The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1872-10-03
THE ATroRNEY-aENERAL's REPLY.
WASHINGTON, September 16, 1872.

q
Alexander 3. Stephens, Esq, Cra,gfordsuiRe, Gav
S1R:-I have received your letter of The 9Th
ultimo, addressed to the President, and by him
referred to me, in which you ask thatia pardon
may be granted to all of those prisoners now
Courts in several States Of the Union for vio-
lationn of the Act of Congress generally known
81 the Ku Klux Act, or for violation Of the En-
forcement Acts of Congress under prosecutions
founded upon the last named Act, You repre-
sent that you are not acquainted in the slight
est degree with the nature or character OF the
charges brought against them, nor with the
facts upon which the conviction of single one
of them was founded. Your application seems
to be based chiefly upon an impression that al
the convictions rest upon prosecutions for Of
fences committed before the passage of the Ku
Klux Act, to which you subjoin as additional
considerations that some of the parties are old
and inirm, and have suffering families, togeth-
er with an opinion that: the purposes Of the
Governmenthave BEEN sccomplished'and that
no one has any serious apprehensions of any
further disturbances. ! have not examined the
cases with particular reference to the time
when the offences were committed; but as
most, if not all the convictions were for con
spiracies; which are continuing crimes, i take
It for granted that the parties convicted were
either of entering into conspiracies after the
passage Of the Act or participation after that
time IN conspiracies previously formed: am
duly sensible of the suferings produced by the
Imprisonment of the persons uponwhose Denah
you appeal for clemency, and sympa!thlze win
their families and friends; but the guilt of some
Of the parties is so great and so clear that |
cannot. with a due regard for the administra-
t;on of the law. recommend them as you desire
for an indiscriminate pardon. Contrary to your
opinion, well-informed persons in those locall-
ties where the Ku Klux organization are said
to exist inform me that they have grave appre-
tensions that other disturbances will occur, es-
pecially if there is less vigor than heretofore
shown by The Government in the punishment
of lawlessness and crime.
Some time since the attention of the Presi-
dent was called To those prisoners from the
Southern States confined in the Albany Peni-
tentiary, and reliable officer was forthwith
dispatched to examine their cases, and his re-
mort thereon was, in some respects, favorable; /;
but az soon as the fact was known, certain jour
nails circulating among those most likely to be
affected by such representations, declared that
the sole object of the Presidents action was to
influence votes in the approaching election,
and more than intimated that Ku Klux out
RACES hereafter would go unwhlpped OF Justice.
I can assure you That the Acts of Congress in
question impose upon the President an un-
pleasant duty, and one which he would, if con-
sistent with his official obligations, gladly avoid;
and know it would afford him great satisfac-
tion if the .Ku Klux and other similar associa,
tions would disband themselves and instead OF
cultiyating the passions of hatred and revenge,
cultivate peace and good feeling among all
' I am happy to learn, as I do from various
sources, that crimes by the Ku Klux nre less
frequent than heretofore, in consequence of
which there is growing feeling. of security
among peaceable citizens, and this improved
condition of things, think is due to proper
enforcement of the law and while l am bound
to say that 50 Gng as rasseed ,assS Wh all
1s s psnasis S a SS no @
in adding, that when the President is satisfied
that the danger from Ku Klux violence has