The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1871-10-28
The South Carolina Ku-Klux.

The following Is a Washington dis
patch of the 18th to the n. Y. Herald !:
| Now that the Presidents proclama-
ton declaring martial law in nine
counties of South Carolina has been
published, it is probable news will be
received in day or two of the opera
tons of the military authorities in
that section. It is we'll known to the
readers of the Herald that United
States troops have been concentrated
at Spartansburg and other convenient
points to strike a telling blow as soon
as the proclamation of martial law
had been made, and it may be counted
upon as certainty that hundreds of
the Ku-Klux will be under arrest be-
fore they hear of the Presidents proc
lamation. This is a military and not
civil movement, and it has not been
undertaken without due regard to
military principles.
The Presidents warning few days
ago, and his proclamation now, are
only the outward obedience to the re-
quirements of the Ku-Klux law, while
the military preparations were made
long before the civil formula was pro-
mulgated. By system of espionage
upon the Ku-Klux, and the introduce
ton into the most secret conclaves of
the order of men in the service of the
government the authorities have come
into possession of the most valuable
information. It is believed that Col
onel Merrill, who has had charge of
all the details of the contemplated
movements, not only knows the name
of every member of the order in his
district, but has the evidence ready to
convict all of the leaders when they
are gobbled up. The facts which he
has gathered, and which have been
communicated to the Department of
Justice here, are of the most startling
character, and extend to the minutest
details.
So completely have the right riders
been spotted that the names of the
men composing the banded khan is the
least important part of what is known
concerning them. All their passwords,
insignia and DISCUSSES, their places Of
meeting, their private as well as their
public haunts, together with their
past actions and future intentions and
purposes, as a whole and as individ.
uals, have been gathered together.
Attorney General Akerman assisted
in collecting just such evidence as
will be useful when the military have
brought the victims into the net. The
utmost secrecy was maintained at the
same time that months of labor were
performed with the utmost efficiency,
and as the Presidents proclamation
was the signal for Colonel MerrilPs
action, it is probable that by this time
concerted arrests have been made in
all the disaffeeted counties.
Colonel Merrill, to whom this work
has been committed, was colonel of
of volunteers and bIigadier general
by brevet during the war, and is now
a colonel by brevet in the regular
army and major of the Seventh Cav
airy. He is a native of Pennsylvania,
and graduated from the Military
Academy in 1855. For the complete
ness and efficiency with which he
has already performed his difficult
task he receives the highest eneom-
iums from those who are in the secrets
of the movement, and if he performs
what yet remains to be done as thor
oughly as he has accomplished the
work SO far, he will crush the incipi-
ent ku-Klux rebellion by one of the
most remarkable and startling military
achievements in the history of hooded
and eloaked disorder.
One of the most important aids in
carrying out the contemplated mill
tary maneuyers in the counties of
Spartansburg, York, Marion, Chester,
Laurcns, Newbury, Fairfield, Laneas-
ter and Chesterfield is the absence of
telegraphic and postal facilities in
that part of the State, and it is ex-
pected that the first intimation many
of the Ku-Klux will have of the i'm
pending blow is when it falls. The
officials at the department of justice
here are exceedingly reticent, but
programme of such profound signific-
ance could not be kept entirely secret.
--zeeAxa@