The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1871-04-18
The Ku K,ux E,ec,lon LAW.

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The atomination known as thcsku
Kluxs election hill has passed the IIolsse
without material modification, and hit
hasln already passed. soo5 viii psss.
the Senate ~itllout alteration. As it41ow
stands the tsA may be fairly summarized
as follcwsl
fint-AIl so-callei Eu Klax crimes
a.e made feionies punishable in United
States Courts. amt AL pssticsaaiarca by
such have recourse fir damages linsaid
courts. The test oath is abolished for
i.ifors, hut the Judge is authorized to ex--
act another oath-thate iarnt 10 in no.
>~ay connected With the Kn KIux.
Secopd-I1 case Of obstruction to the
Jaws of State or United States so a,
TO deprive anv Person 81 any privileges.
immuni;ies. &c, and tho authorities of
the Siate fail or are unable to affos,l any
l,rotrction or fail to apply tosthe Presi,
dent Tor ai6. the 1at,crlmay use the mill.
,ary to arrest any offender aud hand him
over to the United States Mssshal.
Th,rd-The liabcas corpus var act OF
1868 is made applicable by Which all
military prisoners are to be named to the
United States Court. having jurisdicsion,s
and If the Grand Jmr ncglectto find in,
lictmcnt.then all such are to be released
from custody when the term Of the Court
expires. st
Fourth-Aftet proclamation The Pres
idcnt may suspend the writ of habeas
corpus till June l, 1872, whenever: and
wherever he discovers unlawful combi-;
nations. .s:.s.ss ysds ssss gsl
Every Democrat in Congress, Of
course, voted against this measure Knew
ing il to be unconstitntpnA and nnne-
cessary. a3ttg I.
In discussing itsyprovisions the Radi-'
calls endeavored to diveftattention from
the iniquity Of the measure BY iteratipg
and reiterating the calunny that the
Democrats in opposing it were endeav-
oring to shield the alleged iawlessness
in the Sonth. =. ~ sfaals
A serious attempt to refute this SLAM
der is concedipg to it an pndeseryed i'm
portance, but as il is intended to be re-
mashed and served up 4until after the,
Presidential campaign it should perhaps
receive a little notice. $50 n ~
In the firstplace the Democrats just as
sincerely and just as emphatically de-
nounce the Kn Klux outrages as do the
Radicals. They 60 further,they dcnounce
the outrages comrnitted by the blacks
and carpet-haggers without attempting
to ix the guilt tupon innocent parties
Neither in Congress or out Of Congress
has any Democrat, for whose savings the
party has any responsibility, spoken Of
the violence, either III the SSeuth or else,
where, in any other terms than those of
meritcd censure. 'ai.s ''ii ~ 4sse.
But Democrats have said, and what is
mole to hepurpose, they have clearly
proved, thst = very large proportion of
the alleged outrpges ia the Southare the
merest fabrlcations, invented to bolster
up the Radical party. It is this exposing
Of these fictions and thus rendering nu.
gatory the political capital of the Radi-
calls which they uffect to believe Is de-
Tending lawlessness. = fe4 Z -
Suppose man were charged with
murder, and about to be'huug on the
charge by mob; that just before the
time fixed for launching him into eter-
nifty some Democrat proves .beyand the
possibility Of doubt tsas no murder has
been committed at ALL Would il not. be,
highly absurd to accuse this Dcmocrst
for this reason with encouraging and de-
Tending murder! 4 -! s. s.. I
Thecascs are precisely nhasagcus At
every point .aa
Moreover the Democrats further say
and prove that the measures enacted for
the pretended purpose Of suppressing
violence, are framed withssaA especial
view to rendering them auxiliary to bay
onet election laws and other contrivan.s
ces for coercing States into returning
Radical majorities, ~, :
There are outrnges in the South as
there are outrages in every country on
earth, which ought to be suppressed, and
laws should be passed, by the proper
authorities If such do not already exist,
for their efectual punishment and preyen-
ton. But nine tenths Of the alleged Ku
Klux outrages are mere cheats and
shams rigged out in bloody shirts 70
move the people into acquiescihg ip the
enforcement of measures craftily dis
guise6 to aid the Radical party in con-
trolling elections. As9
It is because this oflicious intermed-
ding of Congress in State affairs is nm
constitutional, because it is wholly unne--
cessary, because it is likely to produce
more violence than it will prevent.and be-
Il -