Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1871-10-18

FROM the LouisFilIe Ledger, Oct. Is.
Hon. James b.. Beck, of the Congression-
al Ku-Klnx Committee, has Just finished his
labors in Alabama, and returns home half
amused and thoroughly disguised, over the
finale of the silly Ku-Klax stories which he
was sent thither to investigate, 49,
The administration was bent on extract
ing all possible aid and comfort from these
fabrieations in behalf of the Radicals in the
late elections What better plan. than 10
send a subcommittee South whose inveSti-
cations should be protracted until after the
canvass IN Ohio and Pennsylvania. OF
course the Ku-Klux wind bag would be
punctured and its terrible pretensions van
ish into thin air, but the morale of the in
yestigation would be worth something to
the ''truly loyal" a present purpose would
be subserved. ~ g1i7
The authorities shrewdly argued that, let
the labors of the subcommittee result as
they might, just so they were protraeted I'M
til the elections were over, all would be
well. Here was the very cheapest kind of
political thunder; If it resulted that the
South was oyerrun with hobgobIins and
"spirits damned" all right; If the investi-
cations resulted in silly farce, all right still,
the committee would have been just as eff
fectually served. twas the old game of
Theads win, tails YOU lose" which the
party in power know so well how to play.
MIR. Beck was in the city yesterday on
his way home from his duties as commit
tee-man. He represents the condition of
things in Alabama perfectly quiet, the peo-
pie temperate, law7abiding, peaceful, in
other WORDS, thoroughly reconstructed.
With the respectable portion of the COM
munity there was fixed purpose not only
themselves 10 obey the law, but to see that
others do so.' Order prevails throughout
the State, social, political, municipal. While
there the committee examined the United
States District attorney, the United States
Commissioner, besides other leading men
Of both parties, and all concur that no
State in the Union exhibits more satisfae-
tory condition. As In all the States, and at
all times, there were few isolated cases Of
disorder, and it is yielding more than the
premises would justify in granting that
even these were established, for they were
only vouched tor by class of men who
would swear to anything as long as they
receive the, stipulated two dollars per day
for so doing.
General Crawford, in command at Hunts
vile, assured Mr.. Beck that he found eve
rything quiet and orderly; that he was most
agreeably surprised at the perfect order he
found there. And so said all good men,
United States officers, Democrats, Republi-
cans, all who were not paid, directly or indi-
rectly, for saying the reverse. General c.
said that sundry affidaviis were filed before
him when he first went there, charging out
RACES dire and diabolical, but that upon in
vestigation he found they were made by
unreliable and irresponsible persons. In
truth, General Crawford took pains to sift
the evidence, which, but for his honesty
and candOr, would have gone into the
Northern press and pulpit as outrages second
only to those of Dick Turpin or Robin
Hood. No complaints had been made by
any respectable man.
So, whatever the effect of this inquisi-
ton, or whatever its aim or object, the re-
suit has been a complete vindication of Ala
bama from the false charges brought against
her by her enemies.