The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1871-12-20

stitution. There has been not even an
effort made to. dispute its identitv.
What does it say? 1--WE are on the side
Of hnmanity:" that will do. Next. i've %
are on the side OF Justice" There in no
objection to that. but may God deliver
us from such justice as they administer
ed. What next? "We are on the aide
Of constitutional liberty. as bequeathed
to us in its purity, by our fore1athers. :"
What does that mean? What sort OF
constitution did our forefathers have in
its original purity? It was constitu-
ton that recognized slavery, and gave to
the master the right to pursue his fugi.
tive slave and recapture him in any State
in the Union.
1t was that Constitution under which
tae supreme Court declared, through
man had no rights which q whito man
is bound to respect.
MIR. Johnson-I desire TO correct the
gentleman here. cannot sit by quietly
and boar euch injustice done the memory
OF that illustrious man. The District
Attorney is referring to the decision in
the celebrated Dred Scott case, aud this
is not the first time have heard the
language of the great Chief Justice per-
verted. He is dead now, and il is full
time that he should be represented in
his true light before the world. He did
not say that, by the Constitution. a
black man had no rights the white man
was bound to respect; but that, under
existing State regulations, and in the
opinion of the civilized world at the time
OF the adoption of the Constitution. such
wns the case.
Mr. Corbin-I am not singular in nv
assertion. There are millions that will
bear me- out in it, aud have always re-
garded that decision as disgrace to the
records OF the Supreme Court. What is
the next fonture i'll this Ku Klux consti-
tuition? We oppose und reject the prin-
ciples Of the Radical party. What, now,
are the peculiar principles of the Radi-
cnl party? What hos been its peculiar
work? What its browning effort that
will hand it's name down, and render il
glorious in oil succeeding ages? It is
the abolition Of slavery and Of all disori-
mination Oh account of race or color.
These principles arc engrafted upon the
Constitution by the thirteenth, four
teenth nnd fifteenth amendments. And
when the Radical party did effect this
great change, they had done, might
almost say, mrre than the original
founders of the Constitution. Opposi-
ton to tho Radical party means, then,
opposition to tho thirteenth. fourteenth
} and fifteenth amendments, and deter
mination to disregard their provisions.
, How: now, does the Ku Klux oroa.
} nizat:on propose to carry out their de-
signs, as manifested III the first and se-
} cond articles Of their constitution? Hear
what they sny: ''Each member shall
provide himself with o pistol, Ku Klux
; gown, and signal whistle" These are
the instruments, then, by which they
intend to render their opposition to the
, principles of the Radical party effective;
and how do we know that their designs
are specially directed against the colored
people? The next section says: mo
person OF color shall be admitted mem
osr OF this organization" Gentlemen,
IN my Judgment, We might stop here and
ask a verdict of guilty; for remember,
gentlemen, that conspiracy doesn't con-
sist IN the overt act of murder or of
J whipping, but is perfected when the up.
! lawful agreement is made We will.
however, go further, and show Won how
; it did actually carry out its purposes.
now propose to recite to you the tes-
timony of Mr.. Gunthnrpe. sworn mem
ber of the order. He says: II Joined
under the impression that it was for mu-
tual protection, but I found it a cheat
} aud lie, and that their true purpose
J was political one, in favor of the De.
mocratic party, and that they expected
: to effect their ends by crowding the
J POLLS" This wasi in 1868 Next we have
the testimony of Mr.. Gum; and We
have heard a most venomous assault
made upon him by the distinguished
counsel for the defence They followed
him through every nook and corner, as
certain that he received 5000 in Wash.
ington, and then tell yon that he is not
entitled to belief Is 5000 an extraya-
CANT sum for Mr.. Gums loss of time
from his business, his travelling expenses,
etc. Ii the compensation had preceded
his testimony, there might be something
IN it to affect his credit. Such, how
ever, Was not the case.
I Mr.. Gum had learned. being men,
Der OF the khan, that the murder of Mr..
Wallace was contemplated, and in the
kindness of his heart, he divulges this
to his brother-in.law, and afterwards to
Colonel Akerman. that Mr.. Wallace
might be warned of his danger. He
comes here and he tells you all he knows
about the khan, fully and freely. There
IS but ono way that | can account for the
counsel selecting Mr.. Gum for the
special butt of their sarcasm and acri-
mony, and that, gentlemen, 1 dislike to
allude to it; but Mr.. Gum did say some
thing about the khan in Georgia getting
up u fee for counsel here But, gentle
men, what does Mr.. Gum tell you? He
says that he was member of the khan (;
TINT it's purposes were purely political.
and that the common understanding was
that they were to be carried out by kill
ing of the white Radicals and whipping
the members of the League. Next we
have Charles Foster. He. too. has been