New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1874-08-02
Some Voices from the South.

Edward King previous TO ana during TIE
war was an abolition essayist and novelist
of some note. He made himself thoroughly
acquainted with Southern society, and is
qualified to write of it. In paper Of his,
in the August number OF Scribner's Monthly,
he speaks of the Ku-Klux faction in GeOr
pia still existing "as kind of invinc. BILE
empire" Out of 80, 900 cOlOred voters he as
serts that scarcely 10000 vote to-day, the
remainder being inundated by Democratic
terrorism. He says, moreover, that In de-
fiance of established custom, not single
Republican has been allowed place as in
spector OF elections since the Democrats
gained power He comes to the conclusion
that, practically, the reconstruction acts
are null and VOID in the State. There are
no free schools to speak of outside of the
cities and towns, and in fact all the rural
districts seem to continue in their semi-bar
baric state. We hope Mr.. King takes an ex-
aggerated view of the situation, but presume
he is sincere in what he says. Georgia having
been under Democratic rule for some years,
we presume her experience will not be ex-
banded into a campaign argument against
the Republican party. From Texas we
hear OF two schoolmasters and their fam
lilies being offered indignities, and their
lives threatened for the simple reason that
they were engaged in teaching the negroes
how to read and write. What little prop
erty they had about them they were, OF
course, forced to sacrifice and compelled to
leave the State to save their lives. One of
them only saved himself by hiding in the
woods until he had chance to get out of
the way of his wOuld-be murderers. In
that district, as a matter of course. the
negroes are completely at the sublec
ton of the ruffians (nee chivalry) OF
Texas. The reconstruction acts there are
also practically null and void. There are
parishes or counties in Louisiana, Missis-
sippi, Alabama and Arkansas, where pretty
much the same condition prevails. 1t re-
mains question now whether this order
of things can be permitted to continue, or
whether the districts mentioned must be
forced to work out their own salvation
without the assistance of a general govern
ment which is bound by it's constitution to
guarantee to all the States a republican
form of government. Not to be One-slded
on this question we will admit that there
has been some fraud and intimidation on
the part of the carpet baggers in few dis.
tricts, but these cases are SO ininiteslmal
in comparison with the Democratic enormi-
ties, that they are, except out of spirit OF
fairness, barely worth meetloning. We
! want to see punishment melted out to them
as we'll as to the others. The time is COM
ing when Congress will be forced to lay
aside its CONSTITUTIONAL qualms and take
hold of these matters with vigorous hand.
1t has been delaying action on several ex-
cellent bills bearing on the question, and
in consequence we have every indication
that the enOrmities are increasing. Let
them grow in power seveaal years more,
consolidate and adopt some systematic
plan, and the result will be another civil
war. There is large enough ku- kluX, or
kindred force in the South which if united
would form a formidable army, which even
now in its scattered state is placing a ban
on immigration, destroying capital, retard,
ing agriculture and making farce out OF
pretty much every election. Under these
circumstances it would hardly seem that
it would be of any advantage to the coun'
try to elect Democratic ticket this fall.
What we want is majorities large enough
to put more nerve into the Republican par,
ty, so that it can act without hesitation and
with tirmness and vigOr. There was an era
in the history of this country when compro
mise with wrong was the order OF the day
We can't compromise with men who KEEP
| 60 900 voters in one State away from the polls
by intimidation, or with those in another
| who prosecute unto death every teacher OF
negro pupils they can lay their hands on
| 1t remains the mission OF the Republican
party to see that the reconstruction acts
are carried out, and the people can well SCI
the necessity of putting little more back
bone into it by their hearty support.-M"
scdukee Sentinel.