New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1871-10-24
South Carolina CONSERVATION
Among Them.
From the New York Herald J

From the New York Herald
| WASHINGTON. October lS-Now that til,
Presidents proclamation declaring MARTA
law in rlne counties Of South Carolina has
been published. it is probable news will bt
received in day or two of the operations
Of the military authorities in that section
| 1t ls we'll known to the readers Of the
| Herald that United States troops have beer
| concentrated at Spartansburg and othel
| convenient points to strike a telling blow a:
| soon as the proclamation of martial law
had been made. and it may he counted
upon as a certainty that hundreds Of the Ku
klux will be under arrest before they hear
| OF the Presidents proclamation. This is a
| military and NOT a civil movement. and ii
has not been undertaken without due re-
gard 70 military principles.
The Presidents warning few days ago,
and his proclamation now. are only the out.
ward obedience 10 the requirements Of the
ku-hux law. willie the military prenara.
tions were made long before the civii for
mula was promulgated. By a system of
espionage upon the Ku-klux, and the intro.
Luction into the most secret conclaves Of
the order Of men 10 the service Of the gov
ernuneDt the authorities have come into
possession Of the most valuable information.
1t is believed that Colonel Merrill. who has
had charge of all the details OF the conten-
plated movements. not only knows the
name of every member of the order in bis
district. but Las the evidence ready to con-
vicr all of the leaders when they are COB.
bleG up. The facts which he has gathered.
and Which have been communicated to the
Depal tHent of Justice here. are of the
most startling character. and extend to the
minutest details.
So completely have the night riders been
spotted that the names Of the men compos-
ing the banded klan is the least important
part OF what is known concerning them
All their passwords. insignia and disguises
their places of meeting, their private as we'll
as their public haunts, together with their
past actions and future intentions and pur-
poses, as whole and as individuals. have
been gathered together. Attorney General
Akerlnan 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 Presi-
dents proclamation was the signal for Col
Onel Merriils action, it is probable that by
this slime concerted arrests have been made
n all the disatfected counties.
Co.onel Merrill to whom this work has
been committed, was colonel of volun-
teers and brigadier general by brevet dur
ing the war, and is now a colonel by brevet
in the regular army and major of the Sew
enth Cavalry. He is native of Pennsyl-
vania. and graduated from the Military
Academy in 1856. For the completeness and
efficiency with which he has already per-
formed his difficult task he receives the
highest encOmiums from those who are in
the secrets Of the movement. and if he per-
forms what yet remains to be done as thor
oughly as he has accomplished the work so
far, he will crush the incipient Ku-klux re-
belllOn by one Of the most remarkable and
startling military achievements in the his
tory of hooded and cloaked disorder.
One OF the most important aids in carry.
ing out the contemplated military maneu-
vres in the counties of Spartansburg, York,
Marion, Chester. Laurens. NewDury, Fair
field, Lancaster and Chesterfield is the alb
sence OF telegraphic and postal facilities in
that part Of the State, and it is expected
that the first intimation many Of the ku
klux will have of the impending blow is
when it falls. The officials at the depart
ment Of justice here are exceedingly
reticent, but programme of such profound
significance could not be kept entirely
secret.