The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1872-08-09
.TiiE DESPOTISM :"

eThe chief ruler of this nation having coop |
ed up number of southern citizens far
from their homes in his northern prisons,
he is now importuned by the phianthro-
pists to set some Of them at liberty, on the
ground that they are innocent of the accu-
sations brought against them. Dispatch.
We could cast no greater slur upon the
intelligence of the Dispatch than to assume
that it did not know what the merest tyro
in our political horn-book must of necessity
know, that The 6 chiefruler of this nation"
has nothing to do. and cannot by any pos
siblity have any thing to do, with
the trial and conviction Of such off
enders as are referred TO in the above
paragraph. They are persons convict
cd under the law known as the" ku-
Klux Act" and General Grant had not the
hundredth part as much to do in getting
that act through Congress as Horace Gree
ley had, and now openly admits he had.
AS a remedial measure, it was not demand
ed by the Administration, but was origina-
ted in Congress at the clamorous instance OF
the Tribune and other recreant Republican
sheets which now charge the President
with being military usurper," because
he has simply ordered the execution OF a
law of Mr.. Greeley's own making. And
this he has done with such extreme caution
that there has not been one conviction IN
ten Of those charged with fragrant violation
of the act in question. is-..''.'.s3 -
It'll S true that Horace Greeley did, not
make the law in the strict law-making sense
of the terms but he did more to secure
its passage in Congress than any ten other
journalists we can name. The Tribune was
foremost in its zeal for the Ku-klux law,
as it is now foremost in accusing the Presl-
dent of tyranny !" towards the South.
1t is safe to say that the law could never
have been enacted, except for the powerful
influence welded by the Tribune in favor
of its passage. The tone and temper of
Congress was getting to be strongly averse
to that sort of legislation for the southern
states, when Mr.. Greeley Numbered his
demand for it through the columns of his
then powerful and most influential paper.
This is truth standing resolutely up to
challenge denial. Let the Dispatch be Just,
and give its readers the history of the Ku-
Klux legislation of Congress as it is.
General Grant did not seek the White
House to force any vindictive policy Of his
own upon the South. He did not obtrude
himself upon the office the office obtruded
itself upon him. No part of the reconstruc.
ton problem was left to him to solve il
was the Tribune Doctor" and those in
spired with the same sentiments he enter
tanned, who proposed to take the pr"ctica
demonstration orthat problem into their owr
hands. For whatever there is-good, bad OF
indifercnt-in the Ku-klux act, therefore
Mr.. Greeley's share of the work in getting i
through Congress is not to be disparaged OF
ignored. .a raue'..iE ret'..-a7A
Gen. Grant, instead of enforcing any harsl
policy ofhis owntowards the South has pro
ceeded with great caution, if not extrem
mildness and leniency, in the execution o
such laws as the exigencies of the times seem
ed to demand at the hands of Congress. Tn
Ku-Klux law did not invest the Presiden
with any vindictiye panoply, executive, ju
dicial or otherwise, towards the South Blu
it simply gave to the judicial and othe
federal officers of the United States sue
powers as were necessary to brin
certain class of offenders t
justice. The head and front of his o
Tending is this: That he has carefully an
jndiciously proceeded to execute law
the United States which Mr.. Greeley labor
ed more strenuously and effectively to q
through Congress than any other man j
the country. r