New national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1870-1874, 1871-04-27
Carl schurz's Vote ON the II a. KluX
BILL.

Only those whom we have loved have the
power to grieve Us by turning against US.
When others inJure or persecute as, they can
only rouse our anger aud Indignation, We are
ready to accept them as enemies, against whom
we may proceed either deiensively or o1en-
siyely. If successful, We can enjoy our victory
undisturbed but, even FIVE have 10 succumb,
we do not feel that bitter pain which the
faithlessness, the apostasy OF friend VIII
cause, in whom we placed unconditional con
fdence; when the material loss will weigh but
little compared to the regret of having thrown
away, wasted our afieo tions on an undeserying
object. The supposed hero the trusted stand
ardbearer and representative OF great cause
who turns traitor will always call forth as
much sorrow as Indignation. 1t is just with
such mixed feelings of sorrow and Indignation
that we allude to the apostasy of CARL ScHuRz,
AS il confronts US again most glaringl in his
vote on the Ku Klux bill. Mr.. SCHuRz, unlike
his Democratic colleagues, admits the existence
of the Ku-Klux Khan and its outrages, he
admits that those gangs are Democratic organ
izstions, formed for the ayOwed purpose of
carrying the Presidential election in 1872 by
numbering and intimidating the loyal people
in the South. Ia view of all these facts, Mr..
ScHURz nevertheless voted consistently with
the Democrats against every single amendment
as well as against the whole bill 1t would
be vain TO attempt an Interpretation Of Mr..
SCHURz's motives. Whether Re is prompted
by hostility TO the President, whether blinded
by ambition, whether he still dreams of becoming
the originator of new party, or whether it is
for some legal bubble, we cannot determine
and indeed there would be no gain if We could,
since it is only with his course Of action that
we have to deal, and this needs no common
tsry. By voting against the bill, Mr.. ScHuRz
has placed himself on record in favor of the
adjournment of Congress without any legisla-
ton on this subject, and of thus giving to the
Ku-Klux lease of nearly eight months, during
which to murder, whip, and drive away negroes
and white Republicans, burn school-houses
and private dwellings to their hearts content,
until Congress would meet again TO lament
over what might have been prevented Mr..
ScHURz's tender solicitude for the former rebels
is we'll known, since, according to his own
words he felt bound in honor to deliver the
State of Missouri into the hands Of the Demo.
Gratis for the sake of achieving the enfranchise-
ment of those who sought to destroy the Union,
but neither his honor nor any feeling Of hu-
manity binds him when it is the question to
protect white and black loyal people in the
South from murder and outrage. This is devo
ton to principle after new fashion it must
be admitted An error may be forgiven, if
committed on the side of mercy and kindness,
but when on that of crime and cruelty there
cannot even be the shadow of an excuse. AS
for the other so-called Republicans who voted
with the Democrats, we can bear their defec-
ton with equanimity. Mr. TRUxBULL in fact,
has not properly belonged to the Republican
party since his vote in the impeachment trial,
and the others We did hot know we'll enough
yet to feel particularly disappointed by their
course. This last act of CARL ScHURz con-
firms US in our opinion that we did not judge
him at all too severely when he gave Missouri
to the Democrats. From that time he has
consistently done his best TO aid the Demo
cratic party.