The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1874-09-25

lowed to turn States evidence After
the war was over, when the Ku Klux
we're numbering and Strengthening all through
the South, and the blood OF the nation was
boiling the existence OF the Ku-Klux was
constantly and bitterly denied We were told
that il was a mere invention of the carpet
Dagger and the negro for the purpose OF OBJ
tanning power And when the Ku-Klux law
WAS passed and hundreds and even thousands
of indictments we're found under it, many Of
them plead guilty, others were convicted upon
trial, and when hetruth could no longer be con-
cealed, they then said it was not such very
bad thing aft6r all that those mon down
South had been exasperated by the carpet
| baggers that they had been made mad by
| the negroes Then we were told it WAS done
in self-defense that the negroes were form
| ing into secret armed leagues, and that the
| Ku-Klux was formed as an opposing organi-
cation for the protection OF the whites.
Gov. Hendricks, the other night at the
| Circle, complained to his audience
that the President OF the United
States was now sending troops
into the South. He did not tell his audience
what the occasion was OF his sending them
there. He made no reference to the murders,
the Wholesale slaughters of the last two weeks
He left that audience to believe that the
troops were sent down there without cause,
~ a mere evaporation to the people Of the
South. l think that the Governor OF the great
SLALo OF luQlhnd OuRuL llOI ~ uOuO tlldL
When he told his hearers that the President
was sending armed men into the South he
ought to have told them why. The omission,
/ presume, was accidental, but, TO say the
least, it was unfortunate. He went on to tell
how the people OF the South were exasperated
by the formation in their midst OF armed Sc
cret leagues by the negroes for offensive
operations against the white people. That
was an old calumny that had done service in
1863 1870 and 1872, and it was then lying
prone in the gutter, and It was not possible
for Gov. Hendricks to pick It up, put 1t on its
legs, and make it an excuse for the murders
now going OH.
The system Of Southern politics at this
time is double-headed SYSTEM compounded
OF murder, falsehood and perjury. This
stream OF shameless, Wholesale, systematic
lying is kept up for the purpose OF excusing
and covering up the manifold crimes that are
being committed. They attempt to cover up
the truth by charges of corruption and fraud,
and by talking continually about fraud and
corruption They want you to believe that
all the Republicans in the South are corrupt
and dishonest, but would have you forget the
stream Of blood that is percolating all through
Southern society, and that Is co rrupting the
morals of this whole country, for there is
nothing 80 demoraliZing as blood. There can
be no integrity, there can be no strength in
country where blood flows, where murder is
continuous, and where there Is a reign of
terror. There is reign of terror in the
South, such as never existed before this time.
now come to the condition of Louisiana.
| shall speak OF that more particularly than
any other State, first, because IL just now at
tracts the public attention, and next because
have had more or less connection in Con-
gress with what is known as the Louisiana
question. On last Monday there WAS an up
rising of the White League all over the State
of Louisiana. In one day they took posses
sion of all the offices, turned out the Governor
in the city of New Orleans, and captured the
whole machinery OF the State government.
For some months past the Democratic news
papers in the North have been engaged III de-
nying the existence of these White Leagues.
They said they were the invention of carpet
baggers aud scaawsg Republicans. But
they cannot deny it any longer. The White
League exists not only in Louisiana, but in
other Southern States; presume in all of
them tonight, and, for aught L know, in
Indiana. 1t is but another name for the
Ku-klux organization, and is in the nature
Of the Sons OF Liberty, that once existed in
Indiana. They rose in instruction in New
Orleans. We are told that thirty men were
killed and fifty or sixty wounded Some
three weeks before that, in Red River parish.
in the northern part OF the State-a strong
Republican parish-they notified the Repub-
lican officers to resign. Armed men went TO
fused to resign. The Leagners then told
these Republican officers, the Sheriff and
others, that if they did not resign they would
be killed They believed it and then agreed
to resign, provided their lives we're protected.
Their enemies made that contract with them
and they resigned. For safe keeping they
were put into Coushatta, the little country
town OF Red River parish. Parish, you will
remember, is the name there for what we
here call county. They were then taken out
against their wishes to be conducted to
Shreveport, and while on the way they
were murdered-six of them in cold
blood together with five negroes who
were in company with them. 1t was delber-
ate and atrocious murder Of men against
whom there was no charge OF offense. The
first story telegraphed here was that they were
killed by band OF Texans but that was near
ly hundred miles from Texas. The people
of Texas did not care anything about it they
were engaged in killing III their own State.
Time passed on down to last Monday, then
this killing took place in New Orleans. The
government OF Kellogg was overthrown. l
want to say few words about that govern
ment. 1t has been in operation about twoyears.
1t has been recognized on five different occa-
sions by the President Of the United States as
the lawful government of Louisiana. 1t was
recognized by the House of Representatives
at Washington by the admission of member
OF that body who held the certificate of Gov
ernor Kellogg TO his election. 1t haS been rec
ognized by the Senate OF the United States
on two occasions by the refusal Of the Senate
to pass a bill providing for a new election.
That government was as completely recognized
as the lawful government Of Lousiana, as is the
government of the State of Indiana to-day.
The courts Of Louisiana had recognized it.
The Supreme Court of that State is very
respectable and learned tribunal. The
Judges were elected in 1868. The Chief JUS
tice, Ludlng, is native of Louisiana, was
Confederate during the war, is man Of
learning and ability, but, like Col. Hays, ne
accepted the situation when the war was over
and became Republican. That court is
above suspicion. One member resigned two
years ago, and the vacancy was filed but
three OF the four Judges we're elected in
1868, and had no connection with the quarrel.
They were as independent OF it as we are
here. Yet that Supreme Court has in divers
cases recognized Gov. Kellogg as the lawful
Governor, and the Kellogg Legislature as the
lawful Legislature of Louisiana. So, too, Of
the subordinate court. Last winter, and the
winter before that, the Legislature passed
more than 200 laws. now in operation and en-
forced by all the courts. Every parish officer,
every Justice of the Peace, in Louisi-
ana, had his commission from Gov.
Kellogg, and recognized him as
the lawful governor OF the State.
Yet under the pretext that he was not