The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1871-10-14
The Ku.Klux Reign Of Terror.

! We have recently taken the pains to es.
anime carefully hundreds or pages Of the
printed testimony taken before the Con
/ gressional Committee on ku-klux outra
1 ges in the Southern States. whose duty il
| was to ascertain the condition of affairs in
! those States, so far as it relates to the Sc.
curity of life, person, and property. From
| a thorough perusal of the voluminous docu.
| ments containing the sworn testimony OF
witnesses from various parts of the South
/ and belonging to both political parties, We
are irresistibly impelled to the conclusion
that the ku-klnx organization is IN ad
.junct of the Democratic party, established
/ and operated with the view of effectinu
/ political results. This seems to be the
general purpose of the organization, and
the direction in which all their acts point
The substantial declaration made when
Ku-kluX crimes and outrages We're being
committed was that their perpetrators and
those they claimed to represent did not
propose to submit to negro government
and carpet bag rule.
Most of the witnesses examined by the
Committee have detailed the circumstances
of the outrages perpetrated by the Ku-Klux
upon themselves and great many others
during the last twelve months, and have
proved most terrible and shocking state
of affairs to exist in the late insurrecton-
airy States. They have declared that Re-
publicans, white and colored, in their own
locality and the country surrounding them
were in state of inexpressible alarm and
terror, and that scourgings were of COM
mon and constant occurrence, and MUIR
ders were frequently committed; that they
feel no security in their homes at night,
and many are in the habit of sleeping in
the woods in all kinds of weather.
They testify that they have nexer known
any ku-Klux outrages to have been perpe-
trated upon Democrat, and that all Re-
publicans fully understand that they can
purchase security by openly proclaiming
themselves Democrats and voting the Dem
ocratic ticket. Some have been obliged to
do so, knowing well what the consequent
ces would be in case of their refusal or non
compliance.
We think that these facts prove conclu-
sively that the spirit of the rebellion still
lives in the Southern wing of the Demo
cratic party. and that they prefer to appeal
to brute force instead Of to the decision of
the people through the ballot. Instead of
open, armed revolt against the Government
and resistance to the execution of law and
order. it seems that we are to have syste-
matte lawlcssness and intimidation, dis
graceful humanity and belying civilization
under auspices of the Democratic party.
Is it thus that the Lost Cause is to retrieve
itself? If so, we appeal to all fair-minded
men in the Democratic party to take once
a "new departure" by voting with the Re-
publican party and thus refusing to COOP
crate with the infatuated men who have so
basely prostituted their ancient organiza-
ton.
Let the freemen of the North, irrespec-
tive of party, register their decree and pro-
nounce in thunder tones against the organ
lied and systematic diabolism and mob
law of the Southern Ku-Klux Democracy,
who would perpetuate the rebellion in an
other form and snatch an unholy victory
from the very jaws of honorable defeat and
surrender. At the ballot-box and in our
legislative halls must we, as friends of the
Union, fix and secure the logical and legiti-
mate results of the war, so that they will
not be upset by the reactionary movements
and measures of the Ku-Klux and that
their allies and abettors North and South,
if we would not have them become the sub
jects of new and dangerous struggles again.