The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1870-01-13
Condition of Affairs in the South.

| The Washington correspondent OF the
Baltimore Gazette says: If anything
were required to nail the falsehoods of the
Radicals about Georgia to the counter, it
will be found in the annexed extracts
from the official report of Major General
Haleck, commanding the military Di-
vision Of the South, accompanying the
annual report of the Secretary of War.
1t will be found in direct antagonism with
that of General Terry, upon which was
pretendedly based the necessity of the
expulsion of that State. General Hal
lcck's report bears date November 6, 1869.
/ quote:
"Inspection and other reports, howev-
er, represent it to be entirel y tranquil, ex-
cept in ceptain districts Of Georgia and
North Carolina, where there has been
somo disorders requiring military inter
ference, the civil authorities being unwil-
ling or unable to enforce the laws for the
protection of life and property.
"It is not easy vt the present timo to
determine upon the extent and character
of these alleged disorders; but official in
vcstigations have generally proved the
reports to be either unfounded or great
ly exaggerated.
CATER a careful examination of all the
evidence I have been able to collect from
official reports and the statements of Off
GERS and citizens, unbiased by partisan
feelings, am forced to the conclusion
that the amount of crime committed in
the several States of the division is very
little greater than. before the, rebellion,
and certainly no greater than was reason
ably to be expected at the close of an en-
bittercd and prolonged civil war, when
large numbers of lawless and desperate
characters, both at the North and in the
South, were turned loose upon society
without any legitimate means of support.
Certain districts of country may, and
probably do form exceptions.to 10 this gen.
eral remark; but even of these cxcep-
tional cases very few have any partisan
character or political significance. Those
who murder and rob do SO simply as mur-
derers and robbers, influenced by the mo-
tives which ordinarily incite men to COM
nit these crimes. One Of the worst des-
peradoes in Kentucky served in the Union
army during the war; but he and his band
now rob and murder rebels and loyalists
alike, as may best suit their purposes, at
one time claiming to be Ku Klux, and at
another to be anti-Ku Klux. Although
there may be special organizations of out
laws, in particular localities, under the
name of Ku Klux, I am of the opinion
that no such, general organization now
exists in the Southern States 1tisprob-
aple, however, that outlaws not unfre-
quently assume this name in order to in
timdate the weak and credulous. cspeci-
ally when calculated to increase their own
Importance.
In regard to the interference of mill
tary officers in difficulties under the pleas
of maintaining peace and good order, |
think that no such military interference
should be permitted, except on the requi-
sition of the Governor of a State, and by
order of the President, as provided by
law. The principal occupation ofthe troops,
IN certain localities, has been IN assisting req
enue officers to execute the reuenue la.cs. 1t
is very natural that these officers should call
for the assistance Of troops acheneuer they
can get it, for By this means they auoid dan
qer and trouble, aand increase their o,un emol-
uments at the expense Of military appropria-
tiOnS