Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1868-08-20
The Virtue Of Necessity.

We are not q member of the ku.Klux
rganization-whateve that may be.
We have no coguizance Of its purpose
that any other citizen may not have, who,
like ourselves, is not member OF it.
We know nothing about it that every
other citizen does not know, and our in
formation concerning is derived as our
readers derive their informant concern
ing it, from the various mysterious pub
locations which have been printed, or
written and posted in public places.
We are neither the advocate, the cham.
pion, the instigator of nor the spologist
| for secret political societies, or organiza-
tions of any sort We are neither the
advocate of, nor the apologist for, deeds
of violence, assassination, or executions
of the inquisitorial laws of disguised
| regulators.
In like manner we are not responsible
for murders done by murderers par
doned out of the penitentiary nor for
the outrages committed upon white
women by beastial negro fends, encour-
aged by the false teachings of secret
Loyal Leagues; nor for the burning of
the houses Of "rebels," so called, nor
for the numberless crimes committed by
Radical negroes and Radical whites, in
disguise, and in the name of the Ku.
KInx, which they have taken in vain"
We take it that the Ku-Klux Klan, if it
is as formidable and complete an organi-
cation as it is said to be, is able to take
care ofitself .iu.a
We take it that the outlaws of the
Brownlow party, in high and low places,
are of the opinion that they can take
care of themselves. a M
So far as we are ourselves concerned,
speaking upon our own responsibility,
for ourselves, and for so many of our fel-
low-citizens who may think as we do, we
have no hesitation in declaring it to be
our deliberate conviction that this Ku-
Klux organization, judged from its acts
and public promulgations, has no politi-
cal significance or connection with any
political party that its birth and origin
was but the natural result of an utter dis
regard of law, and of the peace of society,
on the part of those constituted to make
the laws and execute them in this State;
that it first developed under the ter
ribly corrupt and inhuman admiuistrs'
ton of the Brownlow government; that
It is not seeking, nor has it sought the
violent overthrow of that government;
that it has sprung up as other bands or
organisations of regulator" and wig
ilance committees have sprung up in
other countries in other times, where and
when the laws, or the corrupt admins
tration thereof, was insufficient to protect
life. property, and female honor aud pu-
rity.
Without constituting ourselves its
champion or defender, therefore, with no
earthly knowledge of its purpose that its
previous acts have not developed, with
no authority from it or any other organ
| izatiou, secret or public, we do not hesi-
tate to declare that in our opinion there
is as much justification, under the cir
cumstances, for Ku Klux law as there is
| for Radical law, as now and heretofore
administered in this State. The man
who says that the Ku-Klux organization
| is a part.of the machinery Of the Demo
cratic party is despicable aud cowardly
calumniator, and says what he knows to
| be untrue.
The Interpretation for such condi-
ton of society, as is dangerously appa-
rent, is to be found only in the unwise
administration of the public affairs in
this State by its present desperately reck--
less and anscrupulous self constituted
rulers
We say further that, right or wrong,
we solemnly believe that but for the ex-
istence of this much abused organization,
a day would scarcely pass in the more
remote aud unprotected rural distriets,es-
pecially, that white citizens wife or
daughter would not be ravished on the
highways By negroes Of the more bestial
aud kendish disposition, or when white
man might not be murdered in his bed
for bis money or his house burned over
him TO satisfy the malignant revenge of
some negro scoundrel whom he may have
/ offended.
We believe there are base wre,ches
With white skins and black hearts, eli
over this State, who are secretly instiga-
ting the worser class OF lie eegro pops-
laiion TO the preparation OF these horri-
ble crimes. The pardon Of hundreds Of