The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1871-05-05

We publish in another part Of the paper the
| Presidents proclamation TO the ku klux OF
the South. True, this mysterious body is not
| named, and the language is in general terms
| addressed to the whole people, but the direct
meaning is not left doubtful. The President
| begins by saying 1.-THE act Of Congress
entitled an act to enforce the provisions of the
fourteenth amendment to the constitution Of
the United States and other purposes, approved
April 20, 1871, being law Of extraordinary
public importance, l consider it my duty to
issue this my proclamation calling the atten-
ton Of the people Of the United States thereto"
and so forth. This document is in the usual
style, calling upon the officers of the govern
ment and citizens to enforce and abide by the
law, and stating that the President will. as in
duty bound, see that it be enforced everywhere
to the extent of the power vested in the Execu-
tive. But the point here is, as the President
says, that "inasmuch as the necessity there
for is well known to have been caused chiefly
by persistent violations of the rights of citi-
zens of the United States by combinations of
lawless and disaffected persons in certain local
tiles, lately the theatre of instruction and
military conflict, do particularly exhort the
people of those parts of the country to sup
press all such combinations by their own vol
untary efforts, through the agency Of local
laws, and to maintain the rights of all citizens
Of the United States, and to secure to all such
| citizens the equal protection Of the laws"
| The law of Congress, as the President says,
applies to all parts of the United States but
| the proclamation is directed especially to the
| South, in consequence of the state of things
existing there. 1t is mild, though firm in tone,
and we hope it will have the effect of checking
| disorder, so as to prevent the use of mill
tary force. We must say, however, that this
| straining the power of the federal administra-
ton not only to put down insurrection, which is
proper, but to force local communities to
secure civil rights, is new feature in our gov
! eminent. However, the law is on the statute
book and the President has only to enforce it.
We only hope he will do so prudently and
wisely.
In connection with this subject of reported
Ku Kux disorders the special despatch from
our correspondent in South Carolina, which
we published yesterday, indicates state Of
things threatening, if not dangerous, in that
part of the South. We hope there is more
smoke than fire in the incidents mentioned
in the drilling, marching and equipping of the
white men of the State; in the organization
and parade of rifle clubs and FIRE companies,
and in the reported secret activity of the ''Com-
p,iffa IF DuhIio Cof ~,
side, and in the seemingly ominous parade of
United States artillery, FORCES, caissons and
other paraphernalia OF war through the streets
Of Charleston, with the erection of barracks,
sheds and other preparations for troops that
were going into the city. We hope all this
force on both sides for moral effect,
rather than with a view to provoke
hostilities or in expectation Of anything SO
| terrible. Still, little spark, under such
state of things, might kindle great conflagra-
ton. 1t behooves, therefore, both the United
States authorities and the people of South
Carolina to be prudent and reasonable, in
order to avert such possible calamity. II
the fires of civil war should unbappily be
lighted again there is no telling how far they
may spread and what disasters and cost would
be the result.
We published the other day the remarks
that General Sherman made on the pretended
or real Ku Klux disorders in the South, and
gave him credit for knowing both what the
real condition Of the South is and the cause of
whatever trouble exists. We are convinced
that in this matter no better or more reliable
authority could be found than the General of
the Army. 1t would be well if the admins
tration were to heed what he said about the
South and Ku Klux. There is no doubt that
radical politicians, both South and North, have
greatly exaggerated the disorders in the South
ern States, and have raised up mons rous
spectre that exists only in the Imagination,
either for political effect upon the conservative
people Of the country or to enable the admins
tration to exercise military power previous to
and pending the elections. Even the CORE
spondents of radical Northern journals, writing
from the South, confirm what General Sher-
man said about the pretended Ku Klux out
RACES being greatly exaggerated. Yet many
Of the radical and administration newspapers
TEEN with reported Ku Klux horrors. Just at
this crisis, too, General 0. 0. Howard, Com
missioner Of the Freedmen's Bureau, comes out
to fan the fame by statement to the Secre-
tary Of War Of a number of outrages said to
have been committed on freedmen and others
10 Mississippi, from what he deems trust
worthy Information. Details of the cases are
given with apparent circumstantiality, and are
intended, evidently, to help the government in
TIE high-hauded policy it has inaugurated.
We do not know the source of General Howard
one-sided and ca pGrte information, and it is