The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-02-19
The Carpet Baggers and Scalawags
Denounced by Each.
Fearful Increase Of the South
ern State Debts.
AN APPEAL TO THE SOUTH.
The Majority Advise an Extension Of the Ku
KuX Act and an Increase Of the Judiciary.
AMNESTY AND REFORM CALLED FOR.
THE MAJORITY REPORT.

OWNIObt 'uVU I'LL UNIV VnlIIu JVsI
THE MAJORITY REPORT.
,->>~>~~~,>~~,~~~-~
WASHINGTON, Feb. Is, 1872
The Joint Select Committee will tomorrow make
their report ON the condition OF affairs in the late
insurrecttonary States. The committee was organ
lied April 20. and again met in Washington on the
18th Of May last On the 10th sub committee Of eight
appointed to proceed at with the iuvestiga-
ton, with authority 70 take testimony wherever
they deemed advisable, by sub committee Of their
own number, to be reported to q meeting OF the
full committee.
subcommittee we're appointed to visit and take
testimony In North and South Carolina Georgia,
Florida, Tennessee, Alabama and Mississippi. The
evidence taken in Washington and by sub commit
tee IN South Carolina having been reported to the
joint committee, Is now submitted, and as an
appendix to and part Of the report Is also sub
mitted the report OF the sub committee appointed
70 digest the reports OF the executive officers of the
States. The testimony taken in Georgia, Florida,
Alabama and Mississippi by the subcommittee
visiting these States Is not yet prepared, and win
be submitted with subsequent or supplementary
report The proceedings and debates In Congress
show that whatever other causes were assigned for
disorders In late nsurrectionary States the execu
ton OF laws and security Of life and property were
alleged TO be most seriously threatened by the
istence and acts Of organized bands OF armed and
disguised men known as Ku Klux. Inqulring,
As our primary dutv, into the truth Of these allie
cations in those States where such acts
have most recently been committed, the
investigation necessarily assumed wider
range. Not only has inquiry been made as to the
commission OF outrages, as to the execution OF
laws by the superior courts and inferior magis-
H0neo brth A<
corruption and other causes having been assigned
q accounting for, II not justifying. disorders they,
too, have to large extent entered into the state.
nents and opinions OF witnesses. There Ia u re.
narkable concurrence OF testimony to the eflect
that In those of the late rebellious States into
whose condition the committee have examined the
courts and iures administer Justice between man
and man In all ordinary cases, civil and criminal.
and while there Is this concurrence on
this point the evidence is equally de-
cisive that redress cannot be obtained against
those who commit crimes IN disguise and al
night The reasons assigned are that Identification
II diicult almost impossible; that when this Is at.
tempted the combinations ana oatns OF the Order
come In and release the culprit by perjury either
upon the witness stand or in the jury box, and that
terror inspired BY their acts as we'll public senti
ment In their favor In many localities parayZes the
arm Of civil power. That this organization may not
be looked at In the exaggerated light OF over
ndtng all law and justice In the communities where
It exists and that the facility with which the well.
disposed people OF the South have adapted them.
selves to their changed circumstances may be seen,
they introduce statements on this subject
OF few prominent men from several of
those States, including Ex-Governor Orr Of
South Carolina; Ex-Governor Parsons, Of Alabama;
General Clsnton and O. D. Forsythe Solicitor OF the
Rome (Ga.) judicial Circuit While there. is this
general concurrence Of evidence to the efciency
Of the administration OF justice BY the superior
courts, there complaints that In some instances
incompetent judges have been appointed; nu-
merous complaints OF the incapacity OF many OF the
inferior magistrates, and In several Of the States
the Governors are charged with an abuse of the
pardoning power. especially in favor OF the negroes
Ill Of which assigned causes for disorder Will
be noticed when we come to consider those
causes. The inquiry into the present con.
dition OF the late insurrecuonary States neces-
ssrily involved the history OF the successive
steps which have led to that condition as afYected
by the bands already referred to, and before pro-
Ceeding to consider their present situation COM
m1ttee trace so far as they are able to do from
the testimony and from Official reports, the origin,
extent. purposes and mode Of operation Of this
heretofore secret and mysterious organic alton, and
the causes assigned for its existence and earlier
actions. There are expressions OF belief by United
states military oficers and others that secret Or
CARNATIONS were formed In the lnsurrectonary
States soon after the close OF the war hostile to and
intended to embarrass the government Of the United
States and OF the States In the proper admins
tration OF the AFFAIRS of the country. Among
these were the statements made BY Major
General Thomas before the Reconstruction Commit
tee In February, 1865, and by General Meade I'm his
oicia report for 1865 as commander OF the Depart
nj a A1uf nf
these gentlemen refer BY name to the Ku Kux KAN,
but they cover the period during which IL made its
traced by bearing in mind these facts and taking M
the evidence OF General N. b Forrest, given before
this committee AS he fixes the earliest date for
the existence of the ku Klux, assigns several mo-
tives for their organization, and possessed their
confidence 50 far as to know their signs and pass
band them in 1865, we proceed TO CONSIDER
and compare his various statements The time Of
fhe organisation Is thus liked IN 1861 and by refer.
the report shows the extent to which outrage and
crime were committed. The motives and the means
cratic cuDs Ku Klux Klans and Knights Of the White
Camelia-diferent names for organizations shown
% nave worked for s
pages Of which was taken by the subcommittee OF
the House COMMITTEE on Selections IN the Louisiana
contested election OF 1868 Taking these state
ments from Official sources, showing the prevalence
OF this organization In every one OF the late nsur.
now. with the light which has recently
been thrown upon Its history, 70 realize that even
she existence OF the ku Klux order been 80 long
y this remarkable in view Of the enecs that are dis
S.0Sed by some OF this documentary evidence TO
means Of intmidating and numbering negro voters
uuanx the presidential elections 0f 1885 the testi-
caSc Un uns Louisiana and other contested election
cer cs sready referred TO clearly esta blishes.
ILL. I1port treats with minuteness on the occur
s. "a south Carolina and Georgia, Mississippi
- caua are grouped together for the purpose
~ showing the existence OF Ku Klux and their