The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1871-04-20
The Ku Klux Bill.

The New Orleans Republican, in
commenting upon the bill about 10,
be enacted by Congress Or tho sup
pression,of Southern outrages, gives
tn true cause of these difficulties,
when it says that many people OF the
South DO not now look upon the;
taking Of life for political causes, as
much of a crime. It has come to be
considered by many of the hot bloods
of the South that it is no crime to
take the life of a northern man, and,
Of course not, 70 murder the colored
people, the former slaves. They
deem it chivalrous on their part, and
as it were duty, to do oil thoy can
to revive the Southern confederacy,
nd:Afr,can slavery, and, that to this
end, thoy are privileged to take the
life of those who are opposed to
them This is q lamentable fact
throughout the South, and is q dis.
gushing and horrible disqualification
OF tho power of slavery to make
semi arbarians of free. born Ameri-
can citizens. The Republican talks
nationally andsenslbly Of the law
It says:
"lf Congress finally concludes to
pass tho Ku Klux bill, the southern
people, who desire peace and pros
perity instead of anarchy and blood
shed, will not regard the action as
unfrlendly to them. The law is not
intended to Cypress any one. Its
objects will be to repress crime
and insure submission to the laws
to insure safety to person and prop
erty. 1t should be matter Of in.
difference to tho. people whether the
State or Federal government does
this, 80 long as it is done. And the
objoct in making additional law up
on the subjectis to further authorize
the President, in case of the inabili-
ty of State to enforce the laws, to
use Federal force for that-purpose.
No one opposed to violence can rea-
sonably object 70 this. 1t is true,
the men who have banded together
for the the purpose of gaining by
violence what they could not lawful
ly and peaceably obtain, may de-
nounce such . law 81 oppressive. be.
cause it will have the effect to CHI eek
and abate their high handed oppi' es-
sions on peaceful and law-abiding f5l-
low-citIzens because it will depris'e
them of the means Of reaching q pc ;
,litical ascendency in State and fede.
raj politics that they cannot hope to
reach in peaceful and lawful way,
through the choice Of the people.
We are very well aware that
very large majority of the Southern
people have long since como TO the
conclusion that the conduct OF such
men has been a great curse TO the
South, and that its peace and pros
perity never can be fully restored
until there is an end to political
violence. Men have got to be taught
that it is just as much q crime to kill
from political motives as to kill from
pecuniary Or othor motives; that it
is even, as heinOus an offense to band
together and go about in disguise
numbering political opponents as to
waylay u man and murder him for
his money. When political murders
are thus regarded then their practice
will cease, for the Geeple. viewing
their perpetrators with tho same Rb-
horrence that they view other rhur-
derers, will aid in their arrest,
iutead of screening them from justice.
When this is the case, there will be
no federal interference. TOR there will
be no necessity for federal aid in the
enforcement Of protection to life
and property. And wherever this is
not the case, it is certainly the boun-
den duty of the federal government
to interposc its power in defense OF
life and property throughout its ter
ritorial limits. g baI1a39l