The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1884-08-27

NORTH CAROLINA KU-KLUX. A friend
Republicans, published at Washington
City, ID. g., in which appears an editor
ial on the Kuklux of North Carolina,
where notice and comment is made upon
an interview had by a New York Sun
correspondent with Capt. Shotwe!l. The
editor grows eloquent as he warns up
with his subject. He speaks with great
venom, dencunces the Kuklux with
vehemence, lands the Union League or
CARNATIONS, and cites Judge Tourgee's
Fools Errand, a political novel, as
authority on the subject. The following
is a fair sample Of the whole:
A a matter of fact the kuklux had
no concern about the law, except to break
II and escape punishment. Their object
was not the protection of society, but the
restoration of what they called white
supremacy" They wanted to bring the
colored people to the old s@crvile habit,
and to fog them put of their new notions
about impartial suffrage and equal rights.
The object was mainly political, as Capt.
Shotwell very well knows. The white
men who were murdered in North Caro>
lima were natives of the State and up to
the time they became Republicans were
of good repute. The colored men who
were flogged were not bad niggers'' but
the smart niggers who were
known to be leaders in leagues, and who
were suspected of having political hopes.
"lfany one wants to know all about the
kluklux organization in North Corolina
be has only to turn to Judge Tourgee's
celebrated novel, "a FOOLS Errand."
The names are fictitious and some char.
acters are overdrawn, but the purpose OF
the conspiracy is shown and its methods
OF restoring white supremacy" are de-
lineated with a force and tr%uthfulncss
which sharply contrasts with the Shot
well interview"
When will the truth be kDown2-Eay-
etteciWe .Sua
We have not seen the RepuJlicaa, and
had not heard of its article until the SIN
gave the above extract. 1t, however,
is sufficient. For the benefit of the SIN
which seems unaware of truths"
known all over the land, we will
state that the extract contains about
a dozen sentences, and they contain
about two dozen lies The editor of the
RepHbRicdR doubtless knew them to be
lies when he stated them or else he
knew nothing of what he was profess
ING to know. 1t is false that the MEM
bers of the Khan wished to violate the
law. The leaders of the order were men
OF the best character in their commune
ties. The editor of the Farmer and
Mechanic had as Jail companions an ex-
member of the Legislature, three cler-
gymen, half a dozen magistrates, sew
eral school-teachers, and a class of citi-
zens equal in morality and law-abiding
virtues. to any in Washington. While
in Albany p%enitcntiary, we worked at
the same toll with Rev. DR.. Ezell, of
Columbia, =. c., aud Trial Judge Brown
OF York, two old men of 64, whose
white hair had, and has, the veneration
OF all honorable men. 1t is false that
the Khan aimed to fog the darkey out of
any right or privilege. There were hun
dreds of negro leaders. in every county
who felt not the slightest tear of the
khan, because they knew that no one
would be troubled who lived honestly
and attended TO his own business. III
the Republican a show a single case
of a white or black man of good re-
pute" who was killed by the Khan, we
will confess hat a great wrong was
done and will lend oar efforts towards
doing justice to his memory. But there
were no such cases, and the Republican.
doubtless remembering its own incen-
diary teachings, by which the ignorant
blacks were melted to nightly b~urnings,
assaults, and crimes which appalled, the
world,-would fam shelter itself behind
the falsehoods which a lying and flying
c~arpetbaggcr concocted to harm a State
where he contrived to pick up more
money, offices, and clothes than ever he
had before, OF has had since.