The weekly standard., 1870-07-20
Gov, Bragg-Consistencv,

Gov. Thomas Bragg, Chairman of the Ku
klux Democracy, has made proclamation to
the Klan. lie orders them to be quiet until
after the election, and at the same time en-
couragcs them to renewed acts of violence
and outrage, by justifying what they have
done.
His party, acting under ecI counsels and
for sinister purpose" has well nigh brought
the State to ruin-order, peace and quiet,
security for life, liberty and property and
the maintenance of the elective franchise,
have not only been imperiled, but well nigh
lost. Congress. the Constitution and the
American people have ordered that alT
men shall vote. His party in carrying
out their cardinal principle, unqualified
opposition to negro suffrage have declared
that they shall not cote. Open opposition
they dared not attempt. A bold and manly
contest with power they feared TO undertaken
They have provoked insurrection in its ms
hideous and dangerous form. A ID
army Is now enrolled in North Carr
guided and controlled by these men,
Ized in the most thorough manner, o,
by leading ex Confederates and al
with one common hatred of the Coz
OF the Union; and one common
destruction. Their sympathy
| lost cause. their .tletcSan1
! =. 81 :=-..a.anfTu--the -
ruin the one and to pull dow
the object, to which they difS
whole power.
Learned, intellectual and rich, the
hoped once more to crush down and
the poor and the ignorant. Such is the
klux Klan.
The government of the State and the
nation, seeing this formidable power gather
ing, have taken vigorous measures for its
suppression and for the safety of the State.
The civil arm-THE COURTS being rem
dered powerless as protectors of life, liberty
and property by this insurrection, (for they
are bound together to save one another by
perjury when in trial at aw) the only re-
course left, the only hope of a restoration
and permanent establishment of peace and
order was an appeal TO Executive au-
thority and to the last resort of all GOV
ernment- the military power. This saved
the Union threatened in like manner-and |
this alone can now save NORTH. Carolina a |
worse fate.
But Gov. Bragg-this chief of the Ku-
klux Khan now that this power is directed |
to overthrow his organization, is shocked.
He asks, "by what authority docs the Gov
ernor do these things?" Gov. Bragg (and
through you the balance of the Kuklux in
North -Carolina) so back ten years. Hear
the Hon. Thomas Bragg's speech on like
occasion in the Courthouse in Raleigh be-
fore large gathering of people, when Davis
was prcmeditating his tyrannous usurpa-
tion of power. How then did this man
speak Inter arma leqes silent" Whether
he had consulted the Richmond authorities
or not we do not know, but long before Da-
Wis had ovcrridden our laws and oppressed
our poor people, before the conscript
act or the imprcssment laws, before Governor
Vance had committed the murders in the
Laurel Valley, or the outragcs in Moore, this
Hon. Thomas Bragg shortly thereafter At
torncy General OF The Confederate Statcs) |
proclaimed i'll the Court house in Raleigh
inter arnm legiS SILENT" in wars let laws be
silent. lie and his have provoked this same
state of things; they can only be crushed
and brought back intn obedience tn. th
powers that bc-this lcllish Kuklux
can only be scattered and its perpetrations
OF murder and horrid outrages punished by
the military arm. Now they cry for that
same law which they have made impotent.
we answer tnem as he answered us in 1860
Inter arna legis silent. Beware gentlemen
You have once more aroused the great Re-
publican party here and at the North. The
people have become tired with
your constant interruption of the peace and
prosperity of the nation A short time and
Tour doom will bc sealed. Again We say,
BEWARE