Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1880-10-28
Hampton and Sherman.
Fair Play, S. G.


TIE AsTuTE SECRETARY GIVES TIE Con
REspoNDESCE ABOUT TIIF KU.KKUx
CHARGE TO TIE PUBLIC.
WASHINGTON, October 18.-Secretary
Sherman to day furnished for publication
the following correspondence, consisting of
four letters, which have passed between
himself and Senator Hampton, of South
Carolina:
DAGaERs SPRINGS, September IT, 1880.
10 Hon. John Sherman, Secretary Of the
Treasury:
SIR-Somc days ago saw report of
your speech at a conference held by the
National Republican committee ut the
Filth Avenue Hotel, New York, and you
were quoted as having used the folio wing
language: "And now you are asked to sur
rcuder all you have douc in the hands of
Wade Hampton and the Ku Klux, aud the
little scgmont in the North which is called
the Democratic party" Nlay ask if you
used the words, aud if you did so, did you
mean to cunucct me directly or indirectly
with what is called the Ku Klux Klan.
Requesting uu early reply, addressed to me
care Of August Schell, Esq, New York, I
aHh WHY respectfully your OucOlCDJ servant,
WADE HAMPTON.
WASHINGTON, September 81, 1880.
Ihn. Wade Hampton, Ncp Yorh.
SlR-Your note of the l7th instant is
received, in which you inquire whether at
a conference held by the National Repub-
lioin committcc at the Fifth Avenue Hotel,
New York, | used the language attributed
to me as follows: "And now you arc asked
to surrender all you have douc into the
hands of Wade Hampton and tho Ku-
Klux, aud the little segment in tho North
that is called the Democratic purity" Iu
reply, have to advise you that while 1 do
not remcm Der the precise language, | pre-
sumo the reporter correctly stated in con
dcnsed way his idea of what said | no
doubt spoke Of you as a leading rcprcscn-
tatvc of the Democratic party in the
South, and referred to tho Ku. Klux Klan
rs representative of the barbarous agencies
by which the Democrats have subverted
the civil aud political rights Of the Rc.
pubicans of the South. did not connect
you personally with the Ku Klux Klan
indeed, know that you had, 10 one or
worst impulses. appreciated the sense Of
honor which makes you shrink from being
named in connection with it. Still you
and your associates, leading mon CT the
South, now enjoy the benefits of political
power derived from the atrocities of the
Ku kIux Khan, in which phrase is included
a!! !!:e numerous aliases By which it has
from time to time been known in the South.
Your power in the Southern States rests
upon the actual crimes of every grade in
the code of crimes, from murder to the
meanest form of ballot box stufling, com
mitted by the ku Klux klan and its
kindred associates, aud, as you know, since
1877, when you and they gave some of the
most solemn assurances Of protection to tho
freedmen of the South. These crimes arc
all aimed at the civil and political rights of
the Republicans in the South, and, as
believe, but fer these agencies the very
State that you represent, as we'll as many
other States in the South, would be reprc-
sented both 10 the Senate and House by
Republicans But for these crimes the
boast attributed to you that the 1873 solid
Southern votes would be cast for the Dem
ocratic ticket would be but idle vaporiug,
but DOW we feel it is sober truth While |
have no reason to believe that you or your
Northern associates personally participated
in the crimes which have named, yet while
you md they enjoy the fruits of these crimes,
you are joint 90 purtners with the ku KIux
KIan in policy which has so far been sue.
cessful in the South, and which it is hoped
by the aid of suall scgmcn, of tho Dem
ocratic party in tho North, may be cxtoDd-
cd to all parts of tho government. 1t is 10
this sense that | spoke of you, the Ku
Klux Klau and the Northern Democratic
party. Permit me, in conclusion, while
fraukIy answering your questions, to say
that the most fatal policy would be by such
agencies as | have mentioned to secure
again political asccndcncy in this country,
for | assure you that the manhood and in
dependence of tho North will certainly
continue tho struggle until every Republi-
can in the South shall have free aud unrc-
strictcd enjoyment of direct and political
privileges, including fair votes, fair
count, free speech aud free press, md the
agitation made necessary to secure such
results may greatly affect injuriously the
Interests Of tho people Of the South. Very
respectfully your obediont servant,
JOHN SHERMAN.