The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1870-02-05
THE KU-KLUX-KLAN.
ENROLMENT OF A WHITE AND BLACK MILITIA
What the Farce Will Cost.


writing from Kings Mountain township, in
York County, gives the following account Of
the advent of the so-called Ku-Klux-Klan:
Our neghborhood was surprised few days
ago by the sudden and unexpected appear
an9c in their midst Of party Of State consta-
bles, who have made their headquarters at Mr..
Henry Hullender's, near the old wear mus
foreground"
It appears that short time ago party Of
the so-called '1Krl-Klux," from some quarter,
made their appearance at Hullender's, ana In
quired for one Billy Wright, colored, who was
living with white woman as his wife, on Hull
lenders lands. Wright succeeded In escaping
from the ''Ku-KluX,n but they fired and burn
ed down his mouse, and made some demonstra-
tions about Hullendcr's which excited his fears
to such degree that a military guard hos been
placed there.
they come, ostensibly, to preserve peace
and quletude, and to protect persons and prop
erty. We understand they have brought sew
proved style of arms, and ore rapidly recruit
ing. On Wednesday last, the fourth day after
their arrival, they organized thirty-two strong
by electing John r. Farls, captain, and II. t..
Roberts, ESQ.,, lieutenant Several persons OF
color have enlisted, some Of whom had made
contracts for the present year, thus embarrass-
ing, to some extent, their former employers.
the length of time they are to remain IN our
midst, The writer has not been informed; but
little calculation will show that they will cost
this county one thousand dollars or upward
per month, and it Is to be hoped That every
rood citizen will use his best efforts to render
it unnecessarily, indeed, the necessity does
exist-for them to remain.
It may be, however, that these demonstrar
tions are made chiefly for political purposes
Our State elections will come OF next fall, anu,
If something Is not done to prevent 1t, the
upper counties, at least, will elect Democratic
members to the Legislature, and county offl-
GERS generally But, be this as 1t may, every
true patriot should stand firm at his post-rec-
oenizlng the s'powers that be-" rendering Obe-
dfence TO the existing laws of our country;
and, we trust the day Is not far distant when
all such evils will be matters entirely OF the
past.
To show what the temper OF the people OF
York is, we reprint an article from the En-
auirer, whose moderate but firm utterances
always command attention:
On Saturday evening of week before last,
the citizens of our town were surprised by the
arrival of a small detachment, (siX In num-
ber,) OF State Constable Hubbard's police force.
AS there had been no news of any disturbance
in the county, conjecture ran wild as to the
object of this visit. Our correspondent eX.
plains the mystery, and gives some account OF
the doing Of the new preservers OF the peace
of our county, We learn, In addition, that
the company now numbers seventy men.
1t is a source of deep regret, II any OF the
citizens of York, knowing how eagerly an ex-
cuse for military interference Is snatched at,
have given SO plausible an occasion as the
burning of O house. There Is some doubt
about their participation In the affair; for we
hear that Hullender, who made the complaint
oil 10 that
believed the party Of so-called ku-KluX came
from North Carolina. Be this as it may, we
know that the public opinion of this county Is
totally opposed to mob law in any shape, and we
hope il will make itself heard on this occasion.
The spirit OF law and order is nowhere more
prevalent than in York, and comparison
may be challenged with any part of this broad
land as to the scarcity Of crime and the safety
of person and property, both of which are
chiefly due TO the general morality and good
sense of our people. House-burning Is not
jlstifiable in their eyes, and they always
have, and always will, by due course OF law,
punish and suppress it,
We have, therefore, word Of censure for
the Governor, who is responsible for inficting
upon us the insult that the laws cannot be en-
forced, or property protected here, without
the aid of military force. He has acted
without the authority Of law in this case; f0r
the law allows him to use military force only
when he knows that the civil officers are unable
or unwilling to afford protection to any citizen
asking It, Our sheriff and, as far as we can
learn, our magistrates were not called upon at
all. but left in ignorance of the fact that q
crime had been committed, until the arrival
of their unexpected allies in the work Of pre-
serving the peace. Under these circumstances
the Governor is bound, in honor, to explain to
our citizens why he has interiered In the mat
ter. In the absence Of any reason for believ-
ing that life and property are unsafe mere, ne
stables and dlsband his volunteer force, whe
are merely living at the expense OF the county,
and In no sort Of way ''protecting" anybody
or anything. We call upon the Governor for his
evidence in the case, in order that our people
may know when to consider themselves, or
rather, when he considers them, In danger.