The Centre reporter. [volume] (Centre Hall, Pa.) 1871-1940, 1871-12-08
senator Blair on The Situation.

~. LOUIS, NoNSulptf 80 "a
ter of the Republican interviewed SEN
ator Blair yesterday in regard TO his
observations as member Of the sub
Ku klux Committee, which has Just
closed its Investigations In Alabama
and Mississippi. Following are the
main points Of Mr.. Blair's statement !:
The testimony of some two hundred
witnesses was taken. The radical wit.
nesses were chiefly negroes. while those
of Mr.. Blair were gentlemen of edn-
cation aud prominence in society. The
evidence taken at Huntsville, Ala
bama, showed that there existed n sys-
tenn of wholesale plundering carried
on through the government, aud the
individual acts of negroes, IN eonse-
auenee of which the people in many
instances, were driven 10 take their
own hands and protect their property
by inflicting punishment upon the
negroes. Ii was not shown IN any in-
stance, that these acts had anything to
do with politics. There are many in
stances Of arson for plunder or for re-
venge, and great many instances OF
rape which are instantly and violently
punished. Apart from these things
there is no more violence in the South
than in any other part Of the country.
The Imprisonment of negroes does not
repress the plundering by them. They
don't regard il rs punishment, on
the contrary prison Is more eomior-
table than their own cabins, and is no
digrace TO be inoarcerated.
In Sumpter. Green and Hale coun-
ties many negroes voted the Demo
cratic ticket, and these counties have
Democratic majorities. The carpet
baggers had LETT this region, and the
attempt was made to prove that this
was the result of violence and intimi-I
dation. But the effort entirely failed,
as much the same condition Of things
existed in various sections Of MisSissip-
pi. brought about by the plundering
OF negroes. The policy of the State
government, under Governor Aleorn,
is very vindictive in the prosecution of
whites. Under the ku kiux act some
three hundred indictments have been
found in the United States Courts
against whites, on very f'insy pretexts.
In a great majority ofths cases the en-
forcement acts il regarded as arbitrary
and illegal, involving great loss and
expense.
In regard to the proclamation Of
martial law Mr.. Blair said the people
are apprehensive that lift becomes ne
cessary to carry the elections, martial
law will be declared by the President.
They feel that the whole thing is a
mere trick Of a party 10 retain power,
and they are convinced that the only
way to stop these things and restore
peace and harmony in the South is TO
accept the Missouri policy proclaimed
by the St.. Louis Republican newspa-
per. and vote for some liberal Repub-
Iican to defeat Grant, thereby securing
q general amnesty. and the repeal of
ali the Ku klux LAYS. This is the ou-i
ly thing that gives the Southern Peo-
pie any hope for the future. He be-
iievss that ifGrant is reelected, it will
come near depopulating the Southern
States Of white people. as they cannot
remain there in safety under the pre-
ent condition of things.
Mr.. Blair stated that unfairness
the action of the. Com
mittee in taking testimony, the major
ity frequently reserving witnesses un-
Ill it was too late for him to procure
rebutting testimony. They only had
one real Ku klux before them, man
who had Joined the Klan in Sumpter
county, Alabama, while before the
war, and who had cast bu one vote
since the war and that for a radical.
The people do not hope good TO come
out Of the action Of the Committee, Us
they do not believe their true condition
will be reported. The only ray ofhope
that penetrates the South at present
and keeps the people from complete
dependency is their faith in the sue
cess of the "passive policy"