The weekly North-Carolina standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 186?-1869, 1869-06-23
CORRESPONDENCE.
For the Standard.
Ku.KIux in Guilford.


The man who writes editorials in the
Patriot of Greensboro seems very much dis
turbed by the late communication in the
STANDARD on the Ku Klux of Guilford. 1t
seems the policy of such papers to deny all
facts of this kind, and we are not surprised
at the strong assertions of the writer who
declares simple statement of facts to be
s'an unmitigated SANDER" The writer in the
STANDARD had no disposition to SANDER the
people, and was disposed to rate them very
highly after hearing the State Senator from
that county declare from his place in the
Senate that no Ku-Klux violence had been
perpetrated in his county. but notwithstand-
ing we have the authority of respectable
white citizens of that county for our state
ment, and we now reiterate them that IN taoo
instances recently the huts OF colored men
were violently entered at dead OF night by
gangs of disguised murderers, and In the
case of - Smirk, several miles east OF
McLeansville, beat him brutally on the I'M
supported charge of stealing bacon. In the
case of Doings Burton, near Stewards MiH,
their intended victim was enabled IN the
confusion and darkness to make his escape
from their violence Are we not allowed to
consider such men gangs of Ku-Klux when
Gen. Forrest assures us that they are scat
tered all over the Southern Statess The
Patriot writer hazards much when he denies
it and would have me believe him. He adj
mits the fact,s however, but has not one
word of condemnation of the deed, but
strongly pours floods of wrath on
and threatens him dreadfully with the ter
rors of the Superior Court of his county.
What could x do but advise helpless
men whom public opinion did not protect
for whom venal and cowardly Demo
cratic pen would not raise its voice and
who are not shielded by the officers of the
law, and assure them in the words of William
Pitt that their huts were their Castles and
they had the right and that it was their duty
to defend their lives at all hazards. This
*will stand by, and if law and society
will not protect the poor cOlored citizen
from violence, then he has only .torci6le resis-
lance left him, and to do so efectually will
alone reveal those disguised towards who
prowl about the country. Why does the
Patriot writer strut and fume as an excited
bantam over this advice to stay at home and
defend their huts and lives by all the means
that God and nature give them, and has not
a word to say of the wrong that is done 10
the good and order loving people of Gull
ford and the poor colorcd men by such deeds
of lawlessness. 1t is in the words of such
writers that the Ku Klux find their warrant
for their deeds, and these men do more to
keep up the violence in our State than all
the Ku Klux themselves.
1t is true that the writer in the Patriot
became ashamed-and that is quality of
which the most minute quantity only was
,,iv hin, in, hio Of III
cradle rhodomontade over i and
demanding his beiGg delivered to the tender
mercy of his pet Ku Klux, and attempts
condemnation of lawless violence in sup
plement to his article in brackets. But even
that shows more clearly that the man has no
nobility of soul; that he dare not openly
and boldly condemn the trampling under
their feet of the law by his party friends.
We learn that both these neighborhoods are
very strongly rebel and Democratic in party
and sentiment. There is no virtue in the
denial OF the truth, the law has been viola
ted; violence and wrong, without the shadow
of excuse, has been done the quiet and
peace of the COUNTY has been outraged, now
condemn this will you dare, Mr.. Substitute
foran editor? Arraign these bad men be-
fore tbs public and condemn, in hearty and
honest term. their QeeQS. VIII you InTeateu
them as you did with the ven
geance of the law? Why do you not demand
the name of your disguised friends9 Call
loudly, demand their names. Call upon the
sheriff to ferret them out and bring them
before the Superior Court.
1t is but proper to hold such hollow and
deceitful pretences up before the public at
+; their real value 1t is proper that the party
to which these men all belong, should be
held responsible for these deeds 1t is to be
hoped that the Patriot writer will at once 60
to work and redeem his county from the
foul wrong done its good name; that he will
not attempt to deny or conceal the truth;
that he will afford to the colored man the
protection of law and public opinion; that
he will at least permit him to act in sslf-de-
fence. That if he cannot forbid his friends
their pastime, that he will not devote all the
business of the courts of his county to the
punishment x but will look after
the open violation of the law at least. When
it becomes public duty. the STANDARD
will Iavor the " mischiefm making scribbler
of the Patriot with the name of
till then he bides his time.