Ashtabula weekly telegraph. (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1880-1886, 1880-10-29
SECRETARY SHERMAN CHARGED
UPON FURIOUSLY.

INTERESTING CORRESPONDENTS.
WAsHyGTOS, October 1S.-Secretary
Sherman has furnished for publication the
following correspondence.
DOGGER's SPRINGS, Sept. II, 1880.
To Hon. John Sherman, Secretary Of the
Treasury.
Sir: Some days ago saw report Of
your speech A. conference held by the
| National Republican Committee at the
| Fifth Avenue Hotel, New York, and you
we're quoted as having used the following
language: "And now yOu are asked to
surrender all you have done into the hands
OF Wade Hampton and Ku-Klux, and the
! little segment in the North that is called
the Democratic party" May ask il Won
used these words, and, il you did so, did
| you mean to connect me directly or indi.
| rectly with what was known as Ku-Kuy-
! klany Requesting an early reply address.
! ed 70 the care Of Augustus Schell. Esq.
New York. am very respectfully your
o.edient servant. WADE HAMPTON.
WORDS TO THAT EFFECT"
WAsmSoToy, September 20, 1880.
Hon. Wade Hampton, care Augustus
Schell, Esq, New York:
Sir: Your note Of the 18th is received,
in which you inquire whether at confer
ence had by the National Republican Com
mittee at the Fifth Avenue Hotel. New
York, ! used language attributed TO the as
follows: And now you are asked to sur
render all you have done into the hands Of
Wade Hampton and Ku-Klux, and the lit
lie segment in the North that il called the
Democratic party. In reply have TO adj
wise you that while do not remember the
precise language, ! presume the reporter
stated in a condensed way his idea Of what
] said. / no doubt spoke Of you as a lead
ing representative Of the Democratic par
ty in the South, and referred to Ku.Klux
klan as representatives Of the barbarous
agencies by which Democrats have subvert-
ed the civil aud political rights Of Repub-
licans Of the South. ] did not connect you
personally with Ku-Klux-Klan. Indeed,
| knew that you had, in one or two impor-
tant instances, resisted and defeated its
worst impulses. l appreciate the sense Of
honor which makes you shrink from being
named in connection with it. Still. YOU
and your associates, leading men in the
South, now enjoy the benefits Of political
power, derived from the atrocities Of the
ku-klux-klan, in which phrase | include
all the numerous aliases by which it has
been known from time to time in the
South. Your power in the Southern states
rests upon actual crimes Of every grade in
the code Of crimes, from murder to the
meanest form Of ballot box stuffing com
mitted by the ku-KluX-Klan and its kind.
red associates, and as you know some Of
the worst Of them were committed since
1871, when you and they gave the most
solemn assurance Of protection to the
freedmen Of the South. These crimes are
all laid at the civil and political rights Of
Republicans in the South; and, as | be-
lieye, but for these agencies, the very state
that you represent, as well as many other
states in the South, would be represented
both IN the Senate and House by Republi-
cans. But for these crimes the boast at
tributed to you that 1873 solid Southern
votes would be cast for the Democratic
ticket, would be but idle vaporing.
But now we feel that it is a sober truth.
While l have no reason to believe that you
or your Northern associates person.
ally participated in the offenses | have
named, yet while you and they enjoy the
fruits Of these crimes, you may in logic
be classed,a l classed you, as joint co-pard-
ners with the Ku-Klux-Kan in policy,
which thus far has been successful in seiz-
ing political power in the South, and
which it is hoped by the aid Of the small
segment of the Democratic party in the
North, may be extended to all depart
ments Of the Government. It is in this
sense that l spoke Of you, the Ku-Klux-
Klan and the NOrthernDemocratic party.
Permit me in conclusion, while frankly
answering your question, to say, the most
fatal policy for the South would be by
such agencies as have mentioned to Sc
cure again political ascendancy in this
country, for assure you that the manhood
and independence Of the North will GER
tainly continue the struggle until every
Republican in the South shall have free
aud unrestricted enjoyment of equal, civil
and political privileges, including fair
vote, fair count, free speeches, free press
and agitation made necessary to secure
such results may greatly affect injuriOusly
the interests Of the people OF the South.
Very respectfully, your obedient servant.
JOIN SHERMAN.