Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1875-04-07

vestigating committees concerning the
manner in which Attorney-Genera
Williams produced the horrible tales
Of murder and intimidation that have
become the stock in trade Of Republic
can orators. The career Of Mr.. j. G.
Hester in Alabama, whose report sup.
piled the better part of the material
for Mr.. Williams outrage manufact-
ure, is an instance in point, rendering
it too shamefully apparent that the
purpose of the Administration has
been to stir up strife and to incite to
violence, for the sake of securing po-
litical capital. Hester, who was in the
rebel navy during the war, serving for
q time under the pirate Sommes, first
obtained favorable notice from the
Grant Administration by his zeal in
organizing the Ku-KluX sensation in
North Carolina in 1871, by which so
many unfortunate farmers were sent
to the Albany penitentiary. His pc
culiar talents found congenial employ
ment as a especial agent Of the De-
partment of Justice" in Alabama. In
his sworn testimony before the Con-
gressional Committee he states that he
went among the people of that State
disguised as a peddler, "carrying plugs
of tobacco in both pockets" and with
plenty Of whiskcy for loosening ton,
CUES and inhaming passion. With
these Appliances, producing his GER
tificate of 'galIantry and taithtulness
to the Confederate States as y youch-
er for his character, he goes on to
state that he boosted how they had
''carried the election in North Carolina
by killing negroes how he sowod
the seeds of violence and lawlessness
by suggestions as to the adyisability
Of taking the same course i'll Alabama,
aud how he encouraged them in their
way" when his hints and his whiskey
took effect. Hester was only one ola
number Of Deputy United States Mar
shals engaged in this work OF melting
to violence in Alabama, the infamous
character Of whose operations is
shown in his unblushing testimony,
But, apart from the almost incon-
ceiyable iniquity Of this system, its
cost explains the remarkable eXtrava
gance of the Department Of Justice
and the acknowledgements office,
whose estimate OF S3,OO0,O00 year
have already been referred to. Other
testimony, taken at the last session,
shows that the army, with hundreds
of Deputy Marshals drawing pay and
mileage from the Treasury, were en-
ploycd in Alabama to supplement the
political work Of Hester and his as
sociates. Among the documents pre-
scented from the Chairman OF the
Republican Executive Committee of
the Third District, asking the Marshal
for twenty thousand blank commits
sions' with which the party could
Garry the State overwhelmingly"
The Chairman Of the State Committee
Marshals in every county :;
and it appears from other documents
that the local committees made out
lists with liberal hand by dozens.
These were all paid by the Depart
ment Of Justice. Such as Hester,
whose work demanded special qualiti-
cations, received two salaries, one as
Marshal and another as agent Of the
Post Office Department, with unlimit-
ed perquisitcs. 1t was in this manner
through prohigate expenditure, cor
ruption and actual Indictment to law
lessness, that the Administration made
up the record for Alabama. In view
Of these facts, established by the in
vestigations of committee Of the late
Congress, the audacity of the Republi-
can party in appealing to intelligent
voters on the ground Of outrages at
the South is beyond ordinary compre-
tension. The testimony of Hester
alone is sufficient to convict the Ad-
ministratlon of gross and malicious
conspiracy against the peace of the
nation; and yet it is the establishment
and support of the infamous scheme
here so clearly outlined that is demand
ed in the pledge Of "undipinished con-
fidence in the integrity and patriotism
of President Grant = Boston Post.
GoDEY's LADY's Book for April is