The Fremont weekly journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County, Ohio) 1867-1877, 1871-10-06
FACTS ABOUT THE KU KLUx.
The Independing Danger and the
Remedy.

- -
Carolina, Georgia, Alabama and MISSISSIPPI,
there exist secret armed organizations, which
are strong enough IN numbers and influence TO
control public sentiment, to defy the local
courts Of justice and intimidate the executive
officers Of the law. Wherever the truth has
transpired. the management and purposes OF
these secret societies have been found to be the
sans. Their acts are everywhere of the same
character and have apparently the same object.
Their work is almost in variably accomplished
ct night and in disguise, and their victims are
always negroes and white Republicans.
This uniformity Of object, mode Of action
and constitution leads naturally to but one con-
clusion: that these small secret societies, scat
tered over 50 large a territory, are parts OF a
general Organization, under the contrOlOf which
they act-through It IS possible that no such
general organization extends beyond the limits
Of any one State.
The general organization, whatever the ex-
tent Of Its control, is military IN its character,
and is so devised that the leaders can readily
bring together at will large bodies Of armed
men, composed Of several small societies. Ex-
pensive arms have been furnished TO members
Of the minor societies, known as "klans" by
men who do not themselves do service. In
some known cases arms have been interchanged
among different klans for convenience in dis-
tributing ammunition. The rules OF organiza-
tion and conduct, so far as they have been
made public, are skillfnlly drawn up and give
evidences of careful thought While it is no
torious that the majority of the members OF
the local ~klans" belong ts a comparatively
low and ignorent class of white men, the gen
eral operations of the organization are doubt
less under the control of intelligent leaders.
In all places where the known acts OF the
order have betrayed its existence, public SEN
timent sustains It. either openly or by silence.
No one dares to denounce It Judges in many
places are intimidated by threats OF removal
or death. iuries are brow-beaten, and public
officers of every grade, if not in sympathy with
the order, are intimidated. 1t is evident from
this that the Ku Klux organization has great
strength IN roth number and the social posi-
ton Of It's members and officers.
While admitting that the reports Of outrages
IN t,e southern States have at times been gross
Iv exaggerated by partisan leaders and papers
IN tbe interests OF so-called Republican politi-
cians- II IA impossible, with the admitted facts
l,efors ms. 70 ADOPT the Democratic theory that
no acts of violence have been committed ex-
cent IN the interests Of law and morality. With
verv rare exceptions, all the outrages-and we
have enough reported on undeubted authority
have been committed either against negroes
or AGAINST men who sympathized with the
negroes in politics. No one class in the south
ern States, or IN any other part of the world,
has a special monopoly of either vice or virtue,
and If vigilance committees assume the vlndi-
cation OF outraged morality they ought TO make
,, distinction other than that Of color and poll
tics.
We are sure, then, that powerful organiza-
ton exists in the Southern States, controlled by
intelligent leaders, and working through small
secret societies composed chiefly OF desperate
and unscrupulons men; that the object of this
organization is to intimidate the colored voters
of the Republican party in the interests Of the
Democratic party; that It is sufficiently power
full. socially and numerically, to control the
local courts of Justice and to influence or sup
press public sentiment. The next question
arises-vhv does this order exists on so large
3 sale, and what are the general purposes OF Its
leaders9 The mere control Of local politics,
while II might be sufficient to tempt men to
commit the outrages recorded, IS not sufficient
70 account for the magnitude of the plan. Our
able correspondent in South Carolina, IN
letter which we have not published, makes the
following suggestions:
sfTo nv mind the only answers to the ques-
tions WV tbs order exists, and what its pur-
poses are, will be found by inquirlng what are
The ends which the southern leaders in the war
still desire to secure. While Tor various rea-
sonsof pride and obstinacy few who were rebels
soS-noz5led0e that secession and rebellion were
I--ons, all readily concede that secession was
= ,,istake. and they frequently say, Eve
should have fought under the flag, not against
se1-bs southern leaders will never again at
+snonf secession, but it is certain that they
have never ceased 70 contemplate the posi-
Iilitv of their reinstatement in political power,
and their ability 70 undo nearly all that the
war accomplished. They continue to hope for
the observation-disclosures of the negro, for pay
Tnent of the rebel war debt, and for compen-
sation for the slaves emancipated. These, In
fire southern mind, are not only hopes, but
fbev seem tangible and capable of realization
To these ends the success of the Democratic
,1s,fv ~, a reactionary platform is an essential
and first step. The follies and mistakes Of the
Republican party have at last appeared so to
weaken and divide it that their opportunity
seems present They hoped for this IN 1867,
and then organized the KU Klux; they feel
sure now, and the order has spread over the
whole South.
