The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1879-06-18

Senator T.dmnnds, OF Vermont. In the sen
ate last Friday, touched upon, the kn-itluN
trials, and said that ne had heard that ~
"larrr numbcr Of the people OF south CARROLL
"nu Contributed funds To dcfend those tcrns-
cd EU.EiuX people,: This he applied to The
Jury bill, then under discussion, by saying
thai, if those who contriDntru 'nrSn nT, ~,
we're drawn upon the jury, and II turned out
that the Eu-EluN atrocities grew OUT oi bo-
Iitical considerations connection with inc re-
bcll;on," then il would not bca grievance 10
silt the jury to ascertain WileiilSr 'me juL"H
tinr the prisoners, no matter what they had
done. ,.,
Carolina To- retain ltcvcrdy johnson ana MI;
Stanbcrry, in order that the CollStitutiniia
questions arising undcr the Acts under wnl"h
the Eu.klux were tried should be hr@ucI by
counsel whose attachments ana freedom from
local prejudice would secure 10 mem we hrli-
ous attention of the Court. Had not these
considerations been regarded. there wouId
have been no importation Of counsel, anu no
contribution of funds Tor fees. III turned oul
badly. The objections of the counsel we've
nyrrrulcd. From Mr.. johnson came Il MAJ
rowinp dcScription and whitening dcllulic'a-
lion of the crimes imputed to TIE ku-l>luH.
And the people of South Carolina were m
lastly held up to universal Reproduction as the
defenders OF crime in Il most horrible S'.hit,
Senator Hampton got Il chance TO PM IN q
word of exclamation in the Senate, ana SillI
81 do not wish to interrupt the senator, Dut
Iinlcrpo.c as much for his sake aSlnr my own
ara / avail myself of this opportunity WHEN
his courtesy has cNtcndcd To me 10 say worn
about those Eu-kluN trials.
.Son,c wears ago the scnatorfTom ermon
who occupied then the same position that no
does now, charged upon the floor OF TINS
Ci,nmbcr that he had Information that was
connected with the ku-kluX organization ~
South Carolina, and with me he aSSoclateu
my present colleague tA1r. luticrl II Il very
distinguished gentleman WHO Is now II JUICE
- ,l'. SsI.t, 1yn u.prfn n rnSnlpttnl lcttCf 10
the senate. and came or to Washington, ASK
iu. the most earnest and rigid scrutiny. lhat
letter was presented here. nut inc SENATE
took no action. The senator from vermont,
when that letter was presented, anu inn' ny
had been informed that the Government had
information to that effect. We asked thal, II
there WAS any such information, IL might pc
brought forward; but that never was done.
And ] take the opportunity OF saying I2wC
and ] hope the Senator from Vermont VIII 90
me the JUSTICE to know that speak win per
feet sincrhfA;-that If ono was one IMAM In
America, who had no knowledge on, no CON
nerti0n with, no sympathy VIII hnylnlhE
like the Ku-kluN organization, IL was my
self. ] did not know that there was any Such
organization in South Carolina until those
trials occurred. could give the explanation
but will not dctlin the Senate. OF how those
organizations. as fOund out alterward, were
iuaururatcd, and what they were intended
for, and how they were perverted ulicrwarui,
as | admit. into doing WrOng; but ! only WISH
to say that the gentlemen who were named
here, | feel sure, had no knowledge OF them
no connection with them. For myself lStale
that with absolute certainty.
.Thc contribution that was made by inc
people Of south Carolina to defend those men
WINS simply n contribu:i"n thnt was mate on
on the presumption the law always makes
that parties are innocent until they are PROV
ed guilty." L.,
Senator Fdmunds had the grace to say, IN
reply, that 1T was quite unnecessary Tor me
senator" TO repeat the denial that was so full
in the letter. Nobody, he thought, had ever
believed the allegation since.