The weekly standard., 1870-08-03
What about ..Holden,s Militia. ,v

What about ssHolden's Militia !''
Well, reader here is grave question for
the serious consideration of-Democrats or
Cofsefpaties!
k-fhere is an impression Gsought to be made
by these interested partisans that there is to I
be or has been general calling out of the 1
militia for general armed service throughot
the State, and that there is going to be
war all through the State. whereas if the
militia were not so called out everything,
would go on peaceably, quietly and smooth
ly. Now, is it possible that any man, wo-
man or child of good intelligence, and an Or
dinary acquaintance with public affairs can
believe any such representations? But, as it
takes all sorts of people to mako a world,
some may believe 1t.
Now, the facts about all this are, motor
iously, that in various portions of the State,
secret, clandestine and lawless bands habitu-
ally go about, generally in the dead hours
of the night disguised, whipping, beat
ing, manning in a most shocking manner,
and in numerous instances beating to death
or shooting persons not liked or against
whom some grudge is entertained. Some
times several persons are victims in the same
night We know of one case where as many
as five men were killed and thrown into
Neuse river in one night, by one of these
mobs. Since the adjournment of the Legis-
lature one Senator has been murdered in the
Court-H House of Casw"ll county How long
has it been since Wyatt Outlaw was hang
ed in the nighttime by Klan of this sort;
and short time thereafter a colored man,
not considered very bright, who happened
to follow too near the commission of this
deed was missing some time, and afterwards
found drowned not far off The proclama-
tion of the Governor recites numerous re
cent cases of shooting, beating and murder
ing by these secret Klans, and within the
past 15 days most outrageous case of shoot
ing of colored man at his own house in
Chatham county, inflicting five serious
wounds upon him. As this bloody system of
violence and assassination goes on, lead
ing and in some cases [unjustly] influential
papers in the State pursue such a line of
comment as justifes or aplogises for
these acts, thus encouraging and increasing
the commission of them. So much of feeling
of encouragement and protection do these
secret assassns receive from these and other
sources, that the civil law, neither by procla-
nations and offers OF reward by the Governor
nor the courts of law, have been able to take
hold OF and convict the guilty So well or
ganized are the Klans that comparatively
very few arrests have been made by the civil
| authorities. And when arrests are so made,
| the systematic howls from the same class of
press and its friends, are such that the per
petrators of mischief take new courage and
] 90 on in their depredarI5ns. And in some OF
these cases jails have been forced open and
the prisoners let out by supposed comrades
and their sympthisers in mischief, amid
loud shouts and huzzas. These are known
facts. These depredations, long contiued and
frequently committed in certain localities,
what. in the name ofreason, justice, humani
ty and security to person and life, is to be
done? Answer for yourself, reader, if yoHr
county, your neighborhood, your house were
thus subjected to the constant raidings and
outrageous depredations of so vilianous and
murderous Klan.
Knowing that these things are going on,
state OF great anxiety feeling of insecure
ty-is necessarily experienced, by thousands
who naturally supposed that they have no
more right to expect safety to themselves,
than to those who have so recently suffered
by the mob. Hence, plainly seeing their in
security in those sections, as last hope, q
last resort, the Governor of the State is ap-
pealed to for protection. Towhom, or what
else can they appeal? Neither tile law nor its
officers can or do afford it to them. Would
not the Governor in such case, be an migrate
full, unfeeling wrech, and deserve to be hurled
unceremoniously from his place if he could
sit, unmoved by these urgent appeals Then
what is he to do2 Having exhausted his
powers given HIM by civil law, and after re
peating exhortations for peace and cessa-
tion of these disturbances, all without effect,
he calls for an armed force, to aid IN the dis
turbed localities, in supressing these outrages,
restoring peace and quite, and that security
| of person and life which every good citizen
has right to claim from his government
These troops will not be sent to any other cum
| ty where the civil law has been maintained
agains. these or similar acts Not at all, and
any charge, or any impression sought to he
made that they are to be stationed all over
the State is not only unfounded and false,
but is wicked and mischievious, tending to
| get up sympathy for, and to encourage these
| midnight marauders. These troops will be
sent only to counties aohere these depredations
occur, and THE CIVIL LAW CAN'T OR DON'T
REACH THEM, in order to prevent repetition
of them, by stronger arm, if they will per-
sist in these horrible outrages. The safety
and the lives of persons in certain lacalities
are in CONSTANT DANGER from these uncheck-
ed assassins. Reader if you were thus in
danger, and you felt and knew that civil law
was powerless ia protect you, would you not
think that the authorities werein duty bound
to afford you something stronger and more
efficient2 -
Thefe is no necessity fox, nor will there be
any troops sent to counties where the civil
laws can be so executed as to give security
to person and life. Who wauld put dollars
and cents against these Would any good
citizen Certainly not Ifthe remedy be
severe and unusual, so is the diesease Coun-
ties like Randolph, Davidson, Forsyth,
Strokes, Surry and others in the District,
whose peaceful and lawabiding people will
not allow such depredations habtually CON-
mitted within their borders-but would
treat them as enemies to society, and rise up,
en- n,asse, if necessary, and drive the perpc-
traitors out or destroy them-w.ll not be
troubled By the militia at all. Listen to no
such reports representing that they will be.
All such reports are groundlcss.
If in other counties these things go on,
and nothing else wiU stop them, what less
can the auLnOTllleS uo Aii icquiiC anu
should receive protection, especially at home
or in lawful avocatlons, by means ''peaceably
if they can and forcibly If THEY MUST"
One word as to taxation for the support OF
these troops Should it be necessary, the
good people ofthe State would not make
question OF paltry dollars and cents against
LIFE AND SECURITY from band of assassins.
But in the present case, as stated last week,
| it is designed that that shall come OUT OF
COUNTIES WHERE these depredations occur
so frequently AS TO REQUIRE the Military.
That is just
For instance The sentiments and character
of the people of Forsyth county is such that
they would not allow or tolerate the commits
sion of such a series ofhorrible crimes in her
borders. Then, HER people will NOT have
to pay that tax for support of the troops on
duty in OTHER counties. The action of the
| last Legislature, and Unnecessary, of the next,
| will settle that. Then, be not deceived or
driven from your property oryour principles
by unprincipled demagogucs who, for the
sake Of trying to get votes for themselves Or
friends, make such untounded mschievous
statements If you have doubts, appeal to
those of your friends who have II right to
know, and do know and will tell you the
n IL