The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1871-04-20
The Real Ku-Klux Klan.

Congress is busy devising plan for re-
pressing Il e alleged outra cs the Southern
States Of the celebrated Ku-Klux Khan. The
The object is praiseworthy one, but the eff
forts by which it is sought to be attained are
misdirccted The real Ku Kluxes who ought
to be put down by the national legislation are
not the rufhans, real or imaginary. whose ex-.
ploits are made so much of, but the living,
flesh and blood scoundrels in official station,
who are going their best to impoverish and
destroy the whole fabric Of society in the
South.
SlEoe the close Of the war every Southern
State has been cursed with swarm of add
venturers from the North, who, having failed
to gain living at home by their honest or
dishonest labor and having no reputation
except bad one to leave behind them, have
sought this new and untricd field wherein to
retrieve their fortunes Some had been hang
ers-on in the wake of our armies, but more
prudcntly waited till all the fighting was over,
and then descended on their prey. Taking
advantage of the dsfranchiscmept cf the ma
tive-born citizens, OR awaiting themselves of
Federal patronage, they have foisted them
selves into places of power and profit. which
they have fearfully abused, to their own ad-
vantage and the ruin Of their helpless vic.
| tins.
| From one end of the South to the other
| there comes up universal cry against the
corruption, the extravaganza, and the general
INSTRUMENTATION of these adventurous. They
have increased taxes ten-fold they have ad-
ded enormously to the funded debt of the
States, counties, cities, and towns; they are
squandering the resources of the country, and
afford no adequate protection for either prop
erty or life.
The State Government of Florida before
the war used to cost the people about forty
thousand dollars year; it now costs nearly
double that amount. In South Carolina tt 9
State taxation this year will be nearly three
millions, or about seven times as much as it
used to be under the old order of things,
while the total taxes will be ten times as
much. The debt of North Carolina was late
y increased at a single session of the Legis-
laFure by the sum of thirty-six millions In
Arkansas the annual expenditure has been
increased from three hundred thousand dol
lars to nineteen hundred thousand. besides
adding eight millions for railway purposes TO
the permanent debt. In Louisiana the State
debt has been increased from thirteen mil
lions to twenty-five millions and the local
debt of New Orleans and other towns has
been swollen in the same proportion.
These evils are palpable and unmistakable,
and their baletul influence is wide-reachiug
and universal. What is an occasional deed
Of violence in some remote country place
compared with the grinding oppression Of the
'ax-gathe rer which brushes all classes and all
kinds of industry to the earth?
Ii, therefore, Congress really. wishes to
t,anquilize the South and restore order there
let it restore to the people the privilege Of
Selfgovernment. Let the American doctrine
of no taxation without representation be en-
forced, and let a stop be put to the tyrannical
exactions of the carpet-bagger fraternity
When this shall have been done there will be
no need of legislation against Ku-Klux out
RACES. The Southern people will themselves
take care of that matter, and maatain peace
and good order without the aid of United
States troops or money!. Y SIM.