Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1871-07-20
Letter from Washington.
lFRoM OUR REGULAR CORRESPONDENT
WASHINGTON, D. c., July II, 1871

WASHINGTON, D. c., July II, 1871.
THE KUKLUx INVESTIGATION.
The orderly and loyal portion of this people
will, am sure, feel like returning thanks to
the working members of the joint investigating
committee, appointed by congress and charged
with an examination of southern Outrages, for
the fidelity and thoroughness with which their
work is being performed. When the committee
was first proposed believe the movers designed
to kill off the idea of any such investigation.
There prevailed among the staider and more
conservative representatives belief that the
larger portion of the kuklnX outrages were mere
"mare's nests" or manufactured to order
Even when they were constrained to believe in
any special incident, more than one prominent
republican would be found who was ready to
talk "Greeleyism" as panacea, the ingredients
in which are denunciation of carpet-baggers
and laudation of removal OF disabilities, and
amnesty; the last in truth being their pallacea,
and the former being the excuse for the outrages
The senate committees investigation into the
North Carolina system of assassination as
party policy, however, established the existence
OF organized crime having definite political re-
suits to accomplish. The present investigation
will do more than startle the country; it will
establish beyond all manner of doubt the ex-
istence of widespread, oath-bound organiza-
ton of murder and treason, whose modes are
so horrible and whose aims are of such fiendish
quality as almost to appal the st0utest with
their shocking reality. The subcommittee APP
pointed by the general body to sit here and take
evidence, have been doing their work in the
most thorough and faithful manner. They
have been in session every working day for sew
eral weeks past, examining witnesses for several
hours every day. Their session generally be-
gins at eleven and closes at five. Three of the
seven members have been, in these boiling days,
down into the very heart of the kuklux hell
that is, to Spartansburg and vicinity, S. c. We
hear that they have run considerable risk. If
the democratic member, Van Trump, of Ohio,
who personally is a respectable gentleman, has
only learned something of the real character of
his party associates, the journey and the risk
will be well repaid. 1t is understood that the
subcommittee will be back on Saturday-glad
to return, too, we are assured.
There have been over two hundred witnesses
examined. l can assure you, from personal
examination of the testimony SO far as printed,
| that the work has been done in the most COM
| plete manner. These witnesses have been from
every southern state, except from Arkansas
Louis lana and Texas. They will be heard from
later. AT least one-thrd of these witnesses
have been democrats. Among them were per
sons like Gen. Forrest, known by direct testi
mony to be prominent leader in the "klan.
The testimony taken is as a whole Of the mOs
startling character. The committee have been
enabled to obtain the constitutions of different
branches of this thuggism, their oaths, pass
words, etc. Some of the most atrocious crimes
the most depraved minds can conceive have
been sworn to with the utmost minuteness OF
detail and circumstances. Men and women by
the hundreds are proven to have been muir.
dered in the most shocking manner; the most
horrible and nameess mutiation of both men
and women is sworn to- while cases of house
burnings, beatings, scourgings, wounding, &C.,
are proven to have occurred by the thousands.
| In a majority of cases it is fully established
that these acts are directly prompted by polit-
ical luminosity, and are shown to be perpetrated
in pursuance of stated and definite purpose
| Analysis Of the evidence exhibits a picture so
diabolic as to be incredible without examna.
ton. Looking at the facts as they have been
presented,I shrink back appalled, at a social con-
| dition SO atrocious as these sworn statements
| amply prove to exist. The more the proofs are
| examined, the more clearly must one perceive
the inutility of anything like civil law, even
when so forcibly uncivil in character as is the
kuklux act, TO suppress this organized villany
Martial law is about the only way to reach the
case. The president is being sharply criticized
| by some for not taking the "bull by the horns, u
and thus suppressing the murderers. However
| its as well, perhaps, for the country, that We
"make haste slowly" in that direction.
NORTH CAROLINA AS AN EXAMPLE.
| What the K. K K. means can be readily per
ceiyed by following the progress of North Car
DINA affairs for the last eighteen months. On
the I'D of August, vote, unconstitutional and
revolutionary in character, is to be taken there
1t is whether the delegates shall be or moi
elected to a constitutional convention, which
the kuklux legislative majority have called
This Legislature fell into the kuklux hands by
an organized system of violence. When they
got into power, impeachment and removal Of
the governor followed as a matter of course
This almost secured them entire control
The judiciary, however, remained. To reach
them it is necessary to change the institution
Now congress ratiies the present instrument
| by admitting the state to renewed representa-.
ton under it. One of its provisions prohibits
the calling of constitutional convention under
ten years from the date of ratification by tht
people and acceptance by congress. OF courst
the present movement is clearly unconstitu
tional.
WHAT 1T INVOLVES IF SUCCESSFUL.
The entire kuklux rebellion is shrewdly man
aged. Their purpose is what Andy johnson ad
vised them to strive for in 1851 get and keey
power inside the Union. In the present case
notification begins on the state lines. If sue
cessful in the old north state, the same cours,
will be adopted substantially in every other ONT
of the southern states. Should the convention
movement succeed there, when it assemblies tn,
first move will be to vaeate the offices now he'll
by republicans. The judiciary will thus be 20
rid of. At the same time il will be provided
that the present kukluX legislature shall
hold over, the object of this being to lie
them fill the vacancies created, by the old system
of the governor and legislature appointing o
electing all judicial officers for life, down ever
to the justices of the peace, who will also, as i
now the case in Virginia, be charged with tn
oversight Of elections The result is easily seen
kuklux judiciary to interpret laws and con
troll elections. What chance will there be 70
the republican yoter2 AyeI what chance vii
the colored citizen have for justice or protection
before courts presided over by Judges affiliate.
with kuxlux and hold Office by the grace of tn
J murderous khan. God help theml
POSSIBLE AND PROBABLE RESULTS
North Carolina is really the keystone Of tb,
, south. The loyal men are again aroused an,
+ working as never before. Moderate democrats
who value some things in the new constitution
and who fear military reoecupation, are ais
alarmed. The colored people are strainin
every nerve, quietly from fear of the kuklu>
but thoroughly. The probabilities are that ii
T. convention scheme will be defeated. If it
Nlaae...