Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1871-11-28
The .Habeus Corpus.


ing the principles OF The Ha6eUS Corpus
to its readers, and "iring up" their minds
because President Grant has has suspend
the act in South Carolina, in order to
squelch the ku-Klux organizations there
As the developments OF the horrible out
RACES perpelrated by these disguised
fiendS are made, and laid before the pub
lie, there is no danger but the people viii
Justify the executive for the extreme
measures resorted to. We have given
some account of what Maj Merrill is do.
ing in laying bare the hideous de!ormi
ties Of this mean and cowardly band, and
new facts are continually coming out.
Tie thing will be probed to the bottom,
and then wiped out of existence, rs it
should be. \ correspondent, writing
from South Carolina, says:
1T is scarcely an eXageration 20 say
that the organization embraced the whole
white voting population of the county,
Major Merrill concludes from his six
months hard work in investigating the
conspiracy, that OF the $500 white voters.
there are not 200 who have not been in
itialed. and SO numerous were the active
members, that there is no doubt that the
Grand Chief or Cyclops could. at any
time in the spring or summer, have as
Sembled in n hours time over 1000
mounted men, well armed with guns and
revolvers, uniformed in the disguise of
the order. and rs thoroughly obedent to
his command as disciplined soldiers. If
an organization of this strength in sin.
gle county is not 4 conspiracy of sufli.
cient magnitude TO warrant the General
Government in taking it in hand it is not
easy 10 see what would be. Forty-iive
clans are known 10 have existed in York
County. Some of these have lanciful OF
ferocious names, rs :he RattlesnakeS, the
Tigers, the White Panthers, the Black
Panthers, the White Rangers, the Pilots,
the Avengers, &c, and others took the
names OF their chiefs OF of the localities
where they were formed. Each elan
elects its own chief, his lieutenant, and
two or three'night. hawks, who were cou-
riers TO notify to the members gather
ings Of the Khan, and communicate with
the central authority in Yorkyille"
The writer gives the following as an
average specimen of the confessions vol.
unteered by those who were forced TO
Join the order:
The whippings and killings are 60.
ing on all abou; our part OF the county.
and i, lis 'peared like as if no man was
safe. / was mighty skeered lor fear
they'd come on me, for there'd been
threats made agin me, and one night
John Brown he come 10 my house and
said - now if | didn't Join the ku-klun
they was asoin' to make raid on me,
and Id git used mighty rough 50 done
Joined 50 could live in peace. But Ma
ioU. | never believed in il nowhow, and !
never went on no raid. Pears like IS
though they didn't trust me or want me
along when any devilment was goin' on"
Perhaps the most important statement
in this connection is what follows. Can
it be tina, the order has adherents in the
north
"All the members had pistols and guns,
many had Winchester repeating rifles.
which, there is reason to believe, we're
bought in New York, with funds raised
there for that purpose. Eight thousand
OF those arms are known to have been
brought to South Carolina since the ku
klux troubles began. Mos of those men
who now possess these guns never in
,hcj, lives had money enough al one
time to buy one, Tor they cost SO or $50
each. and is certain that those that were
not stolen from the negro militia, were
given to them by somebody They were
all we'll supplied with the peculiar ammu-
milton the guns required
The disbolism OF these midnight raid
e., Is thus outlined by the following:
Their places OF rendezvous were
fields. woods. crossroads, mills aud es.
pecially churcee>, where they would pass
around word of a raid at the Sunday
evening service, and start out after they
had received the benediction, to maltreat
OF murder some of Gods poor. Religion
had no effect toward making these VIII
lains murcifu. On one occasion four
men who helped TO Kill negro on Fri
day, went to the Communion table and
partook OF the Sacrament on the next
Sunday, the minister knowing that they
had been concerned in the murder The
aim OF Tie intelligent was to control this
poor white element for their political adj
vantage, and to thoroughly crush the
spirit OF the negroes, 50 thai they could
lie made to worl, without wages and vote
a they were told"
Thanksgiving.
This lime-houored New England Fes.