The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1871-03-13
outrages in the South.

from lut EIUNIueuC6 0OuIhA'
The facts which have lately been brought
to the attention Of the government relat'
ing to the condition of the South go very
far towards confirming all that has been
said about two kinds Of civilization among
the American people. Law seems to COM
mand no respect in several Of the South
ern States, and the consequence Is that
there is no security for life or property. II
Is not that every man is murdered or rob
bed, or, in q strict sense, liable to be either
murdered or robbed. But 1t is that II 0
man escapes these outrages, he owes his
immunity to something elso than respect
for his right and tho protection Of the law
Lot him but announce certain opinions on
the ethical or political questions of the
day, and his immunity will very soon
cease. lie will be straightwOy exposed To
any outrage which savage passions may
prompt Ho will be no more safc than he
would 10 among the Indians on the West
ern plains Even among these he might live
without molestatlon, but he would con
tinually feel that he was entirely without
guarantee for his safety and subject tC
barbarian caprices.
This Is just about tue condition In
which man Of northern origin now finds
himself in some parts Of the south. His
origin makes him subject Of suspicion,
his prosperity may provoke envy, his
higher intelligence and character are
pretty likely to awaken hostility, and If
he chances to hold an office under the
government he must expect, first Of all
anonymous letters, ordering him away
from the nelghborhood, then formal
notice that if he Is not gone by certain
day he will be visited in way he will
not like, and Il he presumes to disregard
warnings like these he will be attacked at
night, perhaps on the highway, perhaps
In his own house. If he is not murdered
on the spot, his life will be spared only
on condition that he will go away never
to return. With negroes far less cere-
mony Is used. II they become objects Of
political odium, or Of any other kind Of
hate, they are visitedwith summary retri'
button. Their, houses arc burned, their
domestic animals are destroyed, and not
unfreQuently the negroes themselves are
murdered wherever they are met These
atrocities have Of late been most numerous
in South Carolina and in Kentucky, but
they are by no means confined to these
States. They are commonly asCribed to
that bloOd.thirsty association Of robbers
and murderers known as the Ku KluX
Khan.
But to ascribe atrocities like these to a
particular band OF williams that has been
organized in the South, Is not an explana.
ton which can BIO accepted as sufficient
How is 1t that such an utilization Of saw.
ages is permitted to exist in the South
1t is solely because southern society grants
It sufTerance, because southern public
opinion docs not brand its crimes with It's
reprobation, but indirectly Connives al
them, and sometimes even apologies iOr
them. When several Englishmen, last
summer, were captured, and afterwards
murdered, by band Of brigands in the
mountains Of Greece, the whole Greek
people, and their Government were held
responsible for the crime. This was on
the principle that brigands could not carry
on such operations except with the I'M
piled consent Of the population and the
Government. So It Is In those parts Of
the South, where the Outrages to which
we have referred are so frequently perpe'
trated. The root Of the whole evil is in
the low tone Of public opinion, and in the
inferior civilization which prevails SC
widely, especially among the country
population of the South; and Kentucky
we are sorry to beobliged to believe, par.
takes very largely ofthe same character.
What to do for the repression of these
atrocities appears to bea matter Of no lit.
tie concern, both with the President and
Congress. Fit were possible to punish
whole communities, the best thing that
could be done would seem to be to visit
the consequences on the States themselves,
But this appears to be impracticable,
though not only these States, but the
whole south, are sure to suffer very heaVi.
" in all their interests on account of the
existing state of affairs The crimes and
brutallties In question have sort Of con
neCtion with the late rebellion, and hence
the local authorities continually appeal &c
the general government for assistance, OF
the ground that they arc themselves una
BILE 70 repreSs them. 1t seems, therefore
that there Is nothing to be done but fol
the President TO employ tho army Of the
United States for preventing disorders in
the south, Just as he docs among tho saw
ages Of the far west Everybody will re-
iolce, however, Il this can be avoided.