The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1871-04-02

spoAttpe5o ~ Pn6Sout4d dCe10uVR9ieg1Bla
llor9a @ with btheH oiY Smcdrsn afe in
EsEx aantive an4 MensEsss % !e.nS2tion as
70 the condition'Sf afsairsIin that State.
Most'of them are cu}ored nien; ma some
do not expect to return home at present,
in consequence OF the danger to which
they would be exposed. Among those in
the city to-day we're Lieut.. Gov. Ran
sier. State Senators Wimbush, Beverley
Nash, Robert Small and 81. Z. Hayne.
with State Represen tatives Me biey; s.
Hardy n. W. Puryis, Gen w. J., Whip
per md Benjamin Byass. Major Bhtz,
Gen. Worthington, Sheriff Buford ahd
Mr.. Thomason, Assistant Secretary OF
State, are also with the party. They
have seen many Of the leading public
men. and some of them will wait upon
the President before leaving. -i.,
It is estimated by the Republicans
mentioned TINT, since October, 1870, a.
lenst 400 political murders have been
committed in South Carolina, chiefly in
the Counties West Of Columbia. The
number of those who have been whipped
and otherwise assaulted is much larger.
In answer to inquiries addressed to them,
these gentlemen give it as their opinion
that the recent outbreak sand attending
violence arc the beginning of the cam
paign OF 1872, and that the design of the
Ku Klux is to terrorize the Republican
majority away from the polls, or into the
Democratic ranks. The conspiracy ig-
| nores secession, it being asserted that
the ''Klan" take an oath against it. It
involves, however, q determination TO
seize by force both the State and Nation
al Governments. One OF the most not
nbie facts about the Khan is that their
bands are armed with rifles and revoivers
of the most approved patterns. AZ evil
dence OF this, it is stated that during the
recent fights with the militia in Union
and Cnester Counties, more than /, 900
mounted men assembled at Chester
Court House, all armed with new Win
chester repeating rifles and Colts revolv-
era.
White men, who otherwise are unable
to provide themselves with the necessa-
ries of life, are quite generally known 10
be in possession OF these expensive wea-
pons. One Republican,. residing at Co.
lumbia, mentions. as an illustration, the
fact that man whom he knows, worth
less fellow, of low habits, and very poor,
appeared on the occasion of some alarm
at night, with Winchester rifle and
two navy revolvers. Being asked where
he got them, he replied: 'Oh. they were
giving them out, aud I thought might
as we'll have one as the others!" Where
they were given out, or for what purpose,
he would not say. Several OF the dele
cation give it as their opinion, from in
vcstigations which have been made by
the State authorities, that the organiza-
tion, of which the Ku Klux are the visi-
bic representatives, has extensive support
from the North.
! It is mentioned as singular coinci-
dencc, that the same ex-rebel general who
| is stated in the Senate report on North
Carolina affairs to have organized the
Ku Klux there WIS in Columbia short
time before the recent most violent out
break. On Monday, the Goth inst, after
the United States troops we're withdrawn
| from Chester Court House. a freight
train with O car attached. having num-
Der of colored men on board, was fired
into. Fortunately no one was hrst.
It is the opinion Of the delegation
that tho only why of insnring present
protection to life and property is to use
the United States army to suppress them,
and afterward garrison the disturbed
regions until the existence of peace ena-
bles emigration and capital to settle
there. lieutenant Governor Ransier
adds that he regards the situation rs
critical, and is disposed to believe that
the sober-thinkipg men Of tho other
party do not countenanoe these outrages;
that the passage Of the amnesty bill in
some liberal form will go far to lessen
the feeling OF bitterness, consequent, as
he believes, upon the changed condition
of affairs in that section. He will
shortly give publicity to his views upon
affairs in South Carolina, and will urge
that the true remedy to be applied, US
looking to permanent peace, will be
found in better understanding between
the two races, to be brought about by 4
conference OF the leading men of both
parties and classes. Mr.. Ransier joins
in the demand for protective legislation
as present necessity. AS the Chairman
of the Republican State Central Com
mittec, his views are Of Importance, as
showing the conciliatory tendencies of
the colored Republicans.
Correspondence Ne,0 York Tribune.
While tho passenger train on the At
lantic and Gull Railroad, Eastward
bound, was leaving Thomasville on last
/ IL