Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1872-05-28
SCORCHING A SENATOR.
Misrepresentation eff Senator Scott
COrrected-A BIisterins Letter from
Gen. John Ii. Gordon.


Gen. John B. Gordon.
From the Washington Patriot, May o.
We have received the following commu
nication;
NEW York, May 20, 1872.-Hon. John
Scott, United States Senator from Pennsyl-
vania-Sir; Ny attention has been called to
some remarks made by you in the United
States Senate on Friday, the 18th Instant,
in which you allege that "Gen. j. B. Cor
don, of Georgia, was among the organizers
and earliest leaders" of the Ku-Klux.
Not satisfied with the prompt denial by
two of your brother Senators, you sought,
in ftirtherance of the political object which
is apparent throughout your remarks, still
to impress the idea that seen. Gordon re-
fused to tell all he knew upon the subject"
and you affect TO believe that had conceal
ed facts within my knowl 9dge for dishonest
purposes. 1t is not for me to contrast my
motives, my honor or integrity, with yours;
but your persistent reiteration, in your
place in the council chamber of the nation,
of statement already stamped as a false
hood, demands some notice from me.
You cannot be ignorant Of the fact that
distinctly stated in my testimony, that
knew nothing of any such order as the
'Ku-Klux," save what l have seen in the
newspapers; that had belonged to an Or
ganization of gentlemen, the nature of which
| was that Of police for the preservation Of
! the peace in the disorganized state of our
society; that there was no political idea in
! It; that it had never, within my knowledge,
called a meeting of its members: that ! had
! never seen or heard of disguise in Geor-
| gia, except those worn by two captured
! robbers, who were members of, and fit rep
II sentatiyes of, yOlT Olcn political party, as
it exists in many portions Of the South,
and these two believe are in the Georgia
Penitentiary. This is my impression, as
stated in testimony before the investigating
committee in Washington.
"If YOUR vision, sir, had not been distorted
by prejudice which, l respectfully submit,
is unworthy the bigh position you hold as a
representative of great nation you would
have seen upon your own Southern tom
what every honorable man who goes
amonst US sees, viz: that whatever crimes
have been committed in the South are the
direct cutgrowth of the wrongs perpetrated
by the infamous State governments you
have set up over US.
1 challenge your denial of the following
facts:
Whatever apprehensions were felt at the
cessation of the war for the peace Of society
and the safety of citizens in consequence
Of the overthrow Of our local governments
the disbanding of an army suddenly made
paupers, and the emancipation of a whole
race of slaves, these apprehensions were al
soon allayed.
The kindliest feelings existed between
the two races; peace aud observance Of law
were everywhere found. And never, sir
until your carpet bag governments, through
the fears aud cupidity of the poor deludeC
negro, had embittered him against US, anC
b. his aid and yours had roJbed our treas
Uries, plnndered our corporations, blightet
our agriculture, blasted our hopes, aud hung
debt like milestone about our necks, never
until Them and until the administration o
law became a moCkeTy, and political sub
serviency passport to Executive clemency
for crime, was the peace Fof the South
ever broken or ill-will engendered between
the races. And it is this diabolism yol
would continue in the South. Like TIL
tormenter in the Spanish bull fights, yol
continually fling the bloody flag in the fact
OF the negro, and gOad the white man Il
desperation with the bayonet, that the in
evitable conflict may furnish the excuse fol
the perpeLuation of your despotism.
l pray that the American people may re
buke this spirit in the coming electiOns,and
let the reign Of constitutional government
be once more inaugurated. But &c that a
it may, l shall not permit you by my silenc
to bolster up the fortunes Of a politics
party, by thus dragging my name into noto
! riety, without asking you to carry the res
! possibility of the loitfuL falsehood you hav
perpetrated in the effort.
: L am, sir, very respectfully, yours,
j. B. GORDON, of Georgia.