Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1869-03-04
A DANGEROUS OATHsBOUND OR.
GANISATION

GANISATION.
We have militia called out for
the purpose of looking after the
Ku-Klux and enforcing the laws
against them, if they can be found.
1t is eminently proper that all will
ful violators Of the law should be
punished and that the State should
be rid Of all bad and dangerous
characters. Have the State author
tiles discharged their duty in this
respect !? Is the Ku-Klux the only
dangerous organisation in the State?
Let us see what Radical testimony
is on this point. A correspondent
of the New York Times, writing
from this State, throws some light
upon the acts and influence of a
band of desperate characters. He
shows that this organization has
made slaves of the negroes, con-
trolIed the verdicts of courts, de-
moralized society, and turned virtue
into a by-word of reproach. He
says /
"Nine.tenths of the Republican voters
Of East Tennessee are sworn members of
the Union League So complete and
thorough has been its machinery that it
has extended its influence in every de-
partment of our social and political or
ganization. Whether 30 contemplated
by its founders or net, it has exerted
very pernicious and demoralizing infiu-
ence in our courts and religious societies.
1t has taken such deep root among the
particular class of people subjected to its
influence that it seems almost impossible
to arrest its power Under its careful
manipulation the blacks in the State
have become plant and manageable as
any military organization subjected to
long and rigorous discipline. 1t has
been so powerful and persisting in its in
fuence that thousands have joined it for
protection. | speak honestly and adj
visedly when state that in many eoun-
ties of our State it has been almost i'm
possible to litigate successfully in our
law courts without yielding to its de-
mands. 1t has grown and rooted in
strength, for the opposing party had no
organization-no means to counteract
such efforts"
This correspondent admits him
self to be a Ra Ideal, and is no
doubt conversant with all the facts
he charges against the Loyal or
Union League. The facts charged
by the correspondent of the Times
were asserted early last year by
Knoxville correspondent Of the
Cincinnati Commercial. The Onl y
attempt to deny these charges was
a denunciation of the correspond
ent. Rather poor way to meet
his grave charges, for he asserted
that so completely had the League
the control of the whole machinery
of the civil government, that it
was utterly impossible to convict a
of that "banded brother
hood Of any crime, however posi- |
tive the proof, He even went so
far as to assert that in suits where
members Of that order were con
cerned, iuriss were impanneled with
especial reference to rendering
Judgment in their favor. Here is the |
correspondent ofanotherRepublican |
paper, who claims to be q Radical |
himself who corroborates the state |
ment of the correspondent Of the
Commercial by declaring that the
Union League, whose members are
sworn when they enter the pre-
cincts of that organisation, "has ex-
tended its influence in every de
partment of our social and political
:" and that "in many
counties Of our State it has been al
most impossible to litigate success
fully in our law courts without