Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1871-05-05
By Mr.. Blair:

In North Carolina; was in the Confederate
army; was large slay eholder; and am now
considerable taxpayer and property
holder. and entirely identified with the
people and interests OF the State of North
Carolina.
Question-You do not profess to speak
of these outrsges of your own knowledge
at all, only from general opinion?
Answer-NO, sir; of course have seen
none of them committed.
Question-You say you ere not a mem
Der of the Loyal League?
AnsR Ell am not.
Question-What is the purpose of that
organization, so far as you know?
Answer-So far as l know, the purpose
of it was to form an organization IN the
interest of the republican party. l have
understood, in fact / have been told by
one Of the leaders of the league in the
State, that there has been no attempt to
organize it for more than twelve months
past. There have been no meetings, that
[ am aware of, during that time. When
| it was first organized and was in progress,
in he.campaign of 1868, its meetings were
we'll known. The negroes were assembled
on my plantation and in that vicinity 60
ing to the meetings.
Quostion-Did the establishment of this
Loyal League precede the es tabIish-
ment of what is known as the ku kluX and
| other organizations?
Answer-WelI, the Loyal League was
| known III North Carolina before there was
any public attention dire cted to what is
now called the Kn klux-klen bat the in
| PRODUCTION Of the Loyal League in North
Carolina was contemporane0us with the
| organization of the republican party i'll
| the State, which took place in 1867. BY
| tbRE time there hSI hppTe he Cf ont
RACES committed in the State by persons
who called themselves regulators, and
whose principal purpose seemed to be 10
break mp the negroes, prevent them from
| owning or renting lands, or owning horses
or other property, and whose depredati0ns
were confined entirely to negroes. I heard
OF no instance OF OCtraginG white Union
men. Those deprcdations were commit
ted very extensively, and many Of them in
the immediate vicinity Of one Of my plan
tations. The negroes mules were taken
and carried of, 50 that no negro would
undertake to own q mulC or q horse or q
piece Of land, and a greaS many Of them
will not now.
Question-You say yon wcrein tie Con-
federate army ?
Answer-Yee, sir.
Question-Originaliy q secessionist?
Answcr-Well, sir, entered the Con-
federate army when [ was fifteen or six
teen years Old. [ was not seceesionist
do not think I had any political opinion
Of any sort very decided. L am only tgen-
ty-tive now. [ went in about 1862, and
staid there year or two. My education
AMI oil my instincts were against scces-
sion. My family were opposed to seces.
sion.
Quostion-You say you have Heard the
charge made by democratic newspapers,
and 1 suppose by democrats generally. that
this Union League was established for the
purpose of intimidating and threatening
the negroes and preventing them from vot-
ing the dem Ocratic ticket?
Ausver-Ics, sir, l said democratic
newspapers, because really that Is about
the only source from which [ have ever
got any such Information. I do not know
that have ever heard it from q public
speaker or ever heard the charge made in
private conversation.
QQestion-Do You know what is tho
public debt Of the State?
Answer Very large, brought about by
very reckless and corrupt legislation in my
opinion.
Question-About how much is it?
Auswer-L suppose about S33 900, coo on
$34, 900. 900.
Questio1-What was it before the war?
AnsWcr-Aboat $50, 900, 900 or SIG O00,-
600.
Question-That ia what is called the
'late-war dobt' with the interest accumu-
lat3d?
Answer--Yes, sir.
Question-How do you say this addition
was brought about?
Answer think by the corrupt aud
reckless legislation in 1868 and 1869.
Question-Was that the legislature elect
ed under tho recon Gtr1ctiOD actS
Answer-Yes, sir, and by the =epubli-
can party.
Question-Has the State received any
benefit at all from tho additional debt?
AnsWer-Very little indeed; it was in
creased $14, 900. 900 or SIS, 100000, and the
bonds were put into the hands of swindlers
who, in my opinion, have swindled the
State.
Question-Who we're these men; where
did they come from?
Answer-Some of them were natives and
some Of them were known as carpet-bag-I
gers. Of the three principal persons two |
were natives and one was q carpet Dagger |
Question-What were their names?
Auswer-Mr. Jones, Mr.. Swepson and !
General Littleield. Of course I am speak |
ing very freely and giving my opinion,
founded I hope upon sufficient reason.
Question-I5 that the public opinion of |
Answer-I think it is of all parties now. !
Question-Is the Governor supposed to |
be implicated in the corruption?
Answer-Well, there is very general
public impression to that effect. My own |
impression, If you want to know il, is /
This: have no reason to believe that he |
IS actually guilty of criminal completely in
hese frauds, but that much CT it, however,
$ due to his imbecility and incapacity
BY the Chairman:
Question-You have stated two instan-
,es in your own circuit, End one in Ala
nance county, where negroes have been
ried ind convicted for outrRges upon
'ther negroes; do you know of any in
tances in the State in which members of
ne Ku-klux organization have been tried
nd convicted for outrages committed by
hem?
Answer--I have already said [ have
leVor heard Of single Instance in all
North Carolina.
Qaestion-What is your belief as to the
ecurity Of the colored people IS class in
bat State in consequence of The existence
t that organization?