Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1868-04-15

zatlon, of late origin in the South, having it's
! birthplace in Middle Tennessee. and now
spreading like wild-fre all throughout this
country. 1t is in Mississippi, and in Alaba-
ma, and all over Tennessee and in Louisiana.
and, following Sherman's track in Georgia,
is sweeping down through this State into
Florida, and out into Virginia, MARYLAND.
and the Carollnas. Wherever petty tyrant,
or great one, oppresses the people, there
tie X. X. X. rears its head and wherever
there are soldiers graves the order has a
Den" The idea put forth is that the dead
Confederate rises at midnight, and forming
into the Pale Brigade, rides forth to redress
the wrongs inflicted on those for whom he
died. Dire portents are said to be seen bv
night, mystic lights and cloudy forms, and
squadrons that go charging by all in skele-
ton forms, mounted on shadowy stecds that
move with the speed of the whirlwind and
without a sound. The negroes, superstitious
at all times, given over to belief in Obi
and onjuratiOn. and the Evil Eye, are in
huge perturbation at the X. X. X. This Cuff
has met in his midnight rambles man, and,
falling into converse Herewith. has suddenly
heard his bones rattle or fiery lights in
feshless head. and, of course, knowing this
was Ku-Klux, has fled And then that Sam
bo, not to be outdone in trepidation OF lying
/ by Cuff, has had his hand shaken at his own
cabin door, and found, bress de lor,' skele-
ton fingers left within his palm. Ku-klux.
If but whispered after nightfall, is sound
to tho Great Enfrancniseu INTO its
Great throughout the South is his fear
And whereas once he prowled about at all
hours, haunting the Loyal League, and
drinking in-poor, impressible, doomed bar
barian-the murderous talk of incendiary
Reconstructionist agents, now he keeps
/ close within doors after sundown. Mystic
/ riOus placards appear in public places. Men
are pointed out as probable Grand Cyclops
or a possible High White Death. and in the
midst of all this superstition and surmise and
Joking, the fact appears that there a ku-
klux klan that is growing with the rapidity
Of a SNOWFALL rolled in the snow. No man
enters the order but true man, and a true
man is one that hates a tyrant. History is
full of instances where a people greatly op-
pressed, and with no present remedy. have
had secret organizations arise among them to
dispense a wild Justice in those cases where
the laws powerless to either protect or
avenge. Let the reader turn TO Anne OF
Gicrstein, book second and accompanying
notes, and he will there find an old-time
original of the Ku-Klux, in the German
Vehmqerlcht or Tribunal of the Bounds. As
stated. this X. X. order arose in Middle Ten
ncssee, a section of the State peculiarly op-
pressed by Brownlow and his myrmidons and
was, doubtless, originally only intended as
species of Regulator organization Tor local
use-the numberless sepulchers of brave men
slain in the Western campaigns in those re-
gions furnishing the hint for the peculiar in
sigma and phraseology of the klan. But,
sinliha SiHlifbIS, like expressions elsewhere
existing have superinduced a like state OF
mind TO that in which the Ku-Klux had its
origin in Tennessee, and the klan has branch
cd out into almost all the other Southern
States. How far the organization really ex-
tends or what are It's entire or ultimate pur-
poses it is hard to tell, but in quitting the
subject it may be said that it appears
to meet with all but universal favor, and
promises some developments ere long of in
terest.
! Gen Meade has published general orders
directing the military and civil officers to ar
; rest and bring TO trial all persons who may
/ hereafter print. publish, OF in any manner
} give circulation 10 incendiary publications OF
secret organizations now spreading through
these States. Conductors of newspapers are
= forbidden 10 publish intlammatory articles
Any paper publishing matter tending to pro
= dnco intimidation, riot, OK bloodshed Is t.
be stopped, and the proprletors, editors, anc
c other persons connected Herewith are 70 be
tried before Military Commission, and on
D conviction subjected to fine and Imprisonment
: Military and civil officers are required to or
| ganize patrols and other means for the detec-
, ton of persons who avail themselves of the
E darkness for executing criminal purposes
F., Gen. Meade admonishes the people that un
f less the acts of violence and intimidation are
checked and punished bloody retaliation may
r he provoked, and much innocent blood may
be she'd