New-York tribune., 1871-04-25
KU-KLUX.
A LAND OF LAWLESSNESS.


REPLY TO GOV. vANCH-AcrUAL EXPERT
CAROLINA.
TO tho Editor Of The Tribune.
SIR, The letter of Gov. Vance of North
Carolina to THE TRIBUNE is fair specimen OF the Ian
guage current among the intelligent men OF the region
he Representa- for to his statement that Immigrants into
bis State will be welcomed gladly, and Will DO % saie
as they be anywhere on earth" ne adds ano.ner
Nor do pretend to say that there are not some OF the
old btternesses Of the still rambling In the hearts OF
many5 thus qualifying bis words Of welcome by excuses
for bitterness Of feeling he must admit TO exist He
must know that In the Spring and Summer OF 1870
within 40 miles Of his residence, night after night
armed bands attacked detenseess negroes ana white
Republicans and threatened with death men, and even
women, whose only crime was that they belonged 10 inc
Republican party aided those who were Republicans.
The warm welcome Is merely extended to the members
Of the Democratic party. The Northern Republican VINO
moves TO North Carolina may bring his money, his thrift
and enterprise but he should leave his principles behind
him II he desires to I've In peace among people stu
cherishing the old biternesses OF the war; And oR
this subject able to state my own experience ~
10 the Winter Of seo in company with some other Nor
erners moved to spot about twenty-five miles from
Charlotte In the genial climate Of Western North Caro-
lima. No man could have wished for moro pleasing as
surances Of WELCOME from the educated class OF people
than we received. We expended large amount OF
money In developing banks; enlarged and improved
the works. gave employment TO hundreds OF poor whites
and poorer blacks made four tons Of pgron where one
had been made before, and did it with 100 bushels OF
charcoal the tun Of iron where 800 bushels had been
used before bought land, built houses, gave market
for corn and other produce such had not before and
has never since existed there; and In short did every
thing to show that had become bona pde settiers
with no wish to engage in politics, or to accept any
Office whatever In fact, though in political sentiments
Republicans felt that, If the old Rebel element had
become sincerely loyal and showed disposition to deal
Justly by the poorer and ignorant class, could
not regret IT, in peaceful manner they should gain the
control OF the State.
We found good friends among both parties In potcs
The local officers Of county and township were Re
publlcans, and Of those whose acquaintance We
formed proved to be intelligent, able, and upright men,
We were about miles from any town OF regular
church or school, large plantation. There was only
occasional religious service in some backwoods meeting
houses, and we determined TO have Sunday evening
service at our house, invited the neighbors, and
few came. Presently negro hands asked Tor sun
day-sehool. We apprehended no opposition so the ne
roes were told that II they would come the next Sab
bath we would start Sunday for them. AT the
appointed time we found crowd Of well dressed, re-
spectacle negroes front OF the house, some OF them
had primers, and some states and pencils We COM |
menced teaching them the alphabet, then reading |
Those who had made sufficient progress received the
Bible to read. In few Sundays we had benches made
and an unoccupied ogcabin put in order to serve
"A school and soon there 90 negro pupils
ranging from three to so years Of age. We appointed
Sunday morning for the negroes and the afternoon OF
the day for tho whites. We were careful concerning
two things vz to admit negro into the session OF
the white school, and not to teach anypoca doctrines
SO eager and enthusiastic our black pupils that in
few weeks 25 or 80 could read the Bible readily.
In May 1870, the Democratic press Of North Carolina
began to stir up the people to prepare for the August
election for county and State officers. The main srug
gle was to be the election for legislators Very soon
we began to hear OF Ku-Klux raids Day after day We
heard that the night before an assault had been made
on some negro family by In disguise, wearing long
gowns and having masks over their faces Twice dur
ing the Summer negro family living near us was visited
I'm this way and whipped; and they have since, think
in January of this year. been whipped third tme The
ground for this declared to be because land had been
bought from Radical" and the negro purchaser was
paying for It, In another negro was shot In the
back while running away from band of armed men
who called upon him to stop In another, the Ku-Klux
killed the of poor negro. In still another band
called upon q negro family whipped the members, then
rode to another house in the vicinity whipped not only
the white Republican who lived there, but also his
mother and they compelled his daughter to expose her
person before them They then told the man that If he
voted the Radical ticket the next time they came they
would hang him. Upon OCCASION at the Courthouse
saw negro appealing to the Prosecuting-Attorney
for protection. The negro ard his family |
had been attacked the night before. The Prosecuting
Attorney informed me that this was the fifteenth |
case OF the kind that had before him In that month
Admiral Wilkes who is hated by the Rebels for having
captured Mason and sidell during the Rebellion, lived
within eight miles of us. He had purchased rich piece
of land admirably adapted for the requirements OF
Northern colony His family determined to educate the
people church was erected and young Episco- |
nalan clergyman was engaged. The negroes worshped
IN one mart of the house and the whites IN another This
family of Christian ladies doing world OF good, but
an constant we're the attacks upon the negroes that the
Iot,er woud leave their homes and sleep in Admiral
Wilkess stables for mutual protection On sunday |
they were coming out Of church they were Tired
,pon after which the ladies did not dare to have even
ING service About the time a Ku-Klux band |
attacked family Of negroes in one OF Admiral Wikess
cabins whipped them took the Sundayschoo DOCKS ana
Bbles made heap OF them and set them on fire. The
KuKlux then notified to the clergyman, although he had
been soldier in the Rebel army, to leave the country or
he would be murdered.
The first warning that we had Of coming trouble was
that upon one OCCASION our cook met by man who
incurred OF her how many pistols and guns we had.
About 10 o'clock one evening was writing at home
with the housedoor open the family having retired
heard the fierce barking Of my dog Going to the door
found all quiet except the dog which almost frantic
In the morning paper Of which the following Is fac
sme was discovered attached to one OF the ouhouses
H h