New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1871-08-01
THROUGH THE SOUTH.
THE MOUNTAIN COUNTRY.

uITION - EX-FEDERAL AND CONFEDERATE
SOLDIERS LIVING rEACEABLY TOGETHER
TIE KU-KLUX IN RUTHERFORD COUNTY.
IRON OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT
HENDERSoNyILLE, n. c., July 10,-The little
town Of Ueudegsonvillc ia the county seat of county
which il henl,Aed in OF the east, SOUTH and west by
ranges Of tai mountains and well broken up by low
spurs which put out from the main chain and by de-
tached hills that seem to have wandered away rom
their companions The village consists of about fifty or
sixty houses scattered along single broad streets hai
dozen stores two little taverns having fronts with long
pazzas ana Courthouse with stone stairs mounting 10
the second story outside under ayellow-washed SQUARE
columned portic0. that looks though 1t had imhi-
grated from some town I'm Italy. Along the hhuu'o Vi
the street an attempt has been made with poor
to cultivate row OF trees after the manner OF streets ia
South Carolina towns. The people are quiet simp
hammered folks Even the lawyers and merchants wear
homesnun blue leans The chief diversion OF the men
appears 70 be TO sit in front Of the stores and gossip
great deal OF the whisky and fiery appe-brandy pro
duced in the neighborhood consumed and one sees
few men past the age of forty whose faces do mol Sho"
signs of Indulgence in these potent beverages
The county has always been free from kuhIuN anu Is
rs peaceabe as any section OF the North. The people
assure that going TO elections is like going TO cnur
Political parties are nearly evenly balanced Inc ho
puboans have a small majority, but owing 10 'he Eehe
raj dissa, faction with Gov HOdens course IN employ
ing the militia last summer TO suppress the ku-klux III
ceeded in carrying the county at the last election
There arc very Jew negroes in the county In all the
mountain region Western North Carolina, in fact the
number Of blacks is small that they unimpor
tant clement ndustrally aud politically The Republic
cans are chiefly white in rather poor circumstances
small farmers who Union men during the war, and
many of whom served Tin the Federal army.
The Weather class were Rebels a rule,
and ave- Of course, Democrats now, or Con
soryatives, as the party is here called out of re-
spec t. the sensibcs OF the Old Wings whose hatred
Of Democracy was probably more intense in the old
times here in North Carolina than in any other state
and who will not now vote ticket on which appears
the word Democratic leading citizen, now candl-
date Constitutional Convention, in explaining to
me the composition OF parties in Henderson County
said that although the Republicans elected the county
officers years ago. the Conservatives practically had
the selection Of Them FOR there not enough RepuO
Leans with property in excess OF the homestead exemp
ton sufficient 10 make up the official bonds of the officers
As the Conservatives had to sign the bonds they In
sisted that officers should be men to their liking
The Sheriff elected could not find bondsmen, and the
old Sheriff, a Democrat, finally agreed upon
for the place My informant said that al
though possessed OF little property the Republicans
were as class people of integrity respectablity, and
intelligence who were attached to their party from
principle and not like of the whites in the negro
districts, from hope Of office. Their small mountain
farms yield enough to enable them 10 live independently
in their rude. simple way, but seldom worth more
than the 81 800 which the of the homestead
empton. There is scarcely any of the violence of po
ica feeling here that prevails I'm those portions of the
South where the bulk Of party Is composed OF ne
crOes. white man is not denounced as scoundrel
and socially osracized because he is Republican, Men
Of different parties associate pleasantly together about
as they 90 in the North The fact that the people were
divided during the war, joining one army and some
the other makes this exceptional ameny all the more
creditable am told that for few months after the
war ended there bitterness Of feeling hut the
returned soldiers still wearing their blue and gray uni
FORMS raternzed together and forgot the hatreds
Of the contest speedily than the old men who took
part in its battles.
Adjoining Henderson County the east, but separ-
ated from It by the range the Blue Ridge the
counties of Rutherford and Polk the OF the recent
KuKlux disturbances. 1t in Rutherford that The
Republican prinng-offce recently mobbed, and a
member OF the Legislature brutally whipped The noun
tain barrier appears TO have shielded Henderson from
the bad influence OF the awessness that has prevailed
for year on the side of the Ridge The contagious
nature of the KuKlux disease shown by the fact that
the most disturbed counties Of North Carolina, the two
aforementioned border upon the counties of Spartan
burgh and York in South Carolina, which have been the
scene Of many of the worst outrages in the state
man who had crossed the mountains from
Rutherford, on foot, carrying about peck OF
peaches nearly 50 miles in the hope OF selling them at
the hotel in Flat Rock told yesterday that the ar
rival of the troops in RutherfOrdtOn and the numerous
arrests of persons suspected of having beeh concerned
in the Justice and Bggerstaf whippings and-he demo
ltiOn Of the printing Office, had so frightened the hu
Klux that several had surrendered themselves and con
fesed their completely in these affairs, hoping to escape
punishment by giving testimony against their comrades
circuit preacher who passed through this place
mounted upon sorry nag, and equipped with saddle
bags and cotton umbrella. confirmed this report, and
remarked that the presence Of the troops had been mos
sautsry and had caused the bottom to drop ont OF the
entire KuKlux organization in that part of the state
At first the people had been afraid Of the troops he said
but the soldiers had behaved very civy TO them anC
now all well-dsposed persons who wanted peace anC
good order were glad to have them in the state and
hoped they would remain. He believed all the trouble
Rutherford County had been occasioned by three or fou
bad men, who worthless fellows but had some talent
and enough influence among the young men TO incitt
them to commit Outrages Until the recent arrests anC
confessions Il had been the custom Of the citizens to as
ser that all the acts OF lawessness were done by mel
who crossed the line from South Carolina. but now 1t wa
certain that the offenders lived where the crimes ha'
been committed This habit of trying to shift the re
sponsbilty XII Kluxing upon the people of anohe
State general along State lines all through the South
In the northern part of South Carolina told last
Spring that the North CarOlinians were the only kn
Kux raiders and that their own people we're the mos
peaceable the world and in the manner the peO
pie OF Western Georgia asserted that all the persecution
OF negroes and white Republicans there by midnight
marauders had been done by men from Alabama.
The farming country immediately about Henderson
willie is rather sterile producing good pasurage, but
yielding very moderate crops Of Potatoes and oat
appear to he the most promising crops. The general
elevation of the country 1000 feet above the that
the whole region may De said 10 be table land from
which other mountains rise. The Summer climate is de
lightful the thermometer seldom marking above so
and frequent showers making the air very refreshing
and inyigOratng. The Winters mild and teamwork
begins in February. There is probably more health
full climate the world and ii ought produce hand
some stalwart Of pcOple The natives are, however
tank and lean with gaunt, yellow faces and awkward