The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1871-08-08
A Real Ku Klu. spI.ie. :.

A RcaI Ku Klux spIrit.
The Ku Klux investigation, ns ordered |
BY Congress Gin April last, is, an men:
toned in. onr, Washington correspond
enue,s e,sreaching its end. Some two thou
sand dfpages Of printed testimony have
been taken, aud it illustrates the patri-
otto energy Of the subcommittee sent !
into Snnth Carolina that, within day
after thor return to Washington, and in
violation Of the rules they had adopted
for their government, they were able to
furnish one.sided md partisan account
OF tho investigation for tho press, pre-
senting u scene of bloodshed and out
lawry in that region that must satinte the
kcenest aud most rapacious appetite for
horrors. Il is this one-sided account
which the Washington Chronicle, of
Monday, pnrndes in a,summnry of what
it calls ''ntrocions facts" which, it says,
nrs established out Of tho mouths OF
more than 900 witnesses. besides-what
We believe equally credble-tho testi-
mony of more than 10000 of the
shroudless dead. who, from hidden
places by the wnyside, in swamp and
mountain, and from the sleepless ashes
| OF fired homes, ehout their ghostly
amen''
Upon analyzipg the Chronicles "atro-
cious facts, which we concede to bo MS
''atrocious" and incredible as most Of
the partisan facts" which appear in the
same interest, we find the sum and sub
stance Of tha allegations to be that tho
Ku Kiux exists in all the late insurreo-
tionary States, and generally diffuscd !;
that.the object is to carry the South at
the next Presidential election for tue
Democratic nominee; that the intimida.
tion OF Republican voters black and
white. is one of it's principal purposes;
that this intimidation is sought by every
species of violence and bloodshed; '.thnt
school-teachers and preachers of the
Methodist Church North seem to be the
special adherence Of these Democratic
assassins, aud hundreds of school houses
and Methodist churches have been given
to the flames, and Christendom will
stand aghast when it is made known tie
scores of school-teachers and Methodist
preachers who, by this Democratic
agency, within these three years, have
been whipped shot! hung! and, in some
instances. it is believed, burned ,at HE
stnkei" And. to all this, it is added that
''in nearly one-half the States of this
Union this work of hell is now going on
night by night-every month extending
the range of its bloody operations, and
fearfully multiplying the number OF its
victims"
We submit that such s'facts" RS these
are too ''atrocious" to be credited; as
''atrocious' as their authors, and, OF
the face of .them, Improbable and pre-
posterous. It would, perhaps, be- nearer
the truth to say that in that half of the
States OF the Union referred to there il
less bloodshed and more security Of life
and property than there is in the othc,
half. There are, doubtless, exceptiona
ncts of violence in some localities in {
few Southern Stateu, but the oppression
corruption and acts of violence on the
other side which hove led to them arr
probably quite as numerous and fragrant
Before giving credenoe to the alleged
sensational picturings presented by tht
Chronicle. which may be but reflex O.
the report to be presented by the ma
jority Of the committee as ON election
eering document, the public will demant
to know not only the names, but charac
ters OF the witnesses, and what it is they
say. So far as has transpired, the re
spectacle white witnesses generally den,
! the existence at present of any armed
: Ku Ktnx organization. Yet the Chromi
Gle has the audacity to assert not onl,
| Sb~s ~ SAASSo1 oNt thbb ~ ~ OAlC6IGu o.
the leading and active Democratic poll
tioians OF the South; that it is solely ant
Immediately in the service OF that party
that the. Democratic party. North ans
South, are equal sharers in the RESPONSE
bility, whereupon it asks: "Is a part,
worthy of life in this land which seek
supremacy through such hell-b mea
sures2" Which inquiry shows the ami
/. mus of the whole thing to deprive tn
t Democratic party OF political existence
as if there could be snch thing as tn,
toleration Of only one political party i,
! the country; and, with such an object
it may only be wondered is tn
irrational party spirit Of the day-tha
tue "facts" reported by the committe
g arc not more exaggerated, bloody ar.
''atrocious" than they nre. There is Gel
tainIy no worse Ku Kiux spirit any
; where in the South than the Chronicl
: displays in behalf of the majority Of til
committee Baltimore Sun
y DISHONEST TRIAL JUSTICES -Th
g Orangeburg Ne,Os calls upon the Gran,
: jury. ct the neyt Court of General See
Q aions, to examine carefully the docke
. books Of the Trial Justices OF Tho Coup