New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1876-04-07

The Democratic party has shown its reac.
tionary proclivities chiefly in the House OF
Representatives during the last four
months. BY common consent Democratic
Senators have sat with closed mouths dur
ing the discussions affecting the South and
the interests of the late COnfederacy: But
the strain was too great to last. On Thurs.
day Mr.. Bayard, unable to curb his fiery
temper, launched out in defense of the
Ku-Klux Klans, assaulting the gov
ernment for its part in bringing South
ern assassins to justice. So far Mr.:
Bayard might properly have been regarded
as indul2ing in political clap-trap for the
he did not stop at generalties. He declared
that "under the Department Of Justice
fines had been wrongfully wrung from the
people down there lat the South, and he
expected they would be brought to Con.
gress for pay ment. 1t was not believed at
the time that the impudent assurance OF
Ron Hill and Tucker in defending the late
COnfederacy, and assaulting the nation:
would ever find Q parallel on the floors OF
ther, and proposes that the pe ,ple OF the
whole country SHALL he taxed to pay
back to ballot box suffers and rob
bers and assassins the fires collected
from them as the penalty cf their Of
fenses against the laws! This proposition
would be monstrous coming from the Ups
of any but rebel sympathizer. From Mr..
Bayard it merely shows that the South Is
still 1nreccnstructed, and that the Dem
ocranc party is the champion of violence,
Intimidation and assassination as means
proper to be used in partisan warfare. MIR.
Bayard says that he expects these claims
to be brou ht before Congress for payment.
We presume he knows that they will be
presented to Congress for payment: But
will it not bs q curious spectacle tor
the American peop!e-the representa-
tives of bands of midnight az .sslns.
standing in their places in the Senate
and House. and demanding that the fines for
tn .r murderous deeds be remitted. paid back
to their heirs and assigns! Will Senator
Bayard vote to pay these claimss We ex-
pect be will. not because he actively sympa-
thizes with men who aesaseinate negroes,
or with men who delight to rob negroes Of
their right of suffrage. but because it is
deemed q necessity to the success OF the
Democratic party to drive the negro from
the political arena. The presentation OF the
the Senate and the country is logical Sc
auence of Democratic practice and teach
ing. It is in perfect accord with the propO'
sit!on to amnesty JEFF Davis in face of that
peutiemsu's repeated bold speeches in de
fense of the late Confederacy. 1t is
in perfect accord with the declaration of
bill and Tucker, that the war settled moth
ing: that tho nation is myth: that the
Union is q rope of eand. The proposition
to remit these fines is q proposition to
Justify the crimes for which they were i'm
posed Mr.. Bsyard proposes that Congress
shall say to the claimants: I'VE do not OBJ
iect to your driving negroes away from the
polls; we do not object to your banishing
Northern men from your neighbOrhoOds;
we do not object to your killing these
offenders if they persist in voting and in
remaining where they are not wanted:
Present your bills, gentlemen, and
We will audit and pay them" Mr..
Boutwell,. and Mr.. Morton showed the
Senate that Mr.. Bayard knew nothing about
| the subject which he attempted to discuss
| but it is plain that he does know that the
| X .Xlu1 Klans propose to make raid upon
the treasury for the money "wrOngfully
| wrurg from them" by the Department OF
| Justice, Will the members of the Khan ap
| pear before the Senate masked and under
assumed names; and will Senator Bayard
| introduce and eulogize them by their true
| names, with an explanation as to why they
used to wear masks and travel on darl
| nights under assumed names. We are o
opinion. Senator Bayard, that you will liv'
to regret that you ever gave notice that th'
| Ku-K.ux kians propose to ask Congress t
make respectable gentlemen Of them b,
removing the brand of their felonies.-Ch'
| cago Inter Ocean.