The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1870-04-26

Wounds,
come now to the State Of Texas.
[ will read an extract from the report
1f the Freedmen's Bureau for the
State Of Texas in 1868:
A fearful amount of lawlessness |
and rufhanism has prevailed IN Texas /
during the past year. Armed bands /
styling themselves Kuklux, &C., have |
practiced barbarous cruelties upon
the freedmen. Murders by the des- |
peradoes who have long dissraced |
this State, are Of common occurrence.
The civil authorities have been over
awed, and, in many cases, even the
bureau and military forces have been
powerless to prevent the commission
of these crimes. From information
on file in the Office of the assistant
commissioner it appears that in the
month Of March the number of
freedmen murdered was 81 of white
men, 10; the number of freedmen as
saulted with intent to kill, IL; white
men, z. In July the number of freed
men murdered was 81; white men, q.
L. has been estimated by reliable
authority that in August, 1868, there
we're probably 5000 indictments
pending 10 the State for homicide, in
some of its various degrees, In most
cases downright murder; yet since the
close of the war only in one solitary
case Chat Of a freedman who was
hung at HoustoD) has punishment to
the full extent of the law been
awarded. Fsna
Mr.. President, / have the authority
of the Senator from Texas (Mr. Ham
ilton)- did notspeak with the other
Senator-for the statement, that from
the best evidence he has been able to
collect, there have been since the war
more than three thousand murders
committed in the State of Texas.
[ will pow state what / believe
to be the condition of Texas.
Owing to the fact that Congress re-
quired that before she should come
in she should ratify the Fifteenth
mendment, both parties in Texas
were compelled to place themselves
| on that basis. The result was that
the rebels In great part took no part
in that election, They wanted Texas
to come in, and they we're willing
that the Republicans should
carry the election for that pur
pose; and Ii was 2 contest between
two good Republicans for Governor.
But when the next election comes,
the State, having now got her Sena-
tors and her Representative In Con-
gress, there will be development OF
all these devilish and murderous ele-
/ ments that have made Texas SO ia
nous for the last three or four years
That society exists all through Texas
The State is honey combed with Its
lodges. They are not dead; they arc
only suspended, and they will develop
into full and murderous life unless
this Government shall extend Its
protecting power to the Union men O.
that State. / have not time to dwell
upon the condition of Texas. RI
come now to the State Of NORTH
| Carolina, which has been regarded,
believe, as the soundest and the mos
reliable OF all the Southern States
and what is the fact there? Why
sir, the evidence is furnished to me
and it is strong and overwhelming
that within the last few weeks thu
Kuklux have developed in various
counties In North Cardinal an
told In some twenty counties-and Il
show that it is a political organiza
ton, for political effect, the countie:
in which it appears are the doubtful
| counties, which it Is necessary fol
them to carry In order to control the
State Government. | have the an
thority Of the Senators from thai
State for this statement. Numerous
murders have been committed; men
are whipped from time to time; and
the same reign Of terror IL no@
being established In North Carolina
| that already exists In other States. ]
have not time TO dwell upon the con.
dition of affairs in North Carolina
but state the general situation; and
| If | do not state it correctly, the
two Senators from that State arc
amply able to set me right.
Now l come to Alabama:
! Alabama, too, has had a large
Union majority; but, sir, that major
ity is to be overcome, II is to be de
| stroyed in the same way that it was
| in Georgia. The plan is to destroy
the Union majority in every. State il
the South by this reign Of terror, tc
make men afraid to 90 to the poll:
and express their sentiments, to make
them understand that their lives arr
at hazard, and their property is a
stake if they dare to express them.
selves on the side of the Government
A small minority can do this. Why
sir, they paralyze the courts. They
officiate as sheriffs and bailiffs; they
enter the jury-box; they are thu
ready Witnesses; and punishment. car
not be administered In the common
courts of those States. fI;...a.
How is it now in the State of Ala
bama, which has hitherto been com
paratively peaceable2 Within thu
last few weeks a number of mos
diabolical murders have been com
mitted In that State. | was this morn
ing visited by Major HAYES, who,
believe, represents tho Fourth Dis
trict Of that State in the other end o
the Capitol, native of Alabama,
man of unquestioned character, anC
he laid before me the condition
of things in that State He says The
bloody epidemic is advancing rapidly
Recently number of atrooious mur
ders have been committed, and hC
submitted a statement that made my
blood curdle. In the county OF
Greene, in which he lives, he says
there have been nine murders com.
mitted in the last two weeks, in the
county Of Sumter there have been
three murders committed in the last
two weeks, in the county of Tusca.
loosa four murders have been com.
mitted In the last two weeks. Nine
murders have been committed In
1.-THE county in which he lives
in fourteen days, and he has
been notified by this internal organi-
cation that he must not return to the
State. IF he does, it is at the risk al
his life He says that a court officer
known as the circuit clerk. Of his
? l.onurt.y hos hoa,,. ,,o4;eoJ -. n - n :