The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1871-12-14
The Presidents Message on the Ku Klux.

We extract from the annual message OF PreS-
ident Grant that portion relative to the exccu-
ton of the Ku Klux law, and the suspension
of the writ of hobeas corpus in nine counties of
South Carolina, giving his reasons for such &C.
tion:
There has been imposed upon the executive
branch of the Government, the execution OF
the act of Congress approved April 20, 1871,
and commonly known as the Ku Klux law, in
a portion of the State of South Carolina. The
necessity of the course pursued will be demon
strated by the report of the committee to in
vestigate Southern outrages. Under the pro-
visions of the above act, / issued proclamation
calling the attention of the people of the Uni
ted States to the same, and declaring my reluc-
tance to exercise any of the extraordinary pow
ers thereby conferred upon me, except in case
of imperative necessity, but making known my
purpose to exercise such powers whenever 1t
should become necessary to do so, for the pur-
pose of securing to all citizens of the United
States the peaceful enjoyment of the rights
guaranteed to them by the constitution and the
laws. After the passage of this law, intorma-
tion was received from time to time, that COM
binations of the character referred to in this
law, existed and were powerful in many parts
of the Southern States, particularly in certain
counties in the State of South Carolina. Care
full investigation was made and it was ascer-
tained that in nine counties of that State such
combinations were active and powerful, en-
bracing sufficient portion OF the citizens to
control the local authority, and, having among
other things, the object of deprivng the eman-
cipated class of the substantial benefits OF free
dom and of preventing the free political actions
of those citizens who did not sympathise with
their own views. Among their operations were
f.oouo,t coouro; pno ond occasional oSSaSSInl-
ton, generally perpetrated at night by dis
puised persons, the victims in almost all cases
being citizens of different political sentiments
from their own, or freed persons, who had
shown disposition to claim equal rights with
other citizens. Thousands of inoffensive and
we'll disposed citizens were the sufferers by this
lawless violence. Thereupon, on the 18th OF
October, 1871, proclamation was issued, in
terms of the law, calling upon the members OF
those combinations to disperse within five days,
and to deliver to the Marshal or military Off
GERS of the United States, all arms, ammuni-
ton, uniforms disguises and other means and
implements used by them for carrying out their
unlawful purpose. This warning not having
been needed, on the 18th OF October another
proclamation was issued, suspending the priv
ieges of the writ of habeas corpus, in nine coun-
ties in that State-direction was given that
within the counties so designated persons sup
posed upon credible information to be members
of such unlawful combinations, should be ar
rested by the military forces Of the United aIs,i
States, and delivered to the Marshal, TO De deal1
with according to law. In two of the said
counties, York and Spartanburg, many arrests
have been made; at the last account the mum,
Der of persons thus arrested, was one hundred
aud siXty-eight.
Several hundred whose criminality was as
certained to be of an inferior degree were re-
leased for the present These have generally
made confessions of their guilt. Great caution
has been exercised in making these arrests, and
notwithstanding the large number, it it is,.l is be-
DIV. The prisoners will be held for regular trial
in the judicial tribunals of the United States;
As soon as it appeared that the authorities of
the United States were about to take vigorous
measures to enforce the law, many pcrsous ab'
seconded, and there is good ground for suPposing
that all such persons have violated the % law. ~, a
law will be submitted to Congress by the AT
torney General.