Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1872-08-12
Anarchy in MissOnri.-Fruits of
Liberal RepubIicaniSm.

We published a letter few days ago
giving an account of the wretched condition
of things in Missouri under the administra-
ton of Governor B. Gratz Brown and the
influence of liberal reputlicanism. The
Missouri Democrat of the Sd inst. speaks of
other and more recent outrages of the Ku-
Klux, showing that considerable part of the
Governor does nothing to restrain them. As
Missouri is the tountan.head of liberal re-
pubicanism we can judge by its fruits there
what the result would be in the nation, should
Greeley and Brown be elected. The Demo
crat says:
at affords us no pleasure to record the
brutal outrages that occur almost every day
in Southeast Missouri. For the honor of
the State, we would prefer passing such oc-
currences by in silence; but the cause of
justice and of civilization demands that the
perpetrators of these dark deeds should be
punished, and it is only through the press
that the authorities can be brought to a reali-
cation of the situation, and Induced to dis
charge their duties in the premises. The State
Government owes to every one of its citizens
the protection of its laws, and should not per
nit bands of irresponsible men to intlict cor.
poral punishment for any offence whatever.
1t is the business of the officers of the law to
punish offenders against the law, after trial
and conviction in regularly constituted courts.
Mob-law Is always to be deprecated, and can
only be excused, if ever, in cases of an extra
ordinary nature. When a State permits with
in its borders bands of armed men, disguised
and acting under the cloud of night to visit
the domiciles of citizens and apply the lash to
their backs, to satisfy the vengeance of some
personal OF political enemy, the executive of
fcers of that State are unworthy of their
trust, and should be impeached for incompe-
tency and imbeclity.
That such bands of midnight marauders ex-
ist in several counties OF this State, there can
be no question. The counties of Reynolds,
Stoddard, Dunkin, Carter, Pemiscot and Boil
linger, are all infested with ban of this
kind-cslled 'Ku Klux," for want of a better
name. In each and all of the counties named
men have been taken from their beds At night
and mercilessly logged by these Ku Klux
scoundrels, and scarcely week passes with
out some new victim to the wrath of these
moboCrats.
The Governor, we are informed, did, some
time ago, send an agent to the southeast to
investigate the ku Klux outrages, and it is
reported that the officer, instead of protect
ing the peaceabe citizens, organized Ku
Klux band himself and led them on to deeds
of lawlessness. Such a statement comes to
us from a reliable source.
This state of affairs has been endured long
enough If the people of the counties named
do not put down these ''regulators," or what
ever they may be called, and if the Governor
turns deaf ear to the appeals of men with
lacerated backs and tortured limbs then it
becomes the duty of the General Government
to interfere and save the Nation from igno-
mlny and disgrace.
In the case of Rev. Mr.. Callahan who was
scoarged and driven from his home in Rev.
noids county, several of the accused parties
were arrested by the United States Marshal,
ana put under bonds to answer the charges
but this has not deferred other bands in ada.
cent counties from committing similar acts,