The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1872-04-24

..stauces Of criminal violence could be
l~.ireckoned BY thousands" The Ku.Kiux
trials in. Columbia and in Charleston furnish
no proof of the correctness of such atcharge.
President Grant has made a statement
which neither be nor his satraps can sustain.
AS much may be said OF his recspitulation
OF the objects Of the ''illegal combinations
''popularly kaown as the Ku-Ktux Rlan."
The constitution Of the order, as read and
sworn to over aud over again, both in Co
lumbia and in this city, shows plainly and
distinctly that it was not it's purpose to de-
prive the colored citizens of the right to
bear arms and OF the ballot, or to suppress
colored schools and reduce the colored
people .to a condition closely akin to that
sol slavery" Long before the visit OF At
.orney.General Alderman to South Carolina,
the white citizens of the State had recog-
nized, in the amplest manner, the changes
in the State and Federal Constitution. 10
the canvass which ended In October, 1870,
the whites and the blacks safe In the same
committee rooms, attended the same meet
ings, spoke from the same Platforms ana
were voted for on the same ballots. o
yention OF the conservative people OF the
State had declared their acquiescence in the
civil and political equality OF all classes Oh
citizens, irrespective of race, color or pre-
vious condition. And yet President Grant
would have us believe that twelve months
later the majority OF the white people, as an
organization, were engaged In an endeavor
to accomplish the impossible-that Is, to re-
duce the blacks to ga condition closely akin
s'to that Of slavery"
The loose statements of President Grant
will not pass unchallenged. They will be
scrulinized in the House OF Representatives,
where they have already been declared to be
untrue. And this we desire, not go much
for our own sake as for the good OF the
country. The cup Of our bitterness is full
No worse humiliation can be devised than
that which has already been borne. The H.
genuity OF President Grants advisers cannot
infict upon South Carolina a burden more
grievous thaH6 that which she now endures.
It Is true that hundreds OF our citizens may
be convicted, tried and sentenced to long
terms of Imprisonment; but no new measures
OF iniquity will excite surprise. Every Ves-
tige OF protection has been torn away.
With folded hands we await the result. But
there are States which the spoilers have not
reached; there are millions OF good citizens
who crave a return Of peace and a restora-
ton OF fraternal feeling. To them we say
that, az it has been melted to us, it will be
meted to them, il the dictatorial authority
OF the President and the usurped powers OF
Congress be not taken away at the polls
To them we say that it is impossible for the
white men OF the South to respect 1.-THE
.sold flag" and love the Union while the
Federal soldiers are the instruments OF
tyranny, while tine. United States laws are
the symbols OF oppression, while in the
United States Courts it is shown that no
white man has any personal OF political
rights which the Federal officials are bound
to respect. All that we ask is the free gov
eminent guaranteed by the Constitution.
Give US that treat Us as American citizens,
not as slaves and dogs, and in four years
time the whole country will be united in
thought and in purpose, and North and South,
East and West, will work side by Side, as
equal laborers, for the maintenance OF the
liberties and the increase OF the wealth and
power Of the Republic.