Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1871-10-20

Secret ctetIss
We have omitted no proper occasion to
express our hostility to secret political as
sociations. They are repugnant to the
theory Of Republican government. and at
variance with every idea of social or
individual independence and security.
They can only have their origin in q de
moralized condition of public feeling, and
the popular sentiment which develops,
originates or tolerates them is, invariably,
the result of corresponding governmental
decaderce. The Union League owed it's
existence to bigoted, fanatical and infu-
rated temper. and Was the offspring of
that tyrannioal policy of Lincoln and Sew
ard, which broke down all the safeguards
of personal liberty, which allowed no in
depen6en se of thought, and which could
"ring little bell' at the imperial contre
and order the arrest and Incarceration of
q citizen in California, on the shores OF
the Pacifc,-a system which has gone on
and on, in its despotic strides, until il hae
eliminated in that legis alton Of the Con
gress of the Unitod States. which places
life and limb at the mercy Of Infamous
spies and detectives. Of malignant parti-
san judges and of packed idries. The Ku-
Klux organization, whose invasions OF law
and of individual rights are greatly to
be deprecated and deplored. could never
have found Judgment In any community
or country, not afflicted with gigantic
social evils, the consequence Of perverted,
partial and oppressive government
It is proper. wnen brought face to face
with these social and political disorders.
to trace them 10 their fountain hca L.
Physical disease or mental distem perAture
cannot be thoroughly and successfully
cured, except by going to tho root OF the N al
ady and removing the cause. Had there been
no purpose to prescribe men for opinion Is
sake and to organize reign of political
terrorism there had been no League
Had there been no League, tho Offspring
of governmental tyranny, which. like all
other unchecked disorders, took on more
malignant phases with the progress OF
time, there could have been no Ku-Klux
Had the League not --banded ignorant
Idupes into midnight conspiracy against
intelligence virtue and property had it
not been converted into Il shelter for thieves
and plunderers had it not have licen, Cd
arson, assassination and rape had it not
have turned loso upon the impoverished
and humiliated community of the South a
horde OF depraved earpeI-bag adventnrers
to eat out their scanty substance, and fill
public stations with imbeciIity, corruption
and malignity, had not all this Eeen
done under the sanction of the dominant
and ruling power in tho land. there had
never been a counter organization or any
concerted attempt to go outside of the
laws OF the country. We denounce all
such associations they should be pnt
down and throttled but, after all, the
most effective remedy IS 70 restore a healthy
tone TO the life-blood of society-pateg' NIL,
| just, generous gOrer7anaent
| All history sustains our views. That thor
ough student of history, Sir Walter Scott,
who Intervene the Charms of his fiction
with such profound and sagaeieus refec-
| tons on society, morals and government,
speaking. in one OF bic works, (''Anne OF
Geierstein,'' of the Vehmiquo institution.
| the celebrated secret and inquisitorial as
ISOLATION, which, in the Fifteenth Century.
spread over Germany, makes the following
philosophic observations. which apply
with striking and psngent force to the
present times. ''Such an institution"
says that great man, ':eould only prevail
at a time when ordinary means of Justice
acre excluded by The hand Of posoer. and
whom. in order to bring the guilty to pun
ishment, it required all the influence and
authority of such confederacy. In no
other country than one exposed to erery
species of.feudd tyranny. and deprived of
every ordinary mode of obtaining justice
or redress, could such system have taken
root and dourished u ....-..