Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1871-11-16
The KuIsIux Campaign.

The kuISluX Campaign.
Some months ago il was difficult to determine |
now much credit should he given to the reports |
Of the organization and doings of the kuklux in
South Carolina. Many of the stories were i'm
probable in themselves as they described an
almost incredible system of depravity and ruff
fianism; they came from sources not always
free from suspicion, and they were contradicted
emphatically by persons who ought to have
known the truth and who were apparently re-
spectacle and, aside from their partisan bias,
Trustworthy. The weight Of evidence went TO
establish beyond a doubt the existence of the
recent organization, its political character, and
that some at least OF the atrocities reported had
been committed by its members under the orders
of their chiefs, but whether its members were so
numerous its organization so complete and
widely extended, and its outrages so frequent as
represented, were questions upon which there
was much difference Of opinion. But whatever
doubts existed upon these points have been com
pletely dispelled by the revelations which fol-
lowed the vigorous measures set on foot by the
United States authorities to crush the organiza-
ton and punish the criminals. Colonel Merrill,
who has had the matter in charge, has managed
itwithgreat shrewdness and energy. Formonths
he has been in the heart of the disturbed region
quietly collecting information. His agents have
prolessed TO join the order, and succeeded in
making themselves masters of all its secrets.
When the presidents proclamation was issued,
commanding the kuklux to disband and sur
render their arms and DISCUSSES, everything was
ready for effective action irthe warning should
be disrcgarded. No heed was paid to it and as
soon as the time OF probation had expired
Colonel Merrill seized at once the nearest leaders
and then began what the democratic journals, in
some respects moi inaply describe as a "reign Of
terror" Almost every prominent white citizen,
not already captured left his home for fear of
arrest; some fed TO neghboring states and
others secrctcd themselves in the woods and
swamps where the victims Of the kukluX had
been wont to take refuge from persecution. As
a negro. whose life had been threatened, is re-
ported to have said, at is somebody else's turn
to lie out now The subordinate members Of
the order, the rank and file, seeing themselves
deserted by those whom they have regarded as
their natural leaders, were at first stupefied at
prosecutors 10 that of the pursued, but in a day
or two they began to come in and surrender
themselves, eager to get what mitigation of pun
ishment might be obtained by full disclosure
of all they knew of the secret doings OF the
order. Hundreds have given themselves up and
many Others have been captured; Colonel
Merrill's photographer is busily employed for
twelve hours every day in taking down their
confessions and cannot keep up with the num-
Der who are waiting to be examined. The yolun
tary sworn statements of these repentant
wretches more than confirm oil the worst stories
that have been current Of kuklux atrocities.
The crowd TO be seen about Colonel Merrills
quarters reminds one correspondent of the rebel
conscripts captured during the war; they arc
mostly of the lowest order of "mean whites"
crackers and clay-eaters, with reteating fore
heads and sallow, repuIsiye countenances, COM
bining stupidity and low cunning in their ex-
preston, which seems capable on occasion of
kindling into lerocity. Their stories confirm
each other, and offer altogether an overwhelm-
ing mass of testimony in regard to the organi-
cation and purposes of the order, its internal
discipline, and The acts of outrage committed
by it. The crimes previously known TO have
been perretrated in those neighborhoOds are re-
lated with every detail of actors and circum-
stance, ana Others which had been kept secret
OF were only suspected are fully revealed. The
ringleaders and those who have taken part in
the worst crimes are retained in egstody; the
less guilty, after giving their confessions, are
released on parole. One man, arrested through
a confusion OF names, made haste to correct the
error, saying, 81 am not the man you want.
Another John Smith had a hand in the killing Of
--. ! was only in some whipping affairs.
You might hang me by mistake So he led the
soldiers to the hiding place of his namcsake,
where the original and only genuine John Smith
had bestowed himself, in the hope of escaping
the penalty of his crime.
Many Of those who have fed were not even
suspected Of completely in the crimes of the ku-
kluX, their consciences had made towards o
them. Those held in Imprisonment are treated
as well as the scanty Jail accommodations will
permit, and much more humanely than it has
been usual to deal with prisoners in that region
where the comfort aud decency Of persons in
such situation are but lightly regarded. It's
impossible TO create a very lively sympathy for
these yicfims Of their own foles and crimes. or
TO persuade the people of this country that Gen
Grant, in executing the laws Of congress and
suppressing a formidable and odious con-
spiracy, is acting the part of blood
thirsty tyrant. 10 read some of our
democratic contemporaries one might sup
pose that Grant was an exaggerated Robes
pierre, and that Claverhouse and his rough
troopers were sentimental humanitarans com
pared with the merciless soldiers of Col. Mer~
rill's command. The kuklux bill seemed, when
1t was under discussion, to be in some respects
not wholly wise or polite, but the necessity oil
some such measure has teen pretty conclusyely
yindieated since then. In putting il into ex-
ecution the president has certainly acted with as
much caution and lorbearance as the facts
would warrant.
1t should be remembered, in order TO Judge
how little excuse there is for the imprisoned
denunciatiOns Of the cruelty aud Injustice Of
these proceedings, that nO such thing as martial
law is proclaimed or exists in South Carolina.
No citizen has been or viii be tried by court
martial or punished by military order. No one
is even arrested, except those Of whose crimes
there is clear proof, and the majority of thsoe
are released on their own promise to appear
when called upon. The prisoners are leaders in
the mulderous conspiracy, or those who have
taken part in the worst outages, and no one OF
them viii suffer any other harm than temporary
detention until he has been formally indicted
tried and convicted in the same manner as
offenders against the laws are dealt with in
Massachusetts. IN spite Of The frantic outcries
Of bigoted partisans north and south, the presi-
dents course in this matter will give him
stronger hold upon The confidence of the people