Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1871-03-29

administration view and statement IN re-
lation to proceedings already had
T KENTUCKY SENATOR ANS WERED
Senator Stevenson of Kentucky, in de-
bate in the Senate concerning the attack made
last January upon United States Mail Agent
on the route between Louisville and Lexing-
ton, charged the Federal Court and officers
with neglect of duty in failing to bring the
perpetrator Of the outrage to justice and pun
ishment because the offender was republi-
can. He denied that the man was a Ku-Klux,
and said that whenever his politics were dis
closed he would be found to be a republican.
1t is only necessary to read the following an
swer from the United States District Attorney
of Kentucky to learn that the Court was pow
erless in the case, and that Senator Stevenson
used his position to screen the real culprits,
the Ku-Klux, and throw the blame upon an
unotfending party No wonder the Louisville
Courier-Journal, a democratic paper, holds
it's party responsible for the outrages of the
Ku-Klux when a democratic senator will use
such means to cover up their iniquites. The
District Attorney says in his letter:
With reckless disregard of propriety and
truth, the Senator says that the Federal Court
and the Federal officers knew who the man
was who attempted this outrage" He then
asks triumphantly Why have not the FEEDER
al authorities caused the arrest, Indictment
and trial OF that man? The idea which this
language conveys is that the offender has not
been brought to trial because he was a repub-
lican in politics. In this dereliction of duty
he embraces the ''Federal Court" and the
"Federal officers" AS TO the Federal Court,
l have only to say that the Judge has no in
formation, SO far as know, upon the subject
of the outrage beyond what the newspapers
contain. All that he can do he has done, viz
to call the attention of the Grand Jury to vio-
lation of the law. He has not, so far rs /
know, ever heard of the name of the man
who attacked Gibson. Unless the grand juries
are furnished with facts upon which to found
our indictments there can be no trial or prose-
cutiOn, as Senator Stevenson well knows. In
my sphere of official duty have exhausted
every effort to bring the offenders to justice.
l do not know the name of the man who had
the contest with Gibson, but rumor has desig-
mated certain individual. In order to reach
him and all others engaged in the outrage, an
investigation was had before the Grand Jury
They were all unknown to the mail agent.
The station agent, who witnessed the attack,
was before the Grand Jury and testified that
ne did not know the names of the offenders or
any OF them, although many were engaged in |
the attack. No one has or will put me or any
other Federal officer in possession of facts |
upon which to found an Indictment They, |
doubtless, fear the fate which recently be-
fell Mr.. Lighter, citizen of Shelby County,
who. having divulged some of acts of the
Kn-K Inv L
taken out in the night time by an organized
band and hung, for no other reason than that
he gave information to some of the State au-
thorities about the Ku-Kux.
As to the politics of the man referred to-
and whom rumor designated as one of the of
tenders, have no knowledge or information
whatever, and never heard anything upon the
subject until / saw in Senator Stevenson's
speech the confident declaration that he was
a republican. 1t seems the Senator is upon
terms of familiar intercourse with some of
he ku-klux, or that he has means of infor-
nation which have not. He seems to know,
also, the politics of the Station Agent at North
Benson, about which / know nothing. His
chief anxiety seems to be to ascertain the poll
tics OF parties, rather than to have the law
indicated and ku-Klux suppressed. As
law-abiding citizen, he should have communi-
Gated the facts to me before indulging in ie-
hections upon Federal officers who he well |
knew were more anxious and more determ-
ined, SO far as they could be, to suppress Ku-
hiux ana all distnrbers of the peace than SEN
a.or otevenson seemed to be when he was
governor OF kentucky. While he was Gov
ernor OF kentucky, murders and outrapes
were committed almost in sight of the capitol.
and the Senator who is so swift to charna
Others with dereliction of official dntv vas In
the midst Of these troubles, as feeble ana
helpless as babe; while federal officers viii
in the knowledge OF the Senator. were en-
deavoring, but without success, to obtain facts |
upon which to base prosecution againt the
onenders, so far as the Federal Court had iu-
risdiction.
The attempt OF Senator Stevenson to create
the impression that there does not exist in
kentucky an organized band of law
less men, than the civil authorities more
powerful IN some portions of the State
VIII create surprise if not contempt with all
candld people In this State, many of whom
know, as DO, that the intimidation of the Ku-
hiux mas IN Its effects even reached TIE Grand
Jury OF the Federal Court. If Senator
stevenson VIII exhaust the sources of infor-
nation when he seems to have and give me
facts and names, he may confidently RELY upon
onenders being brought to justice without any
iujsiry a. 70 politics The Senator has per-
fonai reasons to Know that in the Federal
Courts prosecutors are not influenced by the
poiitics OF the offender or alleged offender
AGAINST law. III the Charges of intimidation of
the senator are founded On fact, am nm
worthy 70 hold my present position. and T
demand that the Senator give his authority