The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1871-03-18

lileIl tlaI IL part, 1T least, OF tnelf OTence
was having voted the Republican ticket.
Witness further testified to the drowning
of Il colored man by the Kuklux, and that
about $50 persons had been whipped by
them in the country within two years, and
that previous to the organization there
were no Outrages committed; that major
ity of the members are Confederate soldiers
Witness knew of one attempt to murder
Senator Shoffner, who was subsequently
strangled; his death was decreed.
The testimony of this witness is con-
firmed by others.
A long list of outrages is given, and the
testimony shows that the victims of the
outrages were members of the Republican
party.
Judge Settle, Brooks, Henry, Russell,
Battle, as well as members of the bar
belonging to both political organizations,
say that it is impossible for the civil
authorities to punish the persons guilty of
the outrages committed. The committee
say the testimony clearly establishes
First. That the Kuklux organization
does exist, has political purpose, is COM
posed Of members of the Democratic or
Conservative party, has sought to carry
ont its purpose by murders, whippings,
intimidations, and violence, against its
opponents.
Second. That it not only binds its
members to carry out DEGREES of crime, but
protects them against conviction and pun
ishment, first by DISCUSSES and secrecy;
second, by perjury, if necessary, upon the
witness-stand and in the .iury-box.
Third. That of all the offenders against
the law in this order, land they must be
many hundreds, if not thousands, because
these crimes are shown to be committed by
organized bands ranging from ten up to
seventy-five), not one has yet been convicted
in the whole State.
Such being the state of affairs, it is
surely not necessary that the committee
should argue the insufficiency of the rea-
sons given for establishing an order which
has led to such results. Whatever may
have been the original purpose of the ku-
klux, or the offenses of those to countcract
whom they allege the order was established
it now has gone SO far as to present the
issue between government and anarchy;
and, if it has not reached it, is fast ap-
there can be no neutrals. With such an
army of criminals at large, with no power
in the State tribunals to bring them to
justice; with their organizations, oaths,
and secrecy, battling and defying all the
appliances of the law, and bringing them
to each others aid; with the consciousness
that they number enough to turn the scale
of political power in favor of the party
with which they act, so long as their VIC
lence and Intimidation are successful
against those whom they oppose; with
all these facts in view, he must have a
credulous nature who believes that any
temporary lull in the activity of such an
agency at once of crime and Of power,
imposts continued security to those who
must become either victims of their crime
or submissive suppliants to their power.
The committee give the names of ninety
blacks and forty-four whites, nearly all OF
whom were whipped, the remainder shot,
Besides these specific cases of outrage, the
testimony refers in general terms to others
committed in Moore, Chatham, and other
counties.
The testimony quoted, almost with ex-
ception, establishes that the outrages per-
petrated by these bands in disguise were
inflicted upon members of the Republican
party, both white and colored. In some
instances, the fact that they were of that
party being given as the reason for the
punishment; i'll others alleged crime being
the pretext; while in some such acts as
keeping Sunday school for colored chill
dren were given as a sufficient reason.
While engaged in prosecuting the inquiry
as to North Carolina many communications
have been received calling for examination
into outrases of similar character to those
complained Of in that State, which have
been committed before and since the COM
mittee was organized, by bands of men in
disguise in other States. Complaint is
made that within the last two weeks the
capital of Kentucky was entered in the
night by body of men armed and masked,
who proceeded to the Jail, took possession
of it, set at liberty a man charged with
murder, and then rode away unmolested.
Shortly before that the Jail at Union,
South Carolina, was entered and ten pris-
oners taken out and killed. Like COM
plants of murder, scourging, and violence
without redress, and demands for inresti-
CATION and the protecting arm of the Gov
eminent against these lawless marauders,
have been forwarded from the States OF
South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Alabama,
Mississippi, Louisiana, Virginia, Kentucky,
Texas, and Tennessee. Into none of these
could the committee examine, considering
it better to pursue our inquiry to compile
ton, if possible, in one State, rather thar
take partial and disjointed statements as tc
all, and leaving to the Senate the determi
nation of whether the public interests
require this investigation to be pursued
further.
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