The union Democrat. [volume] (Sonora, Calif.) 1854-1946, 1871-12-09

TO statement of our relations with foreign
countries, with all of which the United States
is at peace. lie represents the National deb,
to have been reduced eighsy-six millions Of
dollars during the year. He recommends
that all taxes from internal sources be abol.
ished, except those on spirituous, vinous and
malt liquors, tobacco in its various forms, and
from stamps. He favors the proposition t.
unite the telegraph with the postal system.
The message being too long for our columns
we publish SO much as follows, which en-
braces that part we think will be Of the most
interest to our readers at the present time.
KUKLux IN SOUTH CAROLINA.
There has been imposed upon the Execu-
tive branch of the Government the execution
of THE Act of Congress approved April Goth
1871, and commonly known as the kuklux
law, in portion of the State of South Caro-
lima. The necessity of the course pursued
will be demonstrated by the report of the
Committee TO investigate Southern outrages.
Under the provisions of the above Act, | is
sued proclamation calling the attention of
the people of the United States to the same,
of the extraordinary powers thereby confer
red upon me, except in case of imperative
necessity; but making known my purpose to
exercise such powers whenever it should be-
come necessary to do so for the purpose of Sc
curing TO ell citizens of the United States the
peaceful enjoyment of the rights guaranteed
by the Constitution and the laws. After the
passage of this law, information was received
from time to time, that combination of
characters referred to in this law existed, and
were powerful in many parts of the Southern
States, particularly in certain counties of
South Carolina. Careful investigation was
made, and it was ascertained that in nine coun-
ties of that State such combinations were ac-
tive and powerful, embracing sufici por-
ton of the citizens to control the local author
ity, and having, among other things, the OBJ
ject of depriving the emancipated class of the
substantial benefits of freedom and of the
privilege of the free political action of those
citizens, who did not sympathize with their
own views. Among their operations were
frequent scourgings and occasional assassina-
tons, generally perpetrated at night by dis
guised persons: their victims in almost all
cases being citizens of different political sem
sentiments from their own, or free persons
who have shown disposition to claim equal
rights with other citizens. Thousands of in
offensive and well disposed citizens were suf-
ferers by the lawless violence. Thereupon,
on the 18th of October, 1871, proclamation
was issued in terms of the law, calling upon
the members of the said combination to dis
perse within five days, and to deliver to the
Marshal or military officers of the United
States, all arms ammunitions, uniforms, dis
guise and other means and implements used
by them for carrying out their unlawful pur-
poses. This warning not having been heed
ed, on the 18th of October, another procla-
nation was issued, suspending the writ of ha-
beas corpus in nine counties in that State, and
direction was given, that within the counties
designated, persons supposed on credible in
formation to be members of such unlawful
combinations should be arrested by the mill
tary forces of the United States and deliver
ed to the Marshal, to be dealt with according
to law In two of the said counties, many
arrests have been made. At the last ac-
counts, the number of persons thus arrested
was l6S. Several hundred whose criminal-
ty was ascertained to be of an inferior de-
gree, were released for the present. These
have generally made confessions of their guilt
Great caution has been exercised in making
these arrests, and Notwithstanding their large
number, it is believed that no innocent per-
son is now in custody. The prisoners will be
held for regular trial before a judicial tribu-
nal of the United States. AS soon as it APP
peared that the authorities of the United
States were about to take vigorous measures
to enforce the law, many persons absconded,
and there is good ground for supposing that
all of such persons have been guilty of VIOLA
ton of the law. A full report of what has
been done under this law will be submitted to
Congress by the Attorney General.
THE MORMON QUESTION.
In Utah there still remains remnant of
barbarism, repugnant to civilization, decen-
cy, and to the laws of the United States
Territorial officers, however. have been found
who are willing to perform their duty in a
spirit of equity, and with due sense of sus-
tanning the majesty of the law. Neither po-
ligamy nor other violation Of existing statutes
will be permitted within this Territory of the
United States. 1t is not with the religion of
the selfstyled Saints that we are now dealing,
but their practices. They will be protected
in the worship of God according to the die
tates of their conscierees, but they will not be
permitted to violate the laws under the cloak
of religion. 1t may be advisable for Congress
to consider what, in the execution of the laws
against polgamy, is to be the status of the
plural wives and their offsprings, and the
propriety of Congress passing an enabling
Act. authorizing the Territorial Legislature
of Utah to legitimatize all born prior to a
time fixed in the Act, might be justified by
its humanity TO these innocent children.
This is a suggestion only, and not recon-
mendation.
REMOVAL OF SOUTHERN DISABILITIES.
More than six years having elapsed since
the last hostile gun was fred between tie
armies then arrayed against each other, one
for the perpetuation, the other for the de-
struotion of the Union, it may be we'll cons:d-
cred whether it is not now time that the disa-
biiities imposed by the Fourteenth Amend
ment should be removed. That Amendment
does not exclude the ballot, but only requires
the disability to hold Offices BY certain classes.
When the purity of the ballot box is secure.
the majority is sure to elect officers rejecting
the views of the majority. do not see the
advantage or propriety of excluding men from
office. merely because they were before the
rebellion, of standing and character sufficient
to be elected to position, and of requiring
them to take an oath to support the Constitu.
ton, while admitting the eligibility of these
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