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

| cles , Labor nourlshed on dumpliogs, one
would think, could not be ola very sturdy
| sort.
President Grant and Ku-Klu1tsm.
The electioneering document, in the shape
oil a special message upon the SUBJECT Oh
the Ku.Klux, submitted to Congress by Pres
idept Grant, may fairly be taken as a delioer-
ate expression of the determination OF the
the administration to persevere in the policy
which has brought distress upon innocent
thousands, and keeps a prosperous and
peaceful section OF South Carolina under
the heel Of the Federal soldiery. 1t must not
be assumed, however, that President Grant
has any particular spite against this State,
or against the South. The persecution Oh
South Carolina answe hi5 purpose, and is
expected to strengthen his chances OF re-
election. Casting his eyes over the field, ne
saw that political capital might be made
more easily in this State than in any other
State of the North or South. And, when.
ever he believes that it will be profitable To
him to treat Georgia or Ohio, New York OF
Virginia, as he has treated South Carolina,
the attempt will be made to reduce them'
also, to a condition OF military subsection.
The excuse there can be made as great as
the excuse in South Carolina A man who,
as President of a great people, will place
| nine counties under martial" law because ne
has been told that a widespread conspiracy
| exists there, is capable Of placing New York
under martial law because the people re-
fuse to be plundered any longer BY the Leets,
Stockings and Murphys, who are bis dear
friends and chosen representatives. This is
the warning which President Grant nov
gives to all who dare to cross his path, and
the full meaning Of his last pronunciamento
will not be yelled from the keen vision OF the
patriotic men who shall soon assemble in
Convention in the great City Of the West.
President Grant says that he was informed
| that q condition Of 'lswlessness and terror"
existed in certain portions Of South Caro-
lima, and that he requested Attorney-Gen-
| eral Akerman to visit the State and report to
| him upon the subject. That report was
made in October, 1871; and, as President
Grant forgets TO say, the proclamation sus-
| pending the writ OF Aabeas corpus in nine
counties was instantly issued. There was no
INQUIRY into the truth OF the representations
made by Mr.. Alderman. Upon his bare
statement, the proclamation was issued;
with 30 indecent a haste that a county which
had not been accused was included in the
list. A ssclerical error" was allowed to
place q whole community at the mercy OF
the Federal soldiers, and their disreputable
assistants. At the time that the proclama-
ton was issued every county included in the
denunciation was profoundly peaceful.
There had been isolated acts OF violence, but
they were not continued. The excitement
OF the elections had died away, and there
was no thought of organized resistance to
anybody or anything. 1t is a iarcical ab-
surdity to say that, in October, 1871, a com
bination existed embracing at least two
thirds OF the active white men in nine coun-
ties; their object being to prevent ''the free
factions OF citizens who were friendly to
ssthe Constitution and the Government OF
sthe United States" There was an organ
ization, 1t appears, in the upper part OF the
State, but it's object was the protection of its
members against the incendiary acts and
brutal violence OF the Scott mllitiamen.
There was no hope OF redress in the State
Courts, and the people banded themselves
together to punish crime, and guard them
selves from the attacks OF the negro militia.
No proof has yet been given that the Ku-
Klux Klan, as it is called, did, as a body,
attempt to prevent any class OF citizens
from doing any lawful thing. There were
members of the Observation-Disclosures
whom the government puts on the stand
every day-who committed murder; but the
organization is not responsible for the con-
duct OF its individual members. When o
Mason or an Odd Fellow robs or Stays, do we
charge every brother OF the order with being
an accomplice in the crime? But President
Grant does not content himself with general
Misrepresentation; he soon comes down to
details. He has 'sno doubt" that similar or
| CARNATIONS exist in other counties, and has
"no doubt" that they are a part OF a grand
| system Of scriminal associations pervading
''most OF the Southern States" Fortunate
" the bare word Of President. Grant has
very little weight in the country; although,
unfortunately for us, Congress has clothed
him with almost dictatorial powers. He
can arrest citizens OF South Carolina by the
hundred, and lodge them in Jail until 1t suits
his officers to try and convict them; but he
and all his armies cannot persuade the peo-
pie Of the United States that a majority Of
the white citizens Of South Carolina are
members Of an organization in which they
are bound by oaths which "they are Taught
"to regard as Of higher obligation than the
slawful oaths taken before civil magis-
"trates." They may call US Rebels, but