The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1871-03-11
WARRINGTON.
REPORT OF THE INVESTIGATING COMMITTEE O
SOUTHERN OCTRAGES.

REPORT OF THE INVESTIGATING COMMITTEE ON
SOUTHERN OCTRAGES.
WASHINGTON, March Ex-senator Scott to-
day submitted a report nom the select COM
mlttee OF their investigation into alleged cut
RACES in the Southern States. The committee
state that they were directed by the resolution
to ascertain first whether the alleged crimes
were committed by organized bands of polIt
lcal character, and second whether persons and
property are secure in the Southern States.
The committee have conf ned their labors
principally to the State of North Carolina,
from which they have examined 81 witnesses,
among whom we're % Republicans, 81 Demo.
Gratis, inc udlng some of the most prominent
members OF the Ku Klux Kan. The report
gives a full history of the origin and growth of
the Ku KiuX organization, which first appear
ed 10 some counties OF the State as early as
1857 and continues: No reasonable man can
doubt that the purpose OF this organization is
political, and any attempt on the part of wit
nesses to give it The character OF league sim
ply for the protection OF person aud property
can be viewed only as an additional evidence
of the extent to which its demorallzlng effect
and influence has been carried, or OF their lg-
porance of its real character. 1t is to be no.
licea that after epjoining secrecy, the first Ie
uuirement OF membership IS that the novitiate
Is not member OF the Red String Order" or
OF the ''Heroes OF America, bearing in mind
were opposed to the rebellion and that its
members were charged with treason against
the &C nfederacy, and that 1T had for its object
adherence to the constitution OF the United
states and the restoration of the Union. 1t
follows that the spirit of the organization into
which men were admitted under this oath is
that of rebellion, and that it refuses fellowship
to those W no are true TO the United States
Other requisites for membership were that APP
nlicants should not have been members of the
q aion League or Grand Army of the Repub-
lie; and as if these were net enough, an obli-
cation was made expressly that no member of
these organizations or any holding radical views
or opinions should be allowed to be Initiated
The further obligation is to oppose all radi-
Gals and negroes in all their political designs.
Some OF the members OF the order stated that
they did not remember but whether it was
part OF the obligation or not, the effect OF the
preceding obligation leads to that result. 1t is
not necessary to pursue the argument further
nor cite from evidence to show that the organi-
cation itself was secret, which by the terms of
its oath excludes all members of other secret
societies. whose objects were to protect and
preserve the government OF the United States.
1t 1t is of political character what is that
political character? The testimony is uniform
that none but members of the Democratic par
ty or the Conservative party in North Carolina
Join it. This being the case the members of
the press of the political party which, accord
ing to testimony, had 49, 900 of its adherents
enrolled in these camps, would be to say the
least under great temptation to palliate their
/ offences and withhold denunciations when
crimes were charged against them. To show
how this subject is viewed, the testimony of
several gentlemen of high standing in opposite
political parties in their own words is given.
The committee give the names OF ninety blacks
and fOrty-four whites in the counties of Sim
clair, Alamance, Catawba, Craven, Caswell,
Chatham Jones, Orange, Rockingham, Ruth
erford, Wake and other counties, nearly all OF
whom were whipped, and the remainder shot,
hanged or driven from their homes. BESIDES
these specific cases of Outrages the testlmOny
refers in general terms to others committed I'D
thirteen other counties. Testimony SHOWS III
many instances that murders and whlpp1ngs
| were expressly voted upon in the ku-Klux
meetings and executed by the members When
tits remembered that the disclosure OF their Sc
cret proceedings incars the peualtyof aeath
| and all other secrets such as involve members
| IN the guilt of assassination, murder and vlo-
lence would be most sacyedly guarded, it is re-
| markable not that SO little evidence has teen
| procured bearing upon these particulars cases,
but rather that any should be elected. Mem
bers of the order were unwilling to go into de-
| tails; however, they stated enough IN general
confession to authorize the belief that this or
| ganization, BY whatever pretence the men
were induced to enter it, stopped short OF no
means, however criminal, to accomplish lts
| purpose. The testimony quoted almost WIN
out exception establishes tbat the outrages
| perpetrated by these bands in disguise we've
Inflicted upon members of the Republican
party botli white and colored; in some in
stances the fact that they were OF that party
being given as reason for punishment; IL
others the alleged crime being some such ac'
as keeping Sunday School for colored children
giving as sufficient reason IN one instance
mat three negroes had assumed the disguise
Au hlux to cover their crimes, but tney wer'
dett cted, convicted and are now in the penn
tertiary. Some of the witnesses also say the!
nave no doubt that the disguise was assum,
IN other cases by bad men who were not ~
kux. The second inquiry, namely whethe