New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1874-11-01

not, but these are the laws and their
consequences. For the present they may
all be turned against Red river or the
Me1rimack. Their sange is eoextensive
with the Union.
The Democracy Of North Carolina do
not seem to have any extraordinary fer1or
in going into or staying in the Confederate
ranks. Their headquarters we're in good
part around the free port Of Wilmington,
and they rejoiced greatly in the specula-
tive voyages Of the blockade runners. and
celebrated the success OF the cause in con-
traband brandy and other luxuries when
other men Of the same faith periled their
bodies in tho field. So soon as the war
closed these exempts and Sybarites tried
to restore themselves to Office by evading
the power which they could not sesist
Theis plan was to form social and secret
associations by which public opinion would
nullify the federal law. They had an tim
visible empire" That was . thought
full and philosophical term. It had
been devised by some thinker. It meant
q power not TO be seen, yet irresistible as
the tornado or the pestilence. Public
opinion makes an empire OF the Invisible.
Il is invisible and invincible. Then this
metap hpsicai idea was translated into .
term more palpabie. 1t was the ''White
Brotheshood," and renewed the effort to
deprive the coiored race Of any pafticipa-
ton in public affairs. Finding secrecy
necessary, che last passed into ''third
term," which plainly presented murde:
and mystery to the vulgar mind II vas
che Ku-Klux Khan.
A special committee Of the federal
Senate INTERCEPTED che character and
earee. Of this invisible empire. which,
like that Of the Thugs Of India, carried
out its DEGREES by assassination end tor
ture. A volume. of more than four hun
dred pages. in small type, details the
means Of nullifying the federal lag Of
suffrage. These means were:
1. An impious and sacramentsi oath 70
execute any order Of the band; testify
anything necessary 70 acquit theie MEM
bers from legal proces% and 70 give no
verdict Of guilty.
2. To prescribe any eoiored man OF
Republican for otice. business. OF social
intercourse.
Under this system the committee found
eases Of assassination, manning and
whipping by che hundred Intimidation
and social prescription vas universal
Their report proved the necessity Of the
Law protecting the personal rights Of the
American citizen. Under this Law, known
as the enforcement act, many Ku-Klux Of
North Carolina were tried, in many cases
convicted and imprisoned Is far north IS
the New York State prison There vas
no revolution either Of action or opinion
at the North OF West, and many
Of tho the unfortunate convicts
were pardoned, and returned 20 preach
peace and submission. North Carolina is
now one of the most peaceful and pro-
gressive States in the South. The thing
that has been is the thing that may be.
Violation OF law will be punished in
Louisiana as in North Carolina. 1t is a
mistake to suppose that aoNe proseqa'
will be entered in these cases directly af-
ter the election. That the United States
did not pounce down upon the offenders
directly after the Coushatta affair. was a
proof Of its elaboration, not Of its hesita'
ton. It might not have had the dispose.
bla troops; it may have awaited season
In the health Of the troops would have
been more safe; bat it never faltered in
the enforcement of two principles settled
in the national mind by the results of che
civil war, that "the citizens Of this State
owe allegiance to the United States. and
this allegiance is paramount to that which
they owe TO the State"
2. That the obligation Of the citizen ii
directly to the federal government, ant
the power of the federal government di
rectly applicable to the citizen, withou
the agency or intervention of the State
We may be able only to present these
facts as prophetic Of what the future viii
be. If the advisers of the white people Q
Louisiana continue TO counsel evasion o
notification Of federal law they will fin
the same pursuit and punishment Of sucl
acts here as in North Carolina. The
will find that people misled and delude'
into arrest, and possibly into distant in
| prisonment will not stand this sort G
thing. To send Jean Baptiste to Sin
Sing for the sake Of making q
issue on the federal oppression of Louis
lana is little too remote. Jean Baptist
does not like to interview society throug
iron CRATES. He does not wish to receiv
his friends in q suit of several color
He does not like to have to explain a
his life tho difference between polite;
and legal felony. He does not like
give up the free air and genial climate
the Courtableau for frost and four wal
in Albany. Let Jean Baptiste remain
home. Pardon and send Jean Baptis
back to Courtableau, but let him know
and tell his children that the federal go
eminent is paramount and powerful, az
advise them as he should have been a
vised himself not to engage in technic
instruction against the United Sat