The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1872-04-06
A PROMPT VINDICATION.
HAMPTON, KERSHAW, BUTLER IND
JOHNSON BEFORE THE SENATE.
The Charges Against Them--An E1-
pltcIt Denial--GenerousW Words OF Sem
ator Robertson.
The letter from Generals Hampton, Ker-
shaw and Butler presented in the United
States Senate by the Hon. 7. J. Robertson,
reads ne follows:

WASHINGTON, February 10, 1872.
Gentlemen In the report OF the debate In
the Senate on the amnesty bill, we observe
With surprise and indignation that We have
been charged directly and indirectly with be-
ing connected with the Ku-klux organization
in South Carolina.
It has been declared on the floor of the Sem
ate that there is now in the possession of the
executive department OF the Government OF
the United States evidence which shows that
we are at this moment, or were some months
ago, the advisory board Of the Ku.Klux kan
These are grave charges, emanallng as they
do from senator Of the United States, and
promulgated as they were before the highest
legislative tribunal OF the country. Appre-
hendiUg that our silence on the subject,
which go nearly touches our honor and repu-
tation. may be construed into an admission Of
guilt, we have repaired to the capital to meet
these charges and seek through you, The rep
reseDtatives of South Carolina In the Senate,
our vindlcation from these degrading lmpula.
tions, by the presentation, In some proper
way, of this communication before the same
tribunal In which they were announced.
Any charge that we, or either OF us, nave at
apy lime aided, abetted, connselled, cUunte-
nanced. or approved the ku KluX, or any un-
lawful association in Soulh Carolina, in any
of law or Tue rights of cilzens OF any
class, is utterly and entirely ialse, Whatever
be the evidence on which the same IS oasea.
If the executive department iias IN its pos
session. as is alleged, the evidence OF our
completely with these offences, we can only
saw That we hold ourselves In readiness at ali
times to establish our innocence before the
proper legal tribunal and The enlightened pub
tic opinion of the country.
Very respectfully, your ob't servants,
WADE HAMPTON,
j. B. kERSBAW,
pr-rI
To Hon. T. ]. ROBERTSON and Hon. F. A.
SAWYER, United States Senate.
At the same session the following letter
from Mr.. Reverdy Johnson was read:
BALTIMORE, February 10, 1872.
My Dear GeneraL-Your letter Of the 18TH
instant has lust reached me. II gives me the
first Information I have had that Hon. MIR.
Eimunds, of Vermont, made the statement
In the >enate which you quote as reported 10
the Globe OF the 10th Instant. 1t is utterly
unfounded and untrue. Neither my colleague,
Mr.. Stanbery, nor myself abandoned or
thought OF abandoning the cases 10 which
the senator referred for the reasons assigned
by him or for any other reasons. 80 far from
having done 80, We remained IN COLUMBIA
taking part In the trials until we had ac-
compIlshed all that we had hoped for or en-
deavored TO accomplish, which was to get the
constitutional questions arising under the acts
OF l870-'7l before the Supreme Court OF the
United States This We did. and The ques-
tions are to be argued in that tribunal on the
18th of March next.
Since the receipt Of your letter have under
stood that In the debate to which you refer
the same senator and others made lmputations
against you and Generals Kershaw and Butler.
There certainly was no proof given or profer.
ed while was In Columbia which implicated
either of you, and although | saw there per.
sons of every political opinion, and conVersed
freely with them, never heard the least lntl-
nation that either Of you had any connection
whatever with the Ku-Klux organization.
From my knowledge OF Mr. Edmunds, am
satisfied he has received his information from
a source which he thought he might con6de
in; but whatever 1t may have been, he was
grossly deceived, and Induced to make charges
which are utterly untrue.
remain, with much regard, your obedient
servant, REvERDY JOHNSON.
Major-General WADE HAMPTON.
During the personal explanations which fol-
lowed the reading of these letters, Senator
Edmunds said:
AS to Kershaw, did not state that he ap-
peared on these trials; that Kershaw or any OF
these people were connected with the klan.
Kershaw was not on trial. neither was Butler.
What I stated was that the Judicial officers OF
the United States In that district had, as was
credibly informed, In their possession the EVIL
dence which would 60 to convict these per-
sons of being, believe, the advisory board OF
this klan, whatever that may be. That was
what stated; and If it is necessary, repeat
that am thus credibly Informed. And when
the United States will furnish that curse rid
den people with the judicial means of carrying
on those trials, with force enough, with Judges
and marshals, and the other appliances Of JUS
A. ,r,tt fhaf frto ho rnr
good reason to believe that evidence OF that
Find will be produced.
LIDO not undertake to say that that evidence
upon trial would turn or. To be sufficient TO
convict them, or would not turn out to be per-
jured; only say, In discussing public ques-
tion that had relation to that subject, that we
ought to be careful how we took steps when
we had such information. That Is ALL hope
as much as the senator that these people when
they are tried will be found t0 be entirely In
nocent, but / do not undertake to pronounce
any opinion, and I have not undertaken TO
pronounce any opinion either upon their guilt
or innocence. Nothing would make me more
happy than to find them perfectly innocent.
Senator Robertson, of South Carolina, had
the last word. He said:
said at the time these gentlemen were as
sailed that, in my opinion, they Wereinnocenl;
that they were gentlemen OF character, and
position, and education. still think so. In
q personal conversation with myself they told
me that they he'd themselves In readiness 10
answer 10 the laws of their country, and 1t Is
very hard that they should be asIailed iOr an
act for which they themselves claim to disdain.
I repeat my assertion that think they are
entitled at least to be deemed innocent until
they are proved guilty by the laws Of the
country.