Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1871-07-18

fHE KU-KLUX IAVESTIGA-
Tl0S.
More Bombs Bursting in the
Radical Camp.
Testimony of Judge Wright,
DR.. Angler and Col An
dersOn, of Georgia.
Disposition of the South to be
Law Abiding = Scallawags
and Carpet-baggers Re-
tpOnsible for Outrages
Gov. BullOck's
Rascality Ex-
posed,
From the washipeton Patriot, July "a.


He was subjected to heavy cross fire of
questioning by Mr.. Pool, of North Caro-
lima, who was not at all pleased when, in
answer to question as to the real cause
of the disturbances in the South, he was
told that they were mainly attributable to
the "scallswags," who, many of them,
were originally leading rebels, and had
joined hands with the carpet baggers to
despoil the Southern people of their sub
stance. Judge Wright stated that he was,
and had been, an earnest Union man, and
that the class to which he belonged were
the special victims of the present condi-
ton of things, because, as Union men,
they were badly treated by the Confeder-
ates during the war, because of their
disloyalty to the Confederate Cause, and
since the war they had been subjected to
the came suspicion and plundering treat
ment by the very class, formerly rebels,
now "scallawsgs," assisted by unscrupu-
lous carpet baggers. So that they were
ground to powder between the upper and
neither millstones.
Mr.. Pool demanded to know about Ku-
Klux organizations; whether there were
not such organizations in Georgia and
other parts of the SouthS
Judge Wright said that if the question
was whether there were regular secret
organizations, with secret signs and pass
words, and organized under head, or in
accordance with any design TO restrain
any class of citizens from exercising their
privileges of citizenship, or with pur-
pose of resisting the authority of the gov
eminent, he answered no. He had no
knowledge of such organizations. But
he added that there were, in some local.,
ties, local organizations for the purpose of
preserving the peace and depressing law
lesspess for the general good, and he had
no doubt but that such organizations had
sometimes committed excuses, and per-
peirated wrongs against individuals
They were not organizations effected to
prevent the negroes from voting, and he
had known no instance in which, in his
section of country, they had attempted
such thing. he stated that the worst
| acts of violence he had ever witnessed in
this regard were the violent outrages COM
miIted by Radical negroes upon persons
of their own color who had attempted to
| NOtC WIN tnS bCLAOC1htS. 1lS Adu OHCC
seen the white citizens organized and
armed to protect negroes who desired to
vote their personal sentiments, in oppo-
sition to the wishes of the Radical organi-
cations.
Mr.. Pool then questioned Judge Wright
as to his religious opinions, and was told
that the witness professed very humble
and simple faith; that he was, in fact, a
feet-washing Baptist.
This answer puzzled the North Caro-
| lima Senator not Little, for it Was evi-
| dent he had never heard Of the feet-wash-
ers. He ssked The Judge il feet-washing
was a doctrine or an observance. The
Judge replied that the doctrine of feet
washing was derived from the ''Last Sup
per-, as described in the Scriptures, and
that lis followers believed that it was q
Christian du,y and privilege TO perform
the same office towards one another, in
| imitation of the humble example set His
| Disciples by the Saviour of mankind.
| he added that he had witnessed
| the observance Of feet washing
administered TO- humble negroes by
white brethren Of the faith, and would
cheerfully perform the same ceremony
! himself if occasion demanded. The dis
cIples Of this faith were generally sincere
believers in its efficacy.
The Senator having satisfied himself of
the sOundness of the religious faith Of
The witness, next catechized him as to
Whist political Office he had held, and was
told that Judge Wright was elected Cir
cult judge in bis 9th year, and held that
position seven years, when he resigned
Ii, and was subsequently elected to Con-
gress. He gave q brief history of his
public course in opposition to secession,
saying that he opposed it to the bitter
end; that, during the Breckenridge,
Douglas and Bel campaign, he was q
Douglas Democrat, and stumped por-
ton of his State for that ticket. He de-
tailed rather Enthusiastically the manner
in which the State of Georgia was dra-
g5oned out of the Union, and said that
ne never had moments sympathy with
the men who broke up the Union. He
believed that Ii the secession ordinance
had been submitted 10 The peo-
pie of his State, after being
passed upon nv the convention, it would
have been defeated By over so, 600 ma
jority. lie went to the Confederate
C0ngTess at the earnest request of the
. zion people, i'll the hope that he might
be able to do something to bring about g
| better state Ct things; and the last act be
did as member of the Confederate Con-
gress WAS to introduce q resolution, pro-
yidipg for calling general convention of
the S1uihern Ststes, to reconstruct, under
the Federal Constitution, and for which
act he ran the risk of his life. The reso-
luton was afterwards published in an
Alabama paper, and subsequently found
its way into the Federal Congress, where
it was read by New York member, who
made it the basis Of remarks, looking to
meeting the leading men of the COnfed-
eracy, with view to bringing about some
action Of that kind, and ending the re-
bslliOn.
Judge Wright said that in 1864 he was
arrested by the Federal cavalry and sent
70 Atlanta TO General Sher nan, with
whom he passed al entire day il CONVEX
sllion upon the genera! polit.calsituatiOn.
Gen. Sherman sent him TO Washington 10
see President L ncOln. He came here
ard s.eUt some time in consultation with
Mr. Line in, v it'll whom he was much
pl ased, and win whose vie6 he entirely
concuTed. Mr.. Lincoln gave the wit
mss his views concerning amnesty,
showed him his amnesty proc al alton,
then written, and told him there were a
few of the most Virulent rebels that il
would not do to pardon for some time,
but he intended that the great mass of the
people South should be restored to theiI
FORMER relations with the Federal Govern
ment, for he did not believe it possible tO
administer republican government where
a considerable portion of its citizens were
deprived of any OF their essential rights
under it. In this opinion the witness en-
tirely agreed, and was satisfied that with
the carrying out of such a plan, the en-,
tire South could have been, in q brief
time, restored TO affinity with the Nation
al Government
Judge Wright added that he believed
all the woes of the South were due to the
unhappy death of President Lincoln, IL
whose sincerity and patriotism that people
l. bod a