated
that in land of civil government an irrespOn-
sible gang of ruilans shall spread terror far
and wide over third Of the national domain
or even over a square mile of that domain
| That there is a powerful organization, COM
| posed of the worst men in the South, and AIM
| ing at the ends we have described, no one can
doubt. Gen. Thomas and Gov. BrOwnOw have
testified to its existence, and warned MS of
danger. The loyal press of the South give
facts that prove the great strength and base
purposes of the Klan, while the faint attempts
of the Rebel press to laugh at the affair are
equally substantial proof of its reality and i'm
portance. Gov. BrOwnlow is widely censured
for his denuncatiOn Of these rascaJs, and posi-
| bly, his language Is open to criticism i'll the
matter of epithets. But when, in any section
of the country, it is possible for aimed men to
ride abroad in disguise. then faces closely con-
| cealed, and order this man to move, that other
| to stay drag forth and fog one for loyalty
| burn the house of another; drive un0ffending
schoolmistresses from their homes, and spread
! terror over "a whole State it is high time TO
! pull off the gloves.
| 1t is significant of trouble that the more viO-
! lent of the Rebel press favor the growth of
this society. Some of them pretend to laugh
at the fears of the loyal citizens, but there is
"covert devil in their sncer" that betrays both
knowledge and approval of the Klan. Let
them all-members and supporters-recall the
fate of the Knights of the Golden Circle, or
| Sons of Liberty, and whatever flush of success
may now encourage their efforts, they may be
sure that swift and speedy destruction will fall
upon them should their operations fulfill the
promise that the few attempts already on
record appear to justify.
Our latest telegraphic adv ices bring further
confirmation of the theory that the Society is
composed of the extreme Rebel element, and
that its design is to keep the Southern States i'll
anarchy until the loyal residents are driven out
or so discouraged as to give up the struggle for
equal rights and cOlOred suffrage. Gen.
! Meade whose GOODNESS and slOwness to ls-
sue orders are proverbial, has been com-
! PEELED TO warn the Klan aud all other
| secret organizations that their EVIL works
| will bring upon them the strong arni OF the
| Government. From certain demonstra tions in
| Georgia, such rs tho murder Of G. w. A.shburn