New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1868-04-21
THE KUK-KLUx KLAN In THE NORTH.

| cate ana aefenuef IN the leading Dem0crat
ic journal of the North. 1t appears that
the Democratic politicians Of the North are
in full sympathy and communion with the
secret society which bears the fantastic and
wholly unintelligible name Of the "Kuk
Klux Klan,n and that this order, SO fal
from being nothing but band of ordinary
cut threats and robbers, is "secret Tepub
lie" governed by the DISTINGUISHED states
men Of the Southern states, and having for
its purpose the accomplishment of great
political ends. The leading editorial arti
Gle in the New York World of the seventh
of April is an elaborate defense of this
secret order, and an exposition Of its char.
acter. This journal evidently knows what
it is talking about, and displays 80 thorough
knowledge of the subject that we would
not be surprised to learn that the head.
quarters Of the "Klan" are in New York
city, and that the sinews of war have been
furnished to i. from the treasury of Tam
many Hall. The World compares the
"Klan" with the revolutionary societies
organized by the cdrbonari of Europe, and
says that such an association became
necessary to the Southern leaders'-that
is to say, the DISTINGUISHED rebels of the
South" because they were excluded from
every legitimate sphere of political action .
" The DISTINGUISHED classes" continues the
World, "comprise the greatest part Of the
political talent of the South, and talent and
energy will make their way somehow if
not by the ordinary method, then by some
other" The method adopted by the talent
and energy of the statesmen who murdered
Colonel Ashburn the other night is GER
tainly not the ordinary" one-it is decid-
eddy some other"-but we confess it did
"make its way" on that occasion. It made
its way into Colonel Ashburn's bedroom !;
its arguments were potent; the murdered
man was quite unable to reply to them.
"The disfranchised classes in the South"
continues the organ of the" Klan,n "almost
menepOlize the gift of political leadership,
and nothing is more chimerieal than the
expectation that they can be permanently
kept down." If the military authorities in
Georgia do their duty, the "political
leaders" who figured in the recent argu-
ment" with Colonel Ashburn, will certainly
not be "kept down"-they will be strung
up on the gallows as soon as they can be
caught and identified.
The World proceeds to declare that /" the
whole body of the Southern people," by
which, however, it only means the Southern
whites, are in complete fellowship with
these DISTINGUISHED statesmen, who
hold their caueuses at midnight
in the forest, aud execute the
resolutions of their congress with
their faces hidden by masks. Since con
gress has forbidden these men from govern
ing the country openly it is only natural,
proper, and just that they should rule it
secretly. They are of the ruling class; if
they can not rule at Washington at least
nothing can prevent them from ruling at
home. Every public career of politics
being shut against them nothing is more
natural and inevitable than that they will
exert their influence through secret chan
neis. : They have no prOselytes
to make ameng the white race, the Repub-
lican party having done all this work to
their hands. The fields are already ripe
for the harvest, and the reapers have only
to put in the sickle. If the DISTINGUISHED
leaders do not already they in short time
will control the Southern people through
the agency of secret organizations.
As the political talent of the South has no
public theatre of action, it is the most nat
nral thing in the world that it should or
ganize and govern a secret republic"
After this is there any room for doubt ?
The political talent of the South" shut
put from congress goes in for the Kuk-
Klux Klan." and this is the "secret repub-
lie" under which we are to live. When
the rebel papers in Tennessee described
this new power in the'iand they said it was
opposed to 'Radicalism,p and was deter
mined to prevent the execution of the laws
IF the state government Of Tennessee. It
vas also to defeat negro suffrage, and
o drive Union whites from their
homes in the South. But 1t new
appears that this is only part Of
is purpose. It is "a secret republic" and
4 is governed by the political TALENT Of
he South. Is JEFF Davis the President Of
he "Kuk-Klux Khan ~ Were they who
welcomed him with such enthusiasm
when he came to New Orleans few weeks
ihce the citizens Of the 'secret republic ~
s Benjanin one Of the cabinet Of the Presi-
lent Of this new cOnfsderacy? " The Lost
Cause is no longer lest; the confederacy
lain at Richmend and buried at Appomat-
ok courthouse has arisen from its bloody
yrave, and the political talent Of the
south" is busy and happy again in supeFin-
ending its fortunes. The New York World
Issures the Republicans that fer all this
hey have only themselves to blame. You
would not let these men go to congress, and
hey have organized a congress Of their |
,wn. You would not let them make laws |
Or your government; they have made laws |
I their own, and to the obedience thereof |
hey win compel you by the arguments en- |
.ldved on Colonel Aehhurn. E9iSankIv |