The New York herald., 1871-11-15
Frauds, 5scial Dlserganizstioa mn
Political Troubles In tho South.

ouosucA Poks Va tuo puPcI N-uay holA sne
South, on the Ku Klux, the frauds and the
social aud political troubles in that section
Of the country, presents fearful picture of
carpet-bag and negro rule, as well as Of the
disorganized condition Of q portion Of the
Southern people. The statements Of our cor
respondent, who was sent specially to inves-
tigate the state of things In the South, agree,
too, in the main with the information the
HERALD and the press generally have been
publishing lately from other sources. Hap
PLY, the evils to which we refer extend
over only portion OF the South,
including chiefly South Carolina, Georgia
and North Carolina, or parts OF those
States. In Virginia and other States where
the negroes are relatively less numerous, the
carpet-baggers fewer or not so influential,
and the native white population have more
power, there is a better state Of things. In
these the laws are obeyed, order prevails, and
the disastrous effects Of the war are passing
away. 1t is only In the former-mentioned
States, or parts of them, where the negroes
predomiuate, and where those unscrupulous
Northern adventurers called carpet t-baggers
have the control Of affairs, that gross frauds,
social disorg ganization, Ku Klux, political cor
ruption and the pretended necessity for mar
tial law exist. Elsewhere the Southern white
people have behaved SO well and prudently
that even the radical politicians cannot trump
up pretext for military Intervention.
We have witnessed an extraordinary excite
ment and political revolution in this city on
account Of the frauds Of the Tammany Ring
The corruption existing here has been the
theme Of universal comment and condemna-
ton. The press and political orators through
out the republic everywhere, and the press
abroad, have been intently occupied with this
subject. Party newspapers and public speak
ers have rung the changes on these New York
city frauds so persstently and in such strong
language that people have thought Of little
else-have been led to suppose, In fact that
all the corruption of the world was concen-
trated here. They lost sight for the time Of
the frauds and outrages existing elsewhere.
Undoubtedly our city government was fear
fully corrupt, and we all have reason
to rejoice over the uprising of the
people in the late election to overthrow that
government and tho Tammany Ring upon
which it rested. But let us not close our eyes
to the frauds, misgovernment and dreadful
social and political evils that arise from radi-
cal republican rule in parts Of the South. The
frauds and extravaganza in South Carolina, q
thoroughly radical State, equal or exceed
those of New York, when we look at the COM
parative population and revenue of the two.
With population less than the city of New
York, and with an expenditure amounting not
to fourth of this city, South Carolina, under
its negro and carpet-bag governm ent, rivals
the Tammany Ring In the magnitude Of the
frauds it has practised and was preparing to
commit by the issue Of millions Of State bonds
not needed, and to enrich radical political
ring that has no interest In the State but to
rob it.
While we have no apology to offer for the
Ku Klux or any other body organized outside
of the law, and for purposes not sanctioned
by the law, and hope to see that organization
suppressed, we cannot lose sight Of the fact
that the people of some parts of the South, and
of South Carolina in particular, have had
great provocation for what they have done.
We have known of vigilance committees in
San Francisco and other places, and q vigi-
lance committee has even been spoken Of in
New York to remedy great and glaring evils;
but we doubt II any community was ever
goaded more to such desperate course than
the South Carolinians. Vigilance committees,
Ku Klux or any other organizations TO act
above the law, and to be . law only to them
selves, can never be justified. Better to
bear the ills Of the time than to violate law;
for that is anarchy, and . danger to
the whole framework Of society. Under
our free republican institutions, especially,
people should depend upon the ballo. box
and the current Of public sentiment for the
correction Of evils. Even in South Carolina,
where the vote Of ignorant negroes and the
power Of unscrupulous carpet-bagoers appear
to be overwhelming, obedience to the laws and
patient efforts on the part of the native whites
will bring remedy sooner than lawlessness,
Ku Klux organizations or violent revolution
airy measures of any kind. Besides, the party
in power, as well as large portion of the
Northern people, are apt to regard the unlaw-
ful conduct Of the Southerners, however much
provoked, as springing from the same rebel
lious spirit which brought on and maintained
the rebellion. The people Of any part Of the
North acting 10 q similar manner to the Ku
Klux, under Like provocation, might be
tolerated. Not so with the Southerners.
The late rebellion places them in a different
light They have to suffer for the errors of
the past, and ought to submit patiently and
act with more prudence. Time, and time
only, can bring them remedy. 1t is useless
to resist the federal government and the party
in power, to which the negroes and the carpet
baggers that oppress them belong.