New-York tribune., 1871-04-24
MI.SPRTSION OF CRIME.

shall nave cnucu Ill tHt pdCihCuJlou vi thc
South and the recognition of the rights of oil
citizens everywhere, it will be hard to compre-
hend many incidents of these days. The
cruelty and barbarity of the outlaws of the
South will be easy enough to understand.
There never was in that region any law or
Justice for negroes suspected OF manhood, or
white men from the North The debasng i'll
huences of Slavery and whisky have been re-
enforced by the passions and feuds bred OF
civil war, and the long impunity afforded by
the disordered state of the country has re-
suited in many portions of the Southern States
in complete chaos of law and morals. There
are many regions of Kentucky and of Missis-
sjppi to-day where violence and murder, If
committed against negroes or Unionsts, have
ceased to be regarded as anything more than
the ordinary friction of political life. This Is
state of affairs which, however disgracefu Is
not ncomprehensible. Given tho special
conditions and antecedents of the perpetrators
and their acts are natural and logical. They
are to bo met with means of punishment and
repression, "a criminals and highwaymen. But
what is far more difficult to explain or handle,
is the stolid, brazen effrontery of Democratic
journals in the North, which steadily refuse To
recognize the existence of this state OF things.
Nothing is gained by this persistent and shame
less Justification. Everybody knows OF the
outrages daily perpetrated in the South. South
ern Journals, Southern judges, and Southern
governors have denounced them. The disorder
and anarchy of these disturbed regions are
most disastrous in their present and future
results on the general prosperity. No man
doubts that hearty and unanimous denuncia-
ton of them by Democratic Journals and con-
ventions would bring about an Immediate
change for the better. But these outlaws only
exist by Democratic tolerance and support
They are the last desperate hope of that un-
principled organization which seeks to carry
the next election by intimidation and violence
throughout the South, and interference win
them now would impair their efficiency next
year. This is the only possible explanation OF
the course of those papers which receive IN
their correspondence and exchanges every day
numberless instances of infamous outrage,
and vet continue to deny the existence OF the
Ku-Klux, and to meet every proposition OF
repression with impertinent sneers.
What is the moral condition of the organs
of party which regard with silent approval
the daily occurrence of infamies like the fol-
loYingf
w. W. Wheeler, piOus and exemplary man,
Trustee of the College at Berea, KY, went
last month to Fitchburg, in Estill County, on
business He attended n prayermeeting OF
colored people in the evening, and on his way
back to the tavern where he had left his wife
and child was shot at by two or three rui-
fans, but escaped Long after midnight, the
house was surrounded by gang of ku-Klux;
the craven landlord came to Mr.. Wheelers
door and made him get up he was seized
and dragged into the street in his night-dress;
taken quarter of mile into the woods;
beaten until he was nearly senseless; then al
lowed to breathe and refresh himself while bis
torturers discussed the prOpriety OF hanging
him. II was decided to give him dozen
more lashes and order him out of town. This
WAS done "to whip his Northern principles
" out of him." as the gentlemen engaged In
the business asserted. There were twenty or
thirty dodgers at the tavern, and large num-
Der of the employees of the neighboring iron
works within call, but no one lifted voice or
hand. This statement of Mr.. Wheeler Is not
substantially denied by any one, and is ener-
getically supported by the Rev. j. G. Fee,
well-known minister of the Gospel in Ken
lucky.
These lawless outrages are the inevitable re-
sult of pusillanimous tOleration. The torture
of the defenseless has always an irresistible
attraction for barbarOus communities. Amuse-
ments are few and simple in these remote
districts. The only excitements known to their
turbulent youth are those of drinking, gam
bling, and fighting. Whisky and cards cost
something, and fighting is attended with more
OF less danger. In the present paralysis of
law, and the moral apathy that has settled
upon the terrorized neighborhoOds, the lynch
ing of an occasional schoolmaster or parsOn is
at once the most delightful and economical
of diversions. 1t has all the charm OF the
tavern spree and the woodland picnic. 1t Is
a fascinating and perfectly safe escape-valve
for the exuberant animal spirits OF the grow
ing hone of the South. The pride of these
rural rufiians is tickled by the terror they in
spre in their homes, and the cOwardly sub
servience Of the Democratic press confirms
them in their brutal contempt for law and or
der. With their deficient moral perceptions,
with their dense and half-savage ignorance, it
is not reasonable to expect that they should
see anything wrong in acts which their decent
neighbors cOndOne by silence and the North
ern journals cover with shield of lies.
1t seems hopeless to address to the repre-
sentatiyes of the Democratic party any ap-
peas founded upon decency or patriotism
But there ought to be some residuum OF these
qualities left among the better class OF Demo-
Gratis. We ask of such whether it is wise, in
the hope of a possible trfling gain of votes
to nourish and foster throughout wide ex-
tent of country a spirit of defiant savagery
which will plague us all for years to come
Vo tb;pk IL a Llundpr no Ipss than n crime