Litchfield enquirer., 1868-04-23
WHOLE NO. 2aso
THE KU-KLUX KHAN.
THE AsHBURN AssAssINATToN--GRN MEApE's
 ORDER.

ORDER
 HEAD QUARTERS SD MILITARY Drsrsrof.
 (Depa'tnt of Ca, Flor. and Aiz6., )l
 ATLANTA, Ga. April 4, 1868.
 GENERAL ORDERS, No. 51.-I. The re- cent assassination at Columbus, Georcia. of the Hon. G. W. Ashburn, late a mem. Der of the Constitutional Convention of said State, and other acts of violence and atrocity committed about the same time in various parts of this District, and the si- multaneous publication of incendiary arti. cles, and the receipt by many persons of threatening letters, indicating concert of action, by violence and intimidation. to alarm and overawe large part of the pop ulatlcn, and by the means affect the result or pending elections in this District, all of which acts apparently emanate from A se- cret organization, for no good purfose. which seems to be rapidly spreading thron0R these States, make it necessary for tRe Commanding General to warn all persons agalnst the commission of such acts. the publication of such articles, the sending of such letters, or connecting themselves with such evil organizations, and to assure all the good people of this District that he will use all the powers he possesses to pro- tect them Tn the peaceable endowment of thelr homes and property, and in the exer- else of their personal rights and political privileges.
 II. He therefore directs all military and military and civil officers in this District to take the most prompt measures to arrest and bring to trial all persons who may hereafter print, publish, or in any manner give circulation to such incendiary papers or threatening letters, and furthermore to arrest all persons who may be known to have participated in any such acts of yio- lence as above referred to, resulting in breaches of the peace and injury to per sons or property.
 III. The Commanding General further. more torblds the conductors of all newspa. pers, job printing offices, or other presses from printing or publishing any articles or papers tending to produce intimidation. riot and bloodshed; and any newspaper containing any such publications. or press publishing the same, will be stopped. and It's proprletors. editors, and other parties connected herewith, on being convicted before military commissioner, will be subject to fine and imprisonment, or such other penalties as may be deemed suitable to the offence committed.
 ". All public writers and sneakers are enJolned to refrain from inflammatorv an. peals to the passions and prejudices of the people, and from publishing or saving any thing calculated to produce breaches of the peace, or to intimidate any person from the exercise of their political privileges.
 V. Military commanders of posts. sher. 1tts of counties. mayors and other munich pal officers, are hereby required to organize patrols, and other means for the detection ot such persons as avail themselves of the secrecy of the night for executing their criminal purposes. Military Commanders is duly and faithfully executed by the civil authorities within their jurisdiction. and to promptly report any failure or unwilling ness on the part of said authorities. who will be held subject to the penalties attach. ed to the disobedience of the orders ema- hating from these headquarters. Military commanders are authorized and directed when, in their judgment, the same may be necessary, to organize from the reliable and laW-abldln citizens possess to aid in the preservation of law aud order in their re- spectlve districts, the expenses attending the pay and maintenance of these possess to be charged to the several counties or municipalities, as the case may be.
 VI. The Commanding General calls on all good citizens to aid in the preservation of the peace, and to assist in the arrest and punishment of violators of this order and the criminal laws of the State; and he admonishes them that unless acts of intim- idation and violence are checked and pun lshed, bloody retaliation may be provoked, the peace of society endangered or sub- verted, and much innocent blood be shed.
 VII The commanding officers of all military posts in this district, will immedi- ately, on receipt of this order, cause its contents to be generally made known, and deliver copies thereof to all civil officers, editors of newspapers and presses, and other parties to be specially affected there. by, within the limits of their commands.
 By order of Maj. Gen. Meade.
 Official. s. T. BARsrow, A. A. A. G.