The Albany register. [volume] (Albany, Or.) 1868-18??, 1871-04-08
Murder Run Riot.

1t is no use for any political party,
either IN or out of power, to attempt to
conceal the fact that condition of things
approaching to absolute anarchy prevails
at the present moment in MANY of the
Southern States. A generous desire to
soften the hardships of defeat, patriotic
desire to see the Union once again re,
stored to its pristine splendor, have
hitherto induced loyal Northern men to
overlook certain manifestations of a tur-
bulent spirit and to pardon certain
amount of opposition to the supremacy
of Government. It was hoped that lit
tie time would soothe the exasperated
feelings of the vanquished rebels, and
show them the advantages of returning
to habits of law and order. But these
natural expectations have all been disap-
pointed, the leniency of the Government
has been foully abused, and the quondam
Confederates have actually rioted in mur-
der and outrage. In many Southern dis
tricts the Federal authority is ignored
altogether, legally officers are
compelled to fly for their lives, justice is
impeded in its action, and the Courts are
est dye, whose lives arc forfeit to the land
over and over again, defy apprehension
and scoff at judge and jury V orse than
all this-Frecdmen are daily murdered in
cold blood for no other reason than be-
cause they are Republican in politics !!
1t is asserted, on authority that scarcely
admits of doubt, that five thousand ne>
groes have been assassinated in the South
ern States since the election of General
Grant, and that for these five thousand
murders not single criminal has been
brought to justice. This is a horribly
startling statement, and necessitates the
conclusion that an organized effort is be-
ing made to exterminatc the blacks. Nor
do the Ku>klux miscreants confine their
operations to the coloTed race white men
have repeatedly been killed because they
were loyal to the Government, and there's
fore obnoxious to the .'chivalrous" South
erners. Now these facts suggest some
very pertinent queries Arc the Fede-
.rai authorities prepared to forego all pow
er or jurisdiction in the South Are the
murderous eonspirators of the ku~klux
to be supreme masters there, and to lay
down the law for all corners, Are loyal
lives in their hands from day to day, and
receive no protection? The answer to
these questions which will be thunder
ed forth throughout the Union, from sea
to sea, wherever faithful citizen is to be
found-is an emphatic and decisive No 7
Then there is only one course to be taken.
The Government must restore order and
sweep away terrorism with a strong
hand To do this, every soldier in the
Union, horse, foot and artillery, must be
employed, if necessary. There must be
10 faltering in the task no half meas
ures must be tolerated Ku Kluxism must
be stamped out, burnt out, shot out, bay
oneted out. no matter at what cost. The
American Government would not be
worthy Of existence if it permitted its
authority to be thus set at defiance, its
officials maltreated, and its citizens mur-
dered by Infamous rebels, whom mis-
taken clenency has saved from the gal
lows. The necessity of Government in.
reference in the disturbed districts is SO
patent that we cannot understand how
any man living under the shadow Of
the American flag can raise Lis voice
against it. We should certainly be dis
posed to regard any individual opposing
the measures which alone can e-establish
tranquility as accomplices in the murders
aud outrages that disgrace the South.
The thing is altogether beyond the sphere
of party politics, and is a question Of
loyalty or rebeilion.-.S. F.. Chronicle.