The New York herald., 1871-11-15

Navs "a doubs INIT MAJ ne Is earnestly endeavoring
10 deal fairly between the government ana tho
prisoners TO the extent Of ms ability l make z
Vera aCns under inssrucaons he may deny that
h E sns may gse ~ oP Himself By o. The
correspondence which - Incorporated with this
lelter. r,.,, No ru, ,,,
This evening visited the prisoners confined In
Duloasly aI neat and clean and aoreser resecting
credit upon the sheriff OF the County. Among the
men confined Within its walls is "Generaln Bates,
recently prominent rad cal and an indefatigap,e
hunter up Of democratic Ku Klux, until 1t
was suddenly discovered thar he was one OF the
charged with murder and the radical jury failed 10
4Gree at nus trial. lie IS now in the hands Of the
was not permitted to hold any conversation what
ever-probably at his own request. The other pri-
soners. % some twenty IN number. belonged for % me
most part TO the lowest classes OF society. Two
70 Join the Ku Klux. under . threat Of
and they were told that the organization was
formed Tor the purpose OF driving the radicals out
Another young man, VINO % declared thai he had been
srepubican ever since the war ended, told me tnss
that sSerwaraa he 1es tne aemocc .den and
voluntarily joined radical Ku Kiux "dcn." these
three men were the only ones VINO said that
OF the society was POLITICAL Or the remaining
seventeen, a6oui onehair confessed that they mad
been members and had been on raids, but they IN.
wrongdoIng. Tnc others asserted their innocence
OF any personal knowledge OF the Ku Kiux. THESE
the highest they ns 0i.I SPOKE s'n inisssDiis and
selfrelianuy, and were confident tnas nothing
od Is Mb say sear% a and mos
aspect. HIS quiet though frm declaration ot inno-
cence touched me as deeply as did Ms presence ~
or my visit without commenting on the statements
Of the accused men. Il is TO DO regretted tnat was
ffotf WITH fna nruS OfarQ
Tor while 1t may not be thas the presence OF o
deputy marshal prevented the men speaSlng can.
cepI In his presence struck me singular. Never.
tneless 1t IS but Just 10 say that my request to see
them was promptly accedeu TO by Marshal johnson.
RE ,UEsT FOR IMPORTATION.
come now 70 subject Of much importance. In
my last letter stated that l mad seen one oi the
was given. The penltent Is o man named Edwards,
Who confessed himself the "chief' Of the "IIorse
Greek ben" Il think That Is the tltic, Thls man Is
evidently wholly uneduCated, as "hls markn ap-
pears at the potion OF his deposition indicating his
ignorance OF the art OF writing: Ihe character OF
his confession struck singular, ana requested
Commissioner Wilkes 10 allow me 10 examine all the
IN @ He ps s
would convince me that the OBJECT OF the Kn Kiux
0rgaMzation was political This was on Saturday
evening last Coming tue matter over in my mind
ON Sunday concluded that the only fair way would
be 70 accede 70 my original request and permit an
nay) morning, therefore, your commissioner ad-
dressed Mr.. Wilkes the following letter.
SrARTANBURa, g. O., l
M he ~ s % ogr to s me see
::sd a So
make fu and imp into the troubles il
sa.bs a t.S ss
Do.s Il that The
lava ~ suty i to ASCERTAIN e such charges warranted
@ nc
crimes BY the Ku xax upon individuals whose only offence
!S,. and .aDgoss I..s Saneisa
o. s1a
i.urdsy evening showed @ mo the Iao CONGESTION
e.n TScS M G The following reasons for outces psps
..a., negro whipped had beaten his former master
:; .nd.Ano.hsr negro whipped had "shoyed aside"
mi d-T~o men whipped were charged with stealing
Iou.A negro whipped had boastea that when 0..he
xsnkees came he would go to qlunss" sit besde white
On m, man. whose arrest sS Who tho
who had State warrant for his arrest.
in which the ssssnsd political Of he
rs % s q S Equality y
srimnas Upon this confession have been arrested
Ss ,si the he
from political Intolerance This confession deep
ne ne rSs yon permit me g Al
assigned Tor The conessed edge
ny e Es AND aav
any confession but 20 conne strictly to the Of
with your apparent desire TO act fairly and impair
@ ~ sosn 70 asa
vacs n no way or sysn Sa reards ,cs &c
s ss4 &c nm w 70
s!ine aoIdng me the Information require am dsar
~ Wy "1'' KEW NEW YORK HERALD COMMISSIONERS
COMMISSIONERS WILKES DECLINES.
To this perfectly fair and proper request Mr.
wilkes THIS AFTERNOON sent the following repy:-
9PARrANBuRo, 3. c., Nov. 6, 1871.
DEAR sHIn reply % letter Of THIS date requesting
sao.ervsa ~ NJ decline acesis to your rs
u.feIs sss sasi,ps wssss i:
Sors ppSps,y psesa country .SrouS he
cal attention 70 thai portion of letter
TRsas ~ers alleged as For
ouages and accept them as true the dcronen him.
rested IS shss 6ay twenty per cent oSrsss. are
o ye oS. draw ns Ssa ss
ingenious certainly, but i warranted BY
sSs
purpose
kn ki oa,races These laws propose the
sonsprssss ssaln.. inc Tsh.. ulvlsses ami @msnies
sompchsndins rights c liberty and proDsrty as We'll
Of sunrae See ins iour..enh amendment careful
wei q me Ku Kl11 act Of April 20. 1871 isec. D. w
Shinks convince you OF this
Please justice publish this letter.
With your you adhere TO the resolution expressed In
The latter Respectfully yours,
THOMAS M. WILKES United States Commissioner.
THE QUESTION AT ISSUE.
But little need pc said to show now untenablc Is
the position taken by Mir. Wilkes in this 1t
must strike every reader that great deal depends
upon the reasons wLicn impclled the Ku Kluxto
commit outrages and tnat public interests Will be
subserved by the publication OF such reasons. Tho
cltizens OF this county assert that the Ku Kux or
ganizatlon was formed Tor the purpose OF furnishing
onendeis against law and morals whom the State
authorities would not punish. The federal govern
ment denies this, and asserts that the object OF the
organization was political; that 1t outraged the ne
gro voters OF the republican party solely because
they republicans, to intmidate and either keep
them from The polls or compel them to vote the
democratic ticket. Now Is there not q direct issue
between the white citizens and the federal govern
ment9 Ii large majority oil the OutraQes were 0er.