Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1871-03-11


herentS enrolled in these camps, would be, to
say the least under great temptation to palliate
their offences, or to withhold denunciatOnS
when crime was charged against them. To
show how this subject is viewed, the testimony
of several gentlemen of high standing in oppO-
site political parties, their own words, given to
the cOmmittee,-giveS the names of ninety
blacks and forty-iour whites in the counties of
Lincoln, Alamance, Catawba, Craven, CaSwell,
Chatham Jones, Orange, Rockingham, Ruther-
ford, Wake and other counties, nearly all of
whom were whipped, and the remainder shot
robbed, hanged or driven from their homes.
Beside these specific cases of outrages, the tes-
timony refers, in general terms to others COM
mitted in thirteen other counties.
The testimony shows, in many instances, muir
deTs and whipping, expressly voted upon in ku-
klIX meetings, and executed by members.
their secret proceedings incurs ii C penalty of
death, and that all other secrets, such as in
volve members in the guilt of assassination,
murder and violence, would be most sacredly
guarded, it is remarkable, not that SO little evil
dence has been procured bearing upon particular
cases, but rather that any should have been
elected Members of the order were unwilling
to go into details. However, they stated
enough, in general confession, TO authorize the
belief that this organization, by whatever pre-
tence men are induced 10 enter, stopped short of
no means, however criminal, to accomplish its
purpose.
The testimony quoted, almost without eXcep-
ton, establishes that the outrages perpetrated
by those bands in disguise were inflicted upon
members OF the republican party, both white
and colored; in some instances the fact that
they were of that party being given as reason
for punishment; in others, such acts as keeping
Sunday school for children is given as sufficient
reason. In one instance, three negroes assumed
the disguise of the kukluX, to cover their
crimes; but they were detected and convicted,
and are now in the penitentiary.
Some of the witnesses also say they have no
doubt disguise is assumed in other cases by bad
men, who are not kukux.
The second inquiry, namely: Whether per-
sons and property are secure, was considered in
two aspects-one, is the civil law adequate to
protect those wrOnged, and punish those who
are guilty of these crimes? Second, to what
extent does this organization still exist and
commit acts of violence?
The committee here review, at length, Gov.
Holden official course, his declaration of mar
tial law in Alamance and Caswell counties, his
pending impeachment trial, and sum up the
testimony as clearly establishing First, that the
kukluX organization does exist, has a political
purpose, and is composed of members of the
democratic" or conservative" party; that it
has sought to carry out its purpose by murders,
whipping, intimidation and violence against its
opponents; second, that it not only binds its
members TO carry out DEGREES of crime, but pro-
L,
first by DISCUSSES and secrecy, and secondly by
perjury, if necessary, upon the witness stand
and the jury box; third, that of all the offenders
against law in this order-and they must be many
hundred, if not thousands, because these crimes
are shown to be committed by organized bands,
ranging from ten up TO seventy-live,-not one
has yet been convicted in the whole state. Such
being the state of affairs, it is surely not neceS-
sary that the committee should argue the insult
ticiency OF reasons given for establishing the
order which has led TO such results.
Whatever may have been the original purpose
of the kukuX or the otfenses Of those TO coun-
teract whom they allege the order is established,
it now has gone so far as to present an issue be-
tween government and anarchy; and if it
has not reached, it is fast approaching, the
point where, in that issue, there can be no neu-
trails, with such an army of criminals at large
with no power in the state tribunals to bring
them to justice, with organization, oathS and
secrecy, battling and defying all appliances of
law, and bringing them to each others aid with
the consciousness that they number enough TO
turn the scale of political power in favor of the
party with which they act, so long as their vio-
lence and intimidation are successful.
Any temporary lull in the activity of such an
agency, at once of crime and of power, imparts
no continued security to those who must become
the victims of their crime or submissive sup
plants to their power.
The committee state that they have been I'M
aDle 10 cAdlDlne all the witnesses desired, par
ticularly Chief Justice Pearson and other officials
engaged in the impeachment tIial at Raleigh,
but the testimony of so many judicial officers of
state as we have taken can leave do doubt
that, as against the violence of this kuklux
organization, the authorities of the state cannot
secure to ts citizens life, liberty and the pursuit
of happiness The resolutions do not charge
the committee with the duty of examining into
the power of congress to afford remedy for so
great deprivation of their rights suffered by
citizens of the United States under the govern
ment of a state. They have discharged their
duty, in reporting the facts, so far as their n-
vestigations enabled them to do so, and, in the
light of these facts, whether any, and what
remedy, can be applied, must be left to the de-
liberatiOns ofcOngress to determine.
During the progress of the investigation, re-
ports of murder, outrage and violence have been
received from nearly all the other southern
states, but none of these could the committee
examine, considering it better to make the in
quiry thorough and complete in regard TO one
state, leaving the senate to decide whether the
public interests require the investigation pur-
sued further. Respectfully submitted,
JOHN SCOTT,
II. CHANDLER,
HENRY WILSON,
BENZ. f. RICE,
JAMES W. NYE.
MINORITY REPORT