The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1871-05-29

nisned. Under these c1rc umstances, ana As re-
Of, and devoted friend Of the Union,
called upon MI. Caldwell ana found him In his
office. After few brief remarks l asked
"What Is your opinion OF the origin and cause OF
the recent Ku Klux outrages in this Stater'
'Aiter much investigation give 1t as my decided
opinion that nine. tenths OF all the crimes and mis-
demeanors that have been committed In the State
readily be traced to the radical party. The sad
OF that party is due to low, vulgar,
agrarian officials, and the worthless and impe-
cunious aspirants for political preferment, who
found II necessary to succeed In estranging the CO
lored population from their former owners After
the commissioned agents Of the Freedman's Bureau
had succeeded in getting the coored people initiated
and sworn in as members OF the leagues, with q
small portion Of the white people, and their passions
and prejudices thoroughly aroused against all
former shareholders, the party then proposed to
abolish
ALL SORTS OF PUNISHMENT
for crime, except Imprisonment in our county jails
This measure was hailed with great JOY BY the
colored population, who believed that their former
masters had forfeited all their rights and property,
and that they he colored people had been turned
adrft to shift Tor themselves, 1t was no harm for
them to follow the example Of the Israelites and
borrow from their former taskmasters any and
everything they might need to make them comfort
able. These pernicious and demoralizing Ideas In
siiled into them soon produced their legitimate re-
suits. Nearly all the jails in the State were
CRAMMED TO sUFFOCATION,
were also all the poor houses Then for the want
OF room IN the jails and for the purpose OF curai
many who had committed minor offences, were
turned adrlft and allowed to ply their avocatons
aa On d Sr W s
curity for their appearance. In this way was the
Old North State, from seaboard 10 mountain top,
ehs 1Aanfu lot hU
PARADISE FOR THIEVES.
All who violated law claimed to be truly loyal,
soSn caed 70 aeend Brothers q
the leagues, as they had swern TO do. And 10 do
them Justice they did this molly, even to pardoning
hundreds OF the most notorious thieves and despe-
radoes III the state after they had been duly con.
victed before radical judges prosecuted by radical
quence OF tins denomination life, virtue and prop
erty were unsafe and had no proper legal protec.
ton. In thi, reign Of trumphant anarchy, general
many that 1t was absolutely necessary to check the
evils complained OF. II not eradicate them. These
were The causes and such the design that led to the
formation OF the
so-cALLED KU KLux
organization II did not originate in party nor had
it at first any POLITICAL significance Whatever as
have been informed and believe"
''Tnen suppose you would infer that the raai.
Gals seized upon the acts OF this organization Tor
purposes OF political capitalin
"ies," said Mr.. Caldwell; THAT party soon found
1t convenient and profitable to charge all the acts Of
punishment committed by this organizatIon as he.
ing prompted by political preJudices and inflicted
upon the thieves because they were loyal citizens
and members OF the radical party. THIS state to
UNMITIGATED LIBEL
upon the Ku KluX reprehcnstbe as some OF their
acts have been. feel confident they punished no
one simply because he or she was q radical. Bat
this the turn given to their operations. and it
elections In some States North.'
'You have heard OF the outrages in Chatham,
Harnett, Rutherford ana Cleaveland c0untles so
VeZv recentlV DerDctrateQ4o
''Uertanly. have. 1t was not very long before
the radical leagues resorted to the same method as
the Ku Klux in carrying on their operations in the
counties you MENTION where they have committed
more murders outrages upon women, robberes, ar
FIVE HUNDRED PER CENT
han have been committed by all the Ku Klux or
Plantations in the state. Yet the Ku Klux, though
peachment trial Of Governor Holden, are held up as
The perpetrators OF all these bloody midnight
radical party trained the men in the counties
named who have committed the crimes which that
charge upon the democratic and conservative par.
ties. And their leaders, both In aud out OF Con-
s 70 Be e a I @
to be their strongest card, and one that they can
play to most advantage TO aid them In carrying
swilI the use OF United States troops BY Deputy
United States Marshals have any wholesome effect
II feel confident that There is no state in the
Union OF the same area In territory and number OF
where there are fewer crimes or mlsde,
here any crime but could be as well and more ade-
luatey punished by the State authorities than by
he federal courts especially II our State officials
we're Competent 70 Mi the ofces they respectively
hold; nor have ever heard OF crime committed in
state ,s0, me- was OF
be arrested by due course OF law; therefore am
confident that Judge Logan's letter was written to
Issued and troops sent to be marched and counter
marched throughout this and other Southern States
for no other purpose than TO aid the radicals In car
NEXT PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION
by intimidation, fraud and raising false clamor
against the South, and thus perpeuate their power
until they ultimately succeed in establishing con.
solidated despotisn or olgarchy."
"You are OF opinion, then, that the Enforcement
bill and the Kn Klux law have for their object tile
success OF the aaical party in the next Presidential
peculiar emphasis, "as know can conscientiously
answer your inquiry In the affirmative. The hue
was aud sull Is intended Tor
BUACOMBE;
that is. to gull the unsuspectng and creduous por
ton OF the honest masses But this has become the
keystone in the radical arch or party. Take away
the Ku Klux; then their case has no plausible pre-.
text to pass such outrageously unconstitutional bills
as the late Ku Klux nct-no prctext for marching
troops into and through the subjugatei States. In
other words give us peace, ana that day the radical
party
to the ground. never TO rise again. 1t lives by
btrlle anu VlOIcHCe anu peEpetudttS USeil III Tue
South alone by sucn means. And 1t would be In
nltey better for the Southern States that honest
aud able monarchy should be at once established
than that the radical party with all It's odious ante
ccdents and violence, should continue to reign and
dominate over us IN the arbitrary aud cruel manner
they have done since the surrender"
"If the troops were Withdrawn and honest men
placed In control OF the local and national oflces
would the good and tue men, as is General Sher.
mans opinion, put stop TO midnight 0utrages by
the Ku klpxr
mo sane man who is at all acquainted with the
habits and customs antecedents OF people can
entertain shadow OF q doubt upon the subject Our
people are, and ever have been, a law-abidng peo-
pie and it was only when had no law, or when tie
laws OF the state were perverted to propagate and
encourage spirit OF lawlessness, that any one
punished In any other way than the law directs,
and that after due conviction and by jury or his
countrymen."
''In regard to the propozed State Convention,
called by the last Legislature for the purpose OF
the State constitution, what was the OBJ
ject OF your namesake, Governor Caldwell, In op-
posing tT'
FRANK on TODD.
at is impossible for me 10 divine the motives that
prompted him 10 pursue the dctatoral course he has
but knowing the views he has heretofore held as to