Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1871-12-20
RATHER TO THE POINT.
Representative Freeman onthe Kuklux

The Tennessee Tribune of the 18th pub
| fishes in full a very able and vigorous
| speech of Hon. A. A. Freeman, on the ku-
klux resolutions of Mr.. Chester, introduce
ed in the House of Representatives at
| Nashville on the Sth inst.
The resolutions denied the existence OF
kukluX in Middle and West Tennessee.
During the course of his remaks Mr.. Free
| man SAID t1s
When did the organization commonly
known as Kuklux cease to exist2
Mr.. Harris.-The supposed Kuklux or
CARNATIONS ceased when the Radical par
ty ceased drilling negroes in our midst for
insurrectionary purposes.
Mr.. Fireman. am glad to hear from q
gentleman who seems to speak from the
card, but allow me tosay to the gentleman
from Shelby, that while it may he true
that the organization dS such may have
ceased to exist, as he says, tits nevertheless
true that squads and numbers of that or
ganization did not, and have not yet ceas-
ed to commit their Outrages in Tennessee.
1t is, therefore, a distinction without a diff
ference to say, that the organization does
not exist, the individuals exist, and if you
will hang them and stop their depredations
the country cares but little what becomes
of the organization.
| know, and every other member on
this floor knows that such an organization
has existed for many years in this country
since the war. These resolutions assert in
the most positive terms that no such or
ganization exists at present. I would like
to know, and the country would like to
know, if the gentleman speaks from the
"card, y where does he get his informa-
ton? Let him produce to this House the
order disbanding this army of midnight
assassins.
Mr.. Enloe.-The gentleman from Hay
wood speaks so positively, would like to
know by which natural sense he has been
able to determine their existence. Wheth-
er by seeing feeling or smelling.
Mr.. Freeman.-By all three. They look
like fiends, feel like toads and smell like
dogs.
How do / kROW that such an organiza-
ton has existed? l know it, because L
have seen them in their unearthly garb
mustered i'll war-like array; led ON like
blood-hounds in search of their victim. 1
knO1U it bee luse l have heard the still quiet
of the night walkened by the din of their
death-dealing " "Navies." I knOU it, be-
cause have seen::the blood flowing from q
dozen wounds i'll their Hfeless victim! I
k7ao,O it from the testimony of hundreds of
unimpeachable witnesses Of their crimes.
Mr. Cheatham.-If these kuklux are
what they are represented to be by the
gentleman from Haywood, / wonder that
he has been allowed to come here
Mr.. Freeman.-I understand the allu-
sion Of the gentleman from Robertson ,and
will say to him that | have denounced
these scoundrels in their strongholds, just
as ! have denounced them to-day. have
said to them as still say to them, that my
blood is at their disposal whenever they
think that they have sufficient amount
of their own to give in exchange for it.
Let me say here once for all, that the peo-
pie of Tennessee have suffered from these
outrages until forbearance has ceased to be
virtue. They do not intend any longer to
stand silently by and see their friends shot
down in cold blood for no other reason
than because they do not vote to suit these
masked assassins. And from this time
forth blood for blood will be demanded at
their hands