Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1871-06-25
FORREST.
He is interviewed Upon the Ku-KIuX Cues
ton, and Denies the Existence Of
Such a Band
How Southern Outrages are Manufactured
The Southern People Accept
the Situation
From the Cincinnati Enquirer.

before the hu-hIuA OOLnInlLUee, Out
as the committee does not want him
until Monday, he left for New York
tonight. General Forrest is q man
above the average hight, of light
though wiry frame. His eye, a small
gray, bordering on blue, denotes ac-
tivfty and nervousness. In his man.
ner he is cordial and courteous. He
talks distinctly, but slowly, and SEEM
ingly studies in his mind the prOpriety
Of giving replies to interrOgatOries
without proper reflection. He is neat
an his attire, and is Just such a man
as one would never think could be
General n. b. Forrest, of Confederate
fame. In conversation to-day the
General was asked about
THE KU-KLUX KHAN,
and he said he was charged as being
the organizer and leader Of that or
ganizatiOn; but as yet he had failed TO
ascertain that any such klan exists,
except in the imaginatiOns OF those
who, for political purposes, probably
would Ike to see such a body in the
South. His opportunities for Observa-
Aou, he said, were very great, and il
such band as the ku. kluX existed,
he would know il. He did not believe
ia its existence. Gen. Forrest was
then asked the question, "What then,
iD your opinion, is the cause Of so
many acts Of violence being reported
and telegraphed North as
KU-KLUX OUTRAGEs?"
To this he replied as follows: "It may
srise' from various causes. My theory,
bowe\ ~eT, Is that a class Of men, who
have N Ot the welfare OF the South at
heart r Sme from the North, and
knoWin0 that the political rights of
MANY of the Southern people are de
MED them. they operate with the
NEGROES to sec ure their votes and ele-
yafe them to positions Of trust and re-
spousibility. Secret leagues are
formed; incendiary speecEes calcu-
lated to do irreparable injury are
ma le. The employers are denied the
service Of his paid labOrers, as they
flock TO these leagues, and are taught
Standardization. The result is that
the
SUBSTANTIAL CITIZENS
of that section Of the country where
in these men operate are regarded
with distrust, and socially ostracised. |
They secure lucrative offices, defraud |
the people, and in all their acts SEEM |
fngly endeavOr to excite public Opin- |
ion against them. As natural con-
sequence at intervals the Indignation |
.DrObably of an individual may be |
aroused and an individual assault |
made, which is soon magnified into q |
Ku-KluX outrage. Now l do not |
pretend to deny that in some instan-
tces men have been killed-not, how |
ever, indiscriminately slaughtered. |
The same motive that impels a man |
70 kill his brother in New York, Mas |
sachusetts or Maine, applies as well in |
Alabama, North Carolina or Texas,
the difference being that in the latter |
States the victim by his conduct
tempts the murderer TO his bloody
work.
THE CASES ARE FEW,
t.,t M course are credited as being the |
vgorIr N the Ku-kluX, and hence
D1bIic op;niOn North is directed
sgsinst the whole South as q blood
f6irstv Deople. Again, bad men
come South with no fixed purpose in |
view. They seem to float along, and
ike fAIicaWber,' await something to
turn uD. In their idleness they
operate among the negroes, excite
their superstitious feelings against
their employers, and cause a general
stagnatiOn in agricultural pursuits.
When demonstrated with for such
"a. .1duct, instead Of allowing the SLAM
.ders,r to peacefully pursue the even
tenor Of his way, they attempt to re-
vyfve Old sores and make assertions
~ n nxrnffn graH had
feeling, The result may be that such
men are Grdered TO leave or to pursue
some Voestjon, just the same as q
vagrant may be locked up In
Washington or g suspicious character
ordered out Of it. This, Ipresume, ls
at once called a Ku-kluI Outrage?"
General Forrest added that mo North
ern man settling in the South with the
fixed purpose o. developing Its re-
sources would be mOlested, even
though he entertained strong Radical
opinions. on the cOntrSry, he would |
be welcomed. Let the people know
that he comes to be one of Cbem, TO !
live among them, and by his labor or |
means tend to build up the waste |
places, / care not what his political !
faith may be, he would be gladly re-
Ceived and even assisted by the South
eiQ people" He said she believed he
was charged with organizing bands of |
Ku.KiIiE among the men employed /
In the construction Of a railroad from 4
Selma, Alabama, to Memphis, Ten
nessee, and FoT which he had been |
to answer before the
OUTRAGE COMMITTEE,
Dat. F." said the General, "the charge is
30 a4igurd that [ often wonder who /
could have furnished such iniorma-
ton, Or whose idle brain could have i
conceived it. / am constructing a
road from Selma to Memphis, and
employ a large number of labOrers. |
JJtesn assuming the work gave spe-
ci9l Instructions TO those under me in
authority, who are charged with OBJ
tanning mechanics, Workmen, etc,
under no consideration to allow poll
tics TO be a barrier to the employment
of any man; on the contrary, to secure
GOOD WOrkmen, be they white or
black. As TO the forming Of bands Of
Ku-Klux among them, il IS
TOO RIDICULOUS
entertain a moment. Why, l
- w believe that, were a vote taken
- vamOng those working under me
I -. construct, ,Qn Of that enterprise,
,ara ~ u. Duld be found three Bepub1-
y, - 1T. 3 to one <emCcratic. The
aonle m the South" be saidi "had
ecsnfed fb, q situation, "a were as
rderlv and /, lW-abiding peO, ne as can
E found ia ny section Of the coun-
ry. Under th,' Reconstruction aCss
ltrsges were col united, not by Is u
lux; but since .l86S-Other than in
ividual troubles al. .ising between man
nd man, liable TO arise at any place
hey have demeaned themselves with
prOpriety, and yield
HEARTY OBEDIENCE TO THE LAW"
In answer to = second question
Vhether he doubted the existence of
he Ku-Klux-GeneraI Forrest said,
yerv emphatieally, 81 do. NY facili- |
les for observation particularly lead |
ne to speak knowingly OF Alabama |
md Tennessee. 1 have visited every |
own along the line Of the projected
r0sd. from Memphis to Selma, max
no sDeeches in the interest of the
-oSd- / have endeaVOred, among the
oeoDle. to arrive at the truth as to its
and have as yet failed to
Hnd auv individual who knew Of such
.o organization; and have no hesi-
sapcV in asserting that, did 1t exist,
- Inhabitants with whom / came in
-o1t,Nct would have apprised me OF
,s1 A It. 1 have also Travelled extern
-ivelV i've trough all portions OF the
5oufh ano' Rs lar as my judgment ana
0ersonsI oh. eTYation lead me 70 De-
ieve can sai ely assert that
80 SUCH BAND H-\s AN EXISTENCE IN
Any OF THE sol UPHERN STATES.
- roveaIf b,sen personally