The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1868-11-21
For the Hickman cOuric
Ku KIux Khan.

that we have secret organization III Jul
midst. that acknowledges the above APP
pellation. But | am under the lmnres-
Sion that few of our people have reflected
seriously uponct the character and effect
of such societies | wish it understood I
in the out set, that ! am no politician,
and care but little about mere political
triuinphs do feel however an abiding !
interest in the peace aud good order OF
society, and most especially in that OF
our own 1t is therefore no part Of my
purpose to oppose this uucouthly yclept
organization from mere political stand
point. | do desire however, to offer q
few reflections of my own, and the Kk's,
will please observe, that they are ad
dressed particularly to them. of course
know nothing as to who of our young
men, or old, are members Of or identih
ed with this very questionable society
but | presume the order numbers among
its members some of our most esteemed
citizens, pd it is to such | wish to offer
few SUGGESTIONS which occur to my
mind as altogether pertinent. Whether
sbe opinion be correct or not, 1 of course
can assert with no certainty; neverthe
less it generally prevails, that the order
originated with, was organized by, and
derives its responsibility from the return
z Southern Il Sc lHsss-ss
of Southern sentiment, and for the pro
lection of Southern men 1t strikes me,
that this is the fairest possible eonstruc-
ton, that can be placed upon the charac-
Ssr and purposes of the X k 5. If | am
correct in this, then all will please uu-
derstand that in sentiment | am as warm
Southet man as any in their order, aud
was companion in arms with them, in a
warfare, that was as justifable on our
part, as any ever waged for the mainten-
ance Of human rights. What | object
to then is not the sentiment Of the order.
nor the purposes | have supposed they
wish to accomplish But it is to the
character of the organization and the
manner in which it is proposed to effect,
what am willing to grant is, lauda-
bic object. When we remember the con
dition of affairs in this country, aud es-
pecially the state Of public opinion as
shown in the recent Presidential election.
it becomes a grave question as to how
far we of the South are responsible for
the manifestly hostile sentiments of the
great mass of the Northern people. 1t
becomes US fo<look well into our own
ceedings since the close of the late
disastrous war, and see if there is not
much to be found therein, if not to iusti-
( fy, at least to somewhat excuse much of
the i'll feeling at the North and which
has had tendency to paralize the en-
ergies, and cripple the efforts OF those
( friends in the North, who are willing TO
do Us full and ample justice. Viewed in
this light, 1t seems TO me there are many
( palpable objections, (Which can but
4 Strike every thinking mani, to the fos-
| tering of a quasi military political or
ganization, secret Is to its designs. num-
bers, aud capabiiIty for good or evil
The commonest observation can but
discover how easily the purposes
strength, and character of such an order
may be Inexperienced, misrepresented
and turned to the injury OF those, for
whose especial benefit | am surprising
( this intangible and apparently ubiqui-
/ tous fraternity was banded together
Z Whoever IL at all familiar with the man
+ ner IN which the late political campaign
was conducted at the North, needs not to
| be told that the existence of the "Ku-
/ klux Khan all over the South was one
of the most powerful engines used for
the defeat Of the conservative sentiment
/ l use the word sentiment in preference
to party because l am satisfied that par
1 ~ days are about over in this country
Formerly we had parties differing about
/ the construction of q constitution. the
I binding force of which WAS admitted by
/ all. Now we have no such constitution.
and public opinion stands to day as its
I representative. As this is as variable as
4 weather cock, permanent party organi
cations based thereon, must of necessity
prove abortiye. We had better recog-
nizc the fact at once that this public
/ opinion Is the supreme law of the land.
than wait until we have forever lost the
power to lead it, and then be forced to
submit to 4 isgreeable necessity. "Vox
populi has come to be ''vox Del indeed
with the large mass of the people of the
/ United States. If this be so. had we
not better be its jdot than its stare !
Should we not rather furnish the pabu.
lum for a healthy existence, consistent
with good will, than food for its hate ?
If public opinion, unbridled by consti-
tutioual restraints, Is TO govern the coun-
try, had we not better concilliate and at
tempt to lead it, rather than exasperate
defy, and endcavor to brave it, This
seems to me but the simple dictates Of
reason aud sound policy. Now with this
view of the case, does 1t need any argu
mcnt to demonstrate how dangerous Il
! the best interest of the South. all sucl
/ organizations, as the one under consider
alton, Gust be. In my opinion it has
; hung grotesque incubus around tn,
South, and by its nightmare horrors
Scawakened in the minds OF timid, per-ad
venture, guilty Loyalists Of the Southern
States, has inflicted far more injury upoi
.spaid too dear for the whistle" And al
we OF kentucky do not desire to ''wnIs
r tie any to the same tune, it is time W,
were looking into matters a little tina
we may be able TO determine if it is Il
rr-Our interest TO foster and maintain such
, an order in our midst; and thus give a
least ealoring of excuse to the vindie
tive feelings Of those who stand ready t
seize any pretext to Cypress us. Thes,
objections TO the existence of the ordei
amongst US appear forcible, even if W.
, had no danger to apprehend from tn,
abuses such institutions are always liza
bic to.
And it is not the least of our appre
tensions, than an order as powerful ant
, as closely and secretly bound as this APP
pears to be, may and will become in tn,
hands of bad or desperate men, a terrible
sconrge. Recent Developments show
5 that this fear is we'll founded; and tina
: the order is becoming in the hands of il
. advised men an engine of mischief Oh
else under cover of their grotesque ant
> silly paraphernalia scoundrelsar taking