Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1871-09-16
Federal Patronage and Federal
Protection.

Southern republicans have lately held con-
ference in the cry of Washington; and, hav-
ing interviewed the rowing Ulysses at Long
Branch, communicated the pleasing intcliigence
10 the editorial fraternity throughout the
South, that their journals hereafter shall have
the fostering care Of the administration. One
Of their number viii very probably be put in
charge Of one Of the Washington dailies, aud
thus it may become, pan excelleace, the organ
Of Gen. Grant.
Executive patronage is 70 be extended
throughout the South to encourage the " truly
loil," and, if possible, TO draw in repentant
democrats or weakened conservatives. This
is another move on the political ohessbOard, it
may be, to counterfeit others that have not
proved so successful as the Executive autici-
pated. Prominent Federal Officers from South
Carolina have positively stated to the President
that the Ku Klux outrages" in certain sec
tons Of that State are intensely exaggerated,
and in many instances have no existence save
in the disordercd brains Of tinid carpet-bag-
gers.
These representations from men Of undoubt-
ell sympathy with the Grant party, had the
effect Of preventing the declaration Of martial
law. And now comes the news Of the horrid
homicide in K,ntucky, where the brother and
sister Of Harper, the owner Of the celebrated
racehorse Longfellow, were the victims Of negro
butchory 1t appears that for awhile no clue
could be had to detect the perpetrators Of this
diabolcal Ku Kluxism.
Three Of the negroes living on the place
have been arrested. Blood was found on their
clothing, and the circumstantial evidence
against them is of the strongest character
Other negroes living on the farm are missing,
and it is believed that they are implicated in
the horrid massacre. Plumber was the object
Of the assassins. A party of citizens have
started to hunt for the missing negroes. 1t is
to be hoped that they may be successful in
bringing all the wretches concerned in the af-
fair to speedy trial and speedier retributiou.
Kentucky is not in sympathy with The
Grant party, hence this "outrage," shocking
though it may be to Southern hearts, will not
call for Martial Law OF Federal bayonets to
protect almost helpless women and children
from the knives Of these black demons.
The organ Of the administration in Wash
ington last week Mortified its readers with an
awful account Of the attempted hangingof one
Campbell, in North Carolina by party Of
Ku Klux. It appears from this sensation sto-
~, that q sharp detective joined the Khan, and,
upon the night Of the intended execution Of
Campbell had them surrounded, the whole
party arrested and carried to Raleigh. There
they were all photographed by an cnterpris-
ing artist, with their horribly picturesque uni
forms on, holding a rope stretched from the
neck Of the passive, doomed Campbell. This
beautiful effort Of Photographic art graces the
columns ofthe RepUJlicGH, and is q fit accom-
panirnent to the graphic description of the
outrage" It is scarcely necessary to add,
that this story, ike nearly all its predecessors
is false from beginning TO end.
To what depths of infamy is Journalism de-
scending when the editors and prOprietors Of a
paper can thus so far forget even the deceucies
Of political warfare, and publish such outrage
Gus canardsl 1t must be bad cause or VERY
shaky one, that calls into action such efforts to
sustain it before the people. Would it not be
as well for this euterprising editor to grace lis
columns with a cut Of the Harper murders
Surely it would be a scene well calculated
10 harrow up the feelings and stir the sluggish
blood of inactive partisaus But an outrage
in kentucky and an outrage in North Carolina,
are two different things It is only the truly
loil in the South, that are entitled TO the pro-
lection Of the broad Aeeis Of Federal power.