Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1871-11-08
The Ku-Klux and Suspension of the
Writ Of Habeas Corpus.

peace would have been regarded for
merly as very series matter Both
Americans and English-all people of
the Anglo. Saxon race--have ever care
fully guarded their civil rights as pro-
tectod by the writ of habcas corpus,
and have taken alarm at the first step
to deprive them of these rights. The
writ of habeas corpus has been regard.
cd as the bulwark Of liberty, and it is
this which more than anything else
led to the freedom that wo enjoy
But times have changed Our late
civil war and tho Generalization
which resulted from it have destroyed
in measure that watchiulness Of the
American people over their liberties
and jealousy of the encroachment Of
arbitrary power Now the President
of the United States suspends the writ
of habeas corpus in section Of our
common country and little notice of it
is taken, as if it were matter of ordi-
nary occurrence or OF no Importance
AS If, in fact, no great principle were
involved. The proclamation of the
President, dated Washington, October
II, 1871, which was published in our
issue last Wednesday, places the coun.
ties of Spartanburg, York, Marion,
Chester, Laurens, Newbury, Fairfield,
Lancaster and Chesterfield, South
Carolina, under martial law, on tho
ground that combinations and conspi-
racies exist to obstruct and hinder the
execution of tho civil law, and that
the federal government is called upon
TO suspend the writ of habeas corpus
and to govern by military authority,
in accordance with the act Of Con
gress passed last April. If the public
mind were not so demoralized and so
Indifferent to this exercise Of military
authority in time of general peace
there would be more searching in
quiry as to the causes for or necessity
Of this extraordinary action Of the
government.
Fortunately, the Independent press
of this country is free to discuss tho
conduct of the government and to call
public attention to this important mat
ter. The independent press, as Junius
said, is the palladium of our civil and
religious liberties. Let us see, then.
what foundation there was for pro.
claiming martial law and creating
such q dangerous precedent for exer
cising arbitrary power in this free re-
public The President tells us in his
proclamation that combinations and
conspiracies exist in the counties plao-
ed under martial which cannot be
reached by the civil law, and these he
calls rebellious and insurrectionary
BY this he means what is generally
known as the Ku.Klux. The changes
are rung on such expressions as con-
spiracies, organized and armed comb.
nations, violence, defiance of the con
stituted authorities, and so on, but
there is no evidence of repetition or in
surrection either in the sense general
ly understood or of the constitution of
the United States. The law Of Con-
gress on which he bases his action
may have given new Interpretation
to rebellion or insurrection which was
mover meant in the constitution, and
he may be acting strictly in conformi.
ty with that. But the lawlcssness of
few individuals, which at most only
extends to sort of lynch law in pun
ishing obnoxious persons or those
who are guilty of crimes, cannot be
construed into rebellion against the
government In fact, there has been
no such rebellion or insurrection. Nor
have the proper constituted authori-
ties called upon the federal govern.
ment to suspend the civil law, as is
required by the constitution.
Governor Scott, of South Carolina,
when asked less than three weeks ago
if he were opposed TO martial law, re.
piled, "Most unequivocally | am, and
ihoso men who are so clamorous for
martial law are pursuing mistaken
policy" He said, moreover, that he
had no idea General Grant would de-
clare martial law, that he tthe Cover
nor) was not in favor of it, and that
he thought the civil law was more
efficient. What better authority does
the administration want than the
Governor of the State, who is one of
its own partisans? Then the State is
under radical government, and most
of the authorities in it are opposed to
martiel law. The clamor for such an
arbitrary measure comes from only q
few reckless and corrupt disorganizers
and aspirants for office from men
who have little interest at stake in
the State beyond what they can mako
out of the offices or the disruption of
civil government. No doubt there
have been deplorable outrages upon
individuals by local bands, and proba.
bly, the Civil Rights bill Of Congress
may have been violated in some cases
No good citizen would attempt to
justify these But such crimes are
not peculiar to South Carolina
Grimes as bad or moro honious are
committed in all the States, and it
would be easy enough to attribute
them to Ku Klnx lift should suit the
federal government to do so for poiti-
cal ends. Indeed, there might be no
limit to federal interference in the
local affairs of the several States, or
even in this city of New York, if the
proclamation Of martial law is to fol-
low the commission of similar crimes
as those perpetrated in South Carolina
Should the clamor of few partisan
politicians be needed more than the
principles of local self. government,
upon which the fabric of our institu.
tions rests, there will be an end to
civil liberty.
1t is curious fact, showing the
rccklcssness of the administration in
the high.handed course it is pursuing,
that one of the most quiet counties in
the State Of South Carolina, that of
Marion, is included in those placed
under martial law, while the worst
Ku.Kiux county-Union-is omitted.
This Governor Scott, il is said, admits,
though he says, in pallation of the
CnnHnpi &c .ka 81. (. -.