National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1879-05-01
ONE STEELE, OF NORTH CAROLINA.

1t is not always necessary adjunct TO
notoriety that the object thereof should be
entirely great" This fact has received
recent illustration in the fame (?) earned
by Representative STEELE, of North Caro-
lima, during this brief extra session of Con-
gress. He has talked himself into prOmi-
nence, and being from the South, represent
ing bull-dozed district, defending the Ku-
Kmx, and doing other characteristic things,
he has been accounted rs rampant Con-
lederate Brigadicr although the simple and
not infrequent title of Colonel is the one
to which he responds among his familiars.
But it appears that he is not entitled to
either rank, and that an alirOnt is put
upon the military chivalry of the
South, and Tarheeldom in particular,
when lie is saluted by any other title than
Cobbler- General. If we are correctly in
formed, he succeeded in eyading military
service under the c. S. A. by virtue of the
exemptions in the "twenty-nigger law" for
long time, after which lie was exempted
from conscription as n cobbler-a peaceful
and useful devotee OF the lap-stone. To
declarations in behalf of the politico-mili-
| tary Ku.Klux of North Carolina have an
especial and ludicrous significance. Instead
/ of ranlpngeous iire-eater, they know him
/ to be as harmless as bunch Of Chinese fire.
crackers, which make much noise and are
only dangerous by accident 1t is further
related Of him that at the close Of the war
he did not find his way out of the
| piney woods in his remote countryside for
nearly three months after the surrender be-
| ing under the impression that the whole
| power OF the United States Government had
( been invoked to capture the Cobbler-Gen-
| eral whose ill-made shoes had enabled the
/ Conlcderates to march into Maryland. OF
those shoes it is said they were made Of I'M
| tanned leather fact that may have given
/ rise TO the almost-forgotten parody on
Maryland, My Maryland" one pertinent
stanza of which runs as follows:
The rebel feet ave on thy shore,
| Maryland my Maryland;
We smell 'cm half q mile or more,
Maryland, my Maryland.
But seriously speaking, Mr.. STEELE's
allegations regarding the Ku-Klux in
North Carolina are not sustained
by the facts. He defended the
origin of that organization, it will be re-
membeIed, on the ground of the judicial
malleasance of certain Republican Office
holders, among others Judge A. w. Tour
GEE. Two facts sustained by history serve
to contradict this allegation: First-The
Ku-Klux KlNns were organized in North
Carolina in May, June, and July, 1868 (see
testimony of SCHENCK aud others before
the Ku-KluX Committee), and the first
courts held in the State by Republican
Judges were not convened until September
of that year. In truth, the Klans were or
ganized before the courts were. Second
In ls71-'72 Judge TOURGEE sent to the
Democratic Legislature of North Carolina q
memorial dCtying them to charge him will
any official dereiction, aud his most active
enemies failed under this defiant proyoca,
tion to find anything upon which to base
derogatory accusation. TO conclude, W,
feel impelled to declare that the subject o
these brief remarks, together with his al
, legged argument in the House must be com
, pretended in the simple category of "On'
STEELE, of North Carolinan