New national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1870-1874, 1872-07-04

fully all friends of order and no,ce ;rro
spcctively Of party or of polit;ea, cousd nre
uons. The Democrats In Congress ha g, g
iouSnt the ku-klux bill as a party measnr,
III, against their adherents in the South
!. ne republican administration will enforc,
as measure OF peace to the country anl
security to all its citizens.u
Inc only objection that Mr., Greeley eyer
intimated at the time consists in the fac,
tnat the law, in his view, was not sufficient,
stringent. He would have had a still
stronger law. lie found no fault with ,he
sectioh which authorizes the President r.
suspend the privilege of the writ of Eabeo,
Ino,Pus, when the necessity existed therefor
lreVionsly to the enactment of the law he
i,ad hiicd the columns of the Tribune from,
uay 10 day with the evidences of outrages
anu murders committed by the Ku-Kluy
Nails, showing the extent Of these nefarious
organizations, and proving the absolute ne.
cessity of interference by the General Gov
eminent for their suppression. Soon attic,
ms return from his Southern tour. last sum.
iner, he made speech in New York city, in
"hich ne declared that the Ku-kux klans
were fearful reality at the South, and pro-
houhced tllaf Government sham which did
not project Its own citizens. We quote his
exact words, uttered less than year ago.
mold our Government bound by its dll-
W OF protecting our citizens in their funda-
mental rights, to pass and enforce laws for
the extirpaton of the execrable Ku-Klux con-
splracy; and, if it has not the power to do
1t, then, say, our Government is no govern
ment, but sham. 1, therefore, on every
proper occasion advocated and justified the
ku-kiux act. | hold it especially desirable
for the South and, if it does not prove strong
enough to effect its purpose, hope 1t will be
made stronger and stronger"
such was the position of Horace Greeley
until within comparatively a recent period.
What is it now? Nobody doubts that he is
earnestly counting nomination by the DEM
0crltlc party, knowing that Democrats have
from ilrst to last opposed the Ku-Klux law,
as an unconstitutional inffaction upon State
rights, and that this is the attitude of the
party to-day. On this point he cannot be
mistaken. What he has over and over again
declared as fact Democrats deny; and what
he has pronounced to be constitutional meas
ure they declare to be exactly the reverse. And
yet TINS same Mr.. Greeley is to-day an appli-
cant Tor nomination by party whose political
lalth Is the complete antipodes of his own on
TINS question, unless he has changed his mind
Should he succeed in securing the nomination
he so earnestly covets, he would then look to
the denOuncers and enemies of the Ku-KIuy
law for his support. He would virtually ask
them to sustain him. The Ku-Klux Klans
at the south, not extinct by any means, but
simply inundated by President Grants en-
forcement of the law, would be expected TO
give him their votes. Their alliance and
sympathies are with the Democratic marty:
and 1t is by this party, with the Ku-Klux help
al the South, that he is to be elected. if at
all. Let any one carefully examine the col
uinns OF the Tribune for a series of weeks be-
fore Mr.. Greeley retired from its cditorsbip.
and its columns since his retirement, and he
cannot fail to perceive that, i'm respect to the
protection OF the negro, it has undergone a
most notable change. The Trijune's present
theory is that there is no necessity for the
law, while lodging the constitutional question
which Democrats raise i'm regard to it. II has
no word OF commentator for the President
because he has faithfully executed the law:
but rather processes to believe that he wishes
to use it as the means of his own political
success. Indeed, the Tribune now speaks as
If it were an organ of the Democratic party.
Its editorials have the genuine Democratic
ring, In utter seeming fOrgetfulness of its own
previous utterances. Mr.. Greeley, in his let
ter accepting the nomination of the Cincinnati
Convention, works into his language lust as
much of this ring as it will possibly bear.
We wish to do no injustice to the Cincin-
matt candidate and the present applicant for
Democratic votes yet we regard his position
in respect to the Ku-klux question as a very
grave matter. 1t is much more serious than
his regeneration in reference to the theory
OF a protective tariff. 1t is much graver than
his personal hostility to General Grant. or
his abandonment of the Republican party be.
cause he could not control its nominations.
at least SO far as one man is concerned.
These things are sufficient to discredit all his
claims as a Republican; yet they are far less
Objectionable than his present political DALI
ance with the avowed and mdisgused enc
mics of the law which he himself approved
and declared to be both necessary and con-
stitutiOnal. Ifhe means to deceive the allies
whose support he is now seeking, then he is
falsely trimming his sails to win votes; and
this is dishonest. Ifhe has really gone over
to the Democratic doctrine on this subject,
then not colOred man in this country, not
true Republican, not any one who believes
in the fourteenth amendment, and the power
OF Congress to enforce its provisions, should
fail to use all proper efforts to prevent his
election. A Presidential candidate whose
attitude makes him acceptable to Ku-Klux
voters, or who seeks position to invite their
votes, is not fit for the office to which he as
pircs. Let the Republican who ignores or
changes his principles to gain Democratic
support have that support, if he can get it
but LET Republicans shm him as they would
pestilence. He is simply a trickster for
political profit.--N. J.. Independent.