slTVitb a closelv-contested election in pros
nact. turning perhaps on the vote of the cleo
forai e,,llege of one small state, the temptation
fo control the elections all through the South,
nv means OF intimidation, force and fraud is IT.
,,ssistai,le and the chances of success are great
Neither the Constitution nor any law under It
urovides for any method of contesting the re-
sult of an election for President. As the cleo
torai colleges send their votes TO the Senate,
SO they are counted"
Our correspondent has insisted with some
earnestness that the apparent inactivity Of the
Ku KIux order at the present time is merely
temporary, and that as soon as there is a def
nS.e political object to be gained, violence will
he r,uewed, as before. This opinion is sus-
fained i,v the United States Commissioner Pi-
oniers. Tho signed a card, extensively circula-
ted, declaring that no outrage had recently oc-
CURED in the disturbed districts Of South Car
olina. He writes from Spartansburg that al
though that assertion was correct, yet be be-
Ieyes the districts are guiet simply because
the civil and military authorities Of the United
States have, during the last SIX weeks, been az
resting those who have been engaged In pre-
vious oufrages. "Since the investigating Com
lnittee Of Congress left /" he says, 81 know that
outrspes have occurred IN York and Union
countions, and they may have occurred in
Spartanburg county during my absence Of
three weeks at Greenville. They would
doubtless have continued there but for the sc-
tive measures taken by the United States
officials. believe that martial law is the only
permanently effective remedy for the troubles
The situation is one Of extreme difficulty
and danger. It needs statesmanship of the
highest order to meet It, and the need is not
sr1Di;ed by the men who row manage most of
ths S,t, thern State governments. Let the re-
beil;on leaders, then, but be led to expect that
the O6QOCLdl4C VIC
late constitutional amendments, viii obtain
control Of the general government, and one
third Of the nation viii be thrown into anarchy
We have no faith in the military govein-
rnent Of the southern people by the rest Of the
nation, It is as sure to fail in practice as it is
rniuSt and undemOcratic IN principle. The
immediate and obvious remedies for the trou-
bIes are precisely the moral remedies which
have never been tried And the first and most
obvioYs of these Is in the hands Of the north |
EN- Democrats. Let them, Of the great ma |
ioritv Of them, unitedly and earnestly subor- |
iinats partv to country, and proclaim their
purpose to sustain the Constitution as it now
Is. while defending the municipal Liberties Of
eT,srv part Of the country against encroach-
meuf. and the very reason for the existence of
Che Ku-Klux will be destroyed But If the
Democratic leaders in the Northern States fail
:, fbis dutT-and their time is short for doing
if-their utter and hopeless overthrow in
7,ssrIv every such State will follow, and the
-ssnonsibflity for the wise and statesmsnlike
,,ss 81 fbe moral remedies for southern evils
iii -sn,ain with the Republicans. Their
Course nd not hitherto been free from grave
o,,-S. Inf their national leaders, we believe,
s-e learning much by experience; and are now
,--;ser and more moderate, and therefore have
a far better prospect Of success IN dealing with
Sbs disafected southern people, than at any
time since I866.-N. !. Post.
Il