The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1871-11-03

with duplicity and double dealing, with
saying one thing to the whites and tn,
exact opposite to the blacks, while h,
party. q IS 8.
do not pretend to say that in all the
disturbances which have taken place
the whites have been wholly blameless.
Undoubtedly, they have done some
things which they ought not to have
done. But some allowance must be
made for human nature. Men are
nkely to become exasperated when their
barns, horses, stables, &c, are burned
to the ground, and after they have sue.
ceeded in getting the criminals convict.
ed see the Governor turn them loose.
have conversed with some of the most
respectable citizens OF Newberry and
Laurens counties.-men whom to doubt
would be equivalent to pronouncing the
entire Southern people liars and scoun-
drels-and in all CAGES the same COM
plant has been made. The laws of the
State are bad enough, they say, but let
them be fairly enforced and there will
be no KuKlux. They declare it to be
a notorious fact that any negro who
possesses political influence can commit
crime with IMMUNITY. If even their
otiense is so atrocious that the negro
juries are compelled to convict, Gov
ernor Scott stands ready with pardon
to set them free. Just previous to the
last election 10y way of illustration
several negroes in Newberry county
were convicted of rioting. They were
sentenced to the penitentiary. 1t so
happened that they were influential in
politics and they were turned loose.
KU-KLUX CONFESSIONS.
Put together all the facts I have mar
rated and say whether there is any COM
munity in the Western States which
would have resisted the temptation to
take the law in their own hands. You
will hear a great deal about what the
prisoners arrested confess. AS | tele-
graphed you, some OF them undoubted-
" admitted that they belonged to the
Ku.Klux organization, but none have
said that their object was political.
Reports of the character Of their con.
fession, as published in the Union Of
Columbia cannot be relied upon, for
that paper is notorious for its efforts to
reduce the whites into abject submission
to the negroes. Its editor is carpet
bagger, who has !attened off the plum
der Of the State and is interested in
keeping up political agitation so that
his party may remain in power. | do
not attempt to lessen the force Of any
confession; | merely propose to state
the facts. 1t would be folly to justify
any acts OF violence perpetrated by Il e
Ku-Klux; it would be criminal to ignore
the provocation for them. They are
the result of gross acknowledgement,
and martial law for the purpose OF sup
pressing them is, under the circum-
stances, a virtual endorsement Of such
misgovernment.
POSSIBILITY OF ARMED RESISTANCE.
Aninow one word more before close.
1t is intimated in the proclamation Of
the President that an insurrection
exists in Newberry, York, Laurens,
Union, Chesterfield, Chester, Spartan
burg, Lancaster and Fairfield counties.
dare the most prejudiced Radical to
assert that single armed band has
been encountered by the United States
soldiers. The entire federal force in
the district does not exceed one thous
and men, and these, in small squads,
scour the country by night, and make
arrests with IMMUNITY. If the people
were disposed to resist the government,
they could annihilate this little force in
a single night; but thus far they have
submitted. quietly. True enough, ap,
prehensions are expressed lest the young
men who have been driven from their
homes or whose relatives have been ar
rested, should become desperate and In
augurate guerilla warfare. Such a
finale to the deplorable era inaugurated
is not impossible; but it must be said,
in simple Justice TO them, that the In
tlucntjal citizens are counselling quiet
acquiescence in everything done by the
military authorities.