Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1871-04-26
Adjournment of Congress.
PASSAGE OF THE KU-KLUx BILL.


The first session of the Forty Second Con
gress closed on Thursday afternoon last, it's
final and most important act being the pas
sage of the Ku-Klux bill, which we publish
10 another column, as reported by the com
mittee Of conference. Mr.. Poland presented
and advocated the report. Messrs. Shella-
barger and Garfield also favored it, and
Messrs. Beck and Witthorn opposed. Mr..
Butler opposed the substitute for Mr.. Sher-
mans amendment. As adopted, persons in
jured by the Ku-KIux may have reclamation
in the property Of persons who have secret
knowledge Of any contemplated outrage and
thereby become accessories before the fact
The report was accepted by strict party
vote, 90 10 a.
The President Immediately signed the bill,
and it at once became the law of the land
The bill differs materially from the one con
templated and urged by Nj. Butler, and from
that introduced by Mr. Shell abarger, but it
is believed that although nearly every clause
of the original measure has been changed, its
effectiveness has not been impaired, whilst
Objectionable features have been removed.
It's enforcement as q measure Of peace to the
country should and no doubt will be the first
care of the administration. The Democrats
opposed the bill as party measure directed
against their adherents in the South. The
answer to this should be made emphatic that
no party in this country can survive, much
less prosper, that disregards the individual
u. ct 8 Of
the citizens. in whatever section they may
happen to be located. A vigorous application
Of the provisions of the Ku-Klux law will
soon teach the lesson that such acts of violence
as have been transporting in many localities in
the southern states, and which have so re-
Gently been brought nearer home in the assas-
sination Of Capt Dickinson, cannot find safety
or escape from punishment for the lack of au-
thority or power in the general government
to reach the offenders.
The second section Of the act recites such
Offenses as have become too familiar from re
peatedly being practiced, to require repeating
and fixes the penalties or conviction "a fine
not less than $500 and not more than $4,000,
or by imprisonment, with or without hard
labor, as the court may determine, for pc
Rod of not less than SIX months nor more
than SIX years, the court may determine,
or by both such fine and Imprisonment, az
the court shall determine.
The third section gives the President power
to execute the penalties, OF in other words, il
1t suits the pleasure of any portion of the
people Of the United States to keep up and
carry on q rebellion. even with a force Of
two or more individuals," as enumerated
in the act, the minimum is not too small for
the government to lay hands on, and justice
shall not be cheated because the rebellious
columns are Insignificant in numbers. The
certainty of punishment is the virtue Of any
penal law, and the very fact that Congress
has legislated in this direction, whether the
law is perfect one or not, is a great point
gained, and will inspire new confidence in the
friends Of the Union and give wa rning to it's
enemies
Universal amnesty. which has its advocates
who are not without arguments, has a mag
unanimous and pleasing sound, but the hatred
which was born of the rebellion has not yet
reached that degree Of inertia calculated to
create a conf ience that So large boon would
yet be appreciated. And Is it not as true
now as it was the day that the great English
historian wrote it that % restOratiobs always
disappoint the loyal and what evidence
have We yet that all of the recently armed
enemies Of the government would prove
sufficiently loyal to make an exception to
this rule y?
Certainly it does not consist in that condi-
ton of affairs at the South which renders
necessary the passage of a law to enforce The
provisions of the fourteenth amendment to
the constitution. 1t cannot be seen in the
lifeIess form of the gallant officer that sur
vived the battles of the rebellion to be
stricken down by not less implacable but
more cowardly enemy.
But Congress has adjourned, and there is
no danger from such measure at present.
In the meantime let US hope that the whole
some admonitions of the Ku-Klux law viii
be sufficient to keep its penalties in reserve,
and that the citizens of States that have
forced upon the government extreme measures
will realize without their application that
law and order enforced by home sentiment
and local enactments is a better investment
than United States statutes backed by the
strong arm of the central power.