The weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1869-18??, 1869-11-10
"Moderation.,,


+ There is a general cry from the Demo
cratic papers for Governor HoIDEN to be
moderate with the Ku Mux. It is singular
that no appeals for moderation are addrcs-
ksed to the Ku Klux, who are almost nightly
committing their odtrages. Nothing ssaid
to the Ku Klux. 80
The Governor is told to wait and concii-
ate the assassins, and let them leave Oft
killing when they get ready to DO so,
And in the meantime peaceful citizens are
being murdered Or outraged. II
The Governor is told not to send out asy
militia to punish the Ku Klux for tht
would be an invasion of their. rights as ell
zens of the State. He should expostulste
with them, and endeavor to prove to then,
that in killing and numbering innocent men
they are committing atrocities which 1t
would be better for them not to do. Thls is
the kind of talk that should be addressed TO
the Ku Klux. % ,a ~
And all this time men are being shot down
at the tbreshholds of their own houses and
in sight of their helpless families.
No steps should be taken to punish these
,nurderers for such an atrocious measure
would arouse the entire democratic" peo-
nile to resist the troops of the State or Uni
ted States to such an extent, that STEW otthem
would ever get back again." No concilia-
tory measures must be employed. M @
And in the meantime the country is to be
surrendered to the ravages of the rowing
bands of Ku Klux, and loyal men are to be
shot down without hand being raised in
their defence. 1...
And this is the moderation which the
Democratic" papers advise! The Governor
is to say to the Ku Klux, "Do what you will;
and when you have got tired of killing Re-
publicans let me tell you that you are act
ing improperly and request that you will be
good enough not to kill any more citizens
than you can help"
We refuse to consent to such moderation.
We do not wish to see the Governor OF
North Carolina cringing before murderers.
We do not wish to see moderation which
is nothing more than submission to the de-
mands of criminals and traitors. Every
man who belongs to the Ku klux Khan is
an outlaw and traitor. To treat with such
men. men who have without cause filled the
country with bloodshed and violence, would
be to disgrace the State forever.
We have long counseled truly moderate
measures. We have endeavorcd to have the
Ku Klux dispersed simply by the force of
public opinion, which could have been done,
as was ayowed in the Senate by the son of
the leading Democrat" of the State. We
did not say condemn only such crimes as
may be committed by Democrats ; we said
condemn all crimes, ''no matter by whom
committed.n This course would have re.
stored peace.
But it was not pursued. Notwithstanding
that the State has been filled with the &C.
counts of Ku Klux murders, not one "Dem-
cratic leader las denounced them. On the
contrary, their silence has given consent to
the deeds committed in the interest of their
party. A meeting of Democratic" citizens
of Chapel Hill, a town situated in the county
in which the Ku Klux are more audacious
and murderous than in any other, not only
refused to condemn the Ku Klux, but passed
resolutions which virtually defended them
and called them "good citizens" and "true
men" We have the names of the men who
passed those resolutions, and one day their
guilt will look blacker to the people of
North Carolina than ever did the infamy of
Benedict Arnold, for they virtually consented
to the murder of innocent men, their fellow
citizens.
There can now be no moderation in deal
ing with the murderers who are called the
Ku Klux There can be no compromise be-
tween North Carolina and men whose hands
are red with the blood of murdered North
Carolinians. At the time when this crisis
might have been averted moderate counsels
and wishes for peace were spurned aside,
the laws of the State trampled under foot,
and its authority scoffed at.
And now the State says these murders
MUST stop and the guilty be punished
From this there will be no more going back
Those who wish for peace, and who are re
ally moderate, should sustain the authori-
ties and uphold the laws that the dispersion
of the Ku Klux may be effected without
bloodshed. This is what really moderate
men will do, and it is all that they can do.