Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1871-03-17
Condition Of the Sonth.

1T has been the earnest hope of all Re-
publicans that the day for stern measures
on the part of the General Government
towards the States lately in rebellion, and
especially for all military occupation of the
South, had passed-the lawless and bel
lious element having been subdued by the
better sense of the people of that section.
Such Is still the general hope among tenn
perate men of all parties; but Il must be
confessed that recent developments are
strengthening the friends of stringent
measures Such seems to be the opinion
of the President, as well as of prominent
men in Congress who have not been dis.
tinguished by any spirit of vindictiveness
toward the South, and who would, still
less, allow themselves to be instrumental
in creating popular panic for political
purposes. As the political purposes to be
subserved by distortion of the facts con.
cerning the Ku.Klux element become less
possible, we may place the more conf.
dence in the candor of such reports as
reach us from the disturbed districts
Accounts of outrages, principally upon
colored citizens and their families, fill the
newspapers; but these cannot always be
relied upon as authentic evidence. In the
way of official reports, we had, recently,
| that of the Governor of Texas, of certain
notorious outrages in Hill and Warren
countless of that State, where not only
were the murderers of negroes allowed to
| go unpunished, but they were taken by
force from the State authorities, and re-
leased by those claiming local authority
and apparently having the support of the
people in their localities. Governor Hol-
den, OF North Carolina, assured the Presi-
| dent that affairs in his State are getting
/ IN hat II L..
some authority stronger than his own,
they will soon drift into utter anarchy.
Late advices show a more alarming con-
dition of affairs in South Carolina, where
armed men have torn up railroad tracks
to prevent the progress of United States
troops, and where the Governor has
deemed the Legislature in such danger of
an attack by insurrectionary forces that he
has posted pickets on all the approaches
to the Capitol. He has called upon the
President for 1000 troops to suppress the
insurrection, and represents the State Gov.
ernment as in an almost helpless condi-
ton, owing to the scarcity of funds and
the secret opposition of moneyed corpora
tions, including the railroads, which refuse
to transport troops and supplies without
cash down"
There seems to be no doubt of the con-
|
as the Ku-Klux Klan. Their work, done
in their peculiar way, appears frequently
in nearly all the lately rebellious States,
and in Kentucky, which was nominally
loyal. A recent issue of Macon, Ga,
newspaper, whose editor is evidently, by
his speech, in sympathy with the move
ment, cautions the fraternity against any
operations of the mere scarecTow order
characterizing them as "child's play,
and advising the league to reserve its eff.
forts for deeds that tell. The writer also
cautions the league, of whose strength he
boasts in the same breath, against doing
anything very violent at present, in view oi
its apprehended effect on legislation al
Washington.
The evidence which the Investigating
Committee assigned by Congress to thii
subject has elected, has not yet been made
public, but the members of that commit
tee authorize the statement that it sustainl
the claims of the Southern Republicans tha
a state of lawlessness dangerous to tn,
lives and property of loyal citizens nov
exists in large portion of the territory o
the late Southern Confederacy
: Why not, since the South is recon
, structed and readmitted, let the Stat
, authorities maintain law, and Congress
: stand aloOfg is a pertinent question, afte
all these facts are recited. Why not leav'
| the President to aid the Southern Gov
ernors as he would the Governor of II
linois in case of an insurrection and cal
for help? The answer is that the natiol
/ is interested in maintaining the purity o
elections and the rights of those whom it
constitution makes electors. Buffers bill
and any other bill which Congress is hkel,
to pass on the subject, will have specia
| ref m nd ha tafn ~,
. which it will contain will be those deemet
necessary to the enforcement of the -Four
teenth and Fifteenth Amendments, III
fact being, as now understood that tn
Southern practice of intimidating the veal
; and the few operates to prevent fair eleC
tons in many localities. Chicago Tribune
March 8.