The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1870-08-12
THE NORTH CAROLINA ovTRAeEs.

The condition of affairs in North Carolina
has excited good deal of comment through
out the country, and ought to be known and
pondered by every voter identified with the
Republican party because to that party and
the policy it has 'chosen to inaugurate belong
the responsibilities attached to these acts
Pending an excited political campaign in
that State, Governor Holden, after consulta
ton with the authorities at Washington,
declared certain counties to be placed under
martial law, and to restrain the pretended
evils and dangers threatened by the Katklatr,
certain Kirk--a military creature of the
Governor-commenced an active campaign
against the unoffending citizens, whom he
arrested by the score Writs of ha6eas corpus
We're sued out, but Judge Pearson declared
the civil power exhausted, and refused to
make an effort to enforce the authority with
which he was clothed, to inquire into the
causes of their detention-when Holden and
Kirk openly refused to recognize his interfer-
ence in the matter One of the most respect
ed citizens ofthe State, former United States
senator, came TO Washington in behalf of the
oppressed people of his section, and learned
to his establishment that he had first discov
cred the source of the ill-used power that was
distressing bis fellow-citizens. General Grant
could not defer his visit to Long Branch for
the sake of such matters as these, and w ash
ington was deserted for the summer season
by the Executive heads of Departments
United States troops, however, had been fur
nished Holden to operate with, in conjunc
ton with his own militia, and that opened
the eyes of the disappointed mediator, and
he returned to his own State, sadder if not
, wiser man tlH 0h N60 tbsa
Meanwhile, the victims of Kirk were num-
bered by the hundreds-arrested, some of
them, within the borders of the neighboring
State of Virginia, fleeing from the terrible
pursuit of the militia" and held beyond the
possibility of having the charges against
them investigated and the causes of their de-
tention inquired into-and actually tOrtsned,
to make them confess to crimes that they
were never guilty Of. Aperfect counterpart Of
the role played by the infamous Clayerhouse,
in Scotland, during the reign of James the
Second, appears to have been enacted by
Kirk. James conceived that the Covenanters
of the Scottish kingdom wanted reconstruc
ton and because of the freedom they wish
ed to enjoy in the exercise of their religious
faith, Graham of C!averhouse with his dra-
goons, exercised among them the same sort
of power that Kirk and his militia now usurp
in North Carolina.
1t is sickening task TO record these facts,
as it is painful to learn OF their existence, but
the object with which they were undertaken
is the most revolving of all Political supre-
macy in the State Of North Carolina, on the
part of the Republican party, was the sole
ulterior design which prompted the perpetra
ton of these outrages. The election in that
State for representatives to Congress was at
hand. That election was held last week, and
in spite of these transactions the Democrats
gained the victory Their majorties were
overwhelming in many parts of the State
and everywhere their vote was largely in
creased.
What will now be the condition of the
prisoners held by Governor Holden remains
10 be seen. Whether he will execute his
threat to try them by military court martial
or not we are unable TO say. But in any
event he has practiced upon the long suffer
ing forbearance of a community, by acts cal
culated to drive any people into desperate
revolt, in manner that ought never to be
forgotten.