The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1870-04-25

passed by her Legislature since the
war, is, in the opinion of the commit
tee. as criminal as to attempt to over
throw or resist the government and
laws of the State OF New York, or
anv other State of the Union.
call the attention of the Senate to
the declaration on the part Of this
committee that the Kuklux Of Ten
nessee were taking the ground that
the State government OF Tennessee
was illegal and unauthorized, and
they had rightto oVerturn il; and that
that was the instruction that they re-
ceiyed from Dem ocratic conventions
in the North.
/ will now read an extract from the
report of the joint committee OF the
Legislature of Tennessee:
Your committee regret that the
limited time at their disposal has
prevented them from giving to the
subject matter referred to them q
more complete and thorough examin
| alton. The murders and outrages
which have been perpetrated In many
counties of Middle and West Ten
| nessee, during the past few months,
1
an aggravated character as almost
battles investigation. In these coun-
i ties q reign of terror exists, which Is
SO absolute In its nature that the best
of citizens are unable or unwilling to
/ give free expression to their opinions.
The terror inspired by the secret or
ganization known as the Kuklux
Khan is so great that the officers
of the law are powerless to ex-
ecute its provisions, to discharge
their duties, or to bring the guilty
perpetrators of these outrages to the
punishment they deserve. Their
stealthy movements are generally
made under cover of night, and under
masks and DISCUSSES, which render
4 their identification difficult, if not
Fl impossible. TO AID to the secrecy
which envelopes their operations is
the fact that no information of their
murderous acts can be obtained with
out the greatest difficulty aud danger
in the localities where they are com
mitted. No one dares to inform upon
them or take any measures to bring
them to punishment; because no one
can tell but that he may be the next
; victim of their hostility or luminosity
The members of this organization
kwithitheir friends, aiders and abet
tors, take especialpains to conceal all
their operations. The moving prin
ciple by which they are actuatet
would appear to be hostility to the
State and national authorities; and
in the minds of these men tt
9 have voted for Brownlow " or the
= Republican ticket" or to be I
) Radical" is the greatest of crimes
Your committee believe that, during
the past six months, tho murders, t
say nothing Of other outrages, would
average one q dag, orrone for ever
+ twenty-four hours; that in the grea
! majority of these cases they have beer
! perpetrated by the Kuklux above re
ferred to; and few, if any, have beer
Z brought to punishment. A number
of the counties of this State are en-
tirely at the mercy Of this organiza
7 ton, and rowing bands of night!
marauders bid defiance to- the civil
: authorities, and threaten to drive on
every man, white or black, who doe
! not submitto their arbitrary dieta
ton. To add to the general lawless
/ ness of these communities, bad mel
of every description take advantage
) of the circumstances surrounding
! them. and peTpetrate acts of violence
} from personal or pecuniary motives
under the plea Of political necessity
T. CONCLUDED TOMORROW.