The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1886-10-06
WHAT TIE KuKLUX DID,

here, away from the promenaders, / lis
tened last night to n passionate, earnest
justification of kukluxism in Louisiana
and othor Southern States. The story
of wrong and outrages, The violation,
ruthless and rough, of all that men hold
most dear and sacred, as it came pouring
in burning words from the lips of one Of
Now Orleans most eloquent divines was
III striking contrast to the perfect peace
The moon was shining with briliancy
seen only in Southern climcs, and the
clearly defined mountains were patched
with alternate light and shadow as the
clouds drifted by. The conversation had
dr'fted on Southern topics, and as the
preacher, whose faith is firm belief in
the fathcrhood of God and the brother
hood of man, warmed with his subject
his physical ills for the time were for
gotten, and the mentality that has stirred
many congregation with its fire burned
and glowed like molten iron. "Was
kukluxism justifiablc?" he said, in answer
t0 9 question. eyes, sir, and if the doc
trine that "the end iustities the means
was ever correct, it was during the reign
of terrorism in the Southern States when
Rukluxism was rampant. Remember,
sir, that at the close of the war and dur
ing the Reconstruction period the white
men in tho South were disarmed, and it
was penal oflcnse for them to hsve fire
arms i'll their homes. Tho negroes, how
ever, were armed; our streets and high
ways were patrollcd by ncgr, soldicry,
who were but II set of barbarans and
sGvages, worse than are the savagcs to-
day iii the interior of Africa. 1t got so
that Il white woman dare not cross the
| ih nj pf Loot cl, |,
saultcd by one Of these brutes, while
white mcu had to abandon the roads to
the negroes and make their across the
field as best they might 70 appeal to
the law was useless, for the Judges were
carpct-baggers and sustained the negroes.
cit was this state Of affairs, when we
saw our civilization, and all the rights
and privileges OF society being swept
away, and our dear ones exposed to
fate worse than death, that gave birth to
ku!luXism. preservation is fun
mental law, and recognizing that ma Int
but heroic measures would Qucll the
growing evil, the white men quietly or
ganizcd, and in armed bodies began the
redress OF the wrongs from which they
were suffering. DO not imagine that the
kukluX were recuitcd from the criminal
classes. Such | know is the prevalent
Northern idea, but it is absolutely false.
The members of the X. is. *. were gen
tlcmcn Of fine education, struggling
manfully to retain and sustain their man
hood, and give to their children as u
heritage Of the war n higher civilization
than perhaps they themselves had en-
joycd. In many instances that was the
only legacy they had to give, for all else
had been swept away in the storm of
| ,I, cl,,1 L.. G.,
[ been sweeping over the land"
GLOW did the bands work?"
Negroes, like sheep, require lead
ear, aud the bands quietly noted the
leaders and where they lived. AT nights
they visited their cabins, and called the
men out. The most brutal were either
shot or hung; others thoroughly whipped
and ordered to leave the country. In
this way n reign of terror was created
among the negroes, and the white men
gained control. Why, sir, even the
Federal troops that We're sent down to
suppress kukluxism refused in many in
stances to interfere, and in somc cases
actually aided. They knew that it was
not n condition of crime and anarchy,
but necessity born of negro insolence
gpd intolerance"
"What ebont the Ford Murphy muir
der in New Orleans2"
"New Orleans is and has been since
tho days of Yarmouth cursed by ring
rule. The spectacle of Judge adjourn
ing his court and deliberately going out
and shooting II man to death as one
would wild beast was simply disgrace
full, and is n blot on the fair fame of the
Queen City that will not soon be cffaced.
The ring did all in its power to save the
murderers, and perhaps would have sue
ceeded had it not been for the efforts of
the Rev. II. A, Holland, of Trinity
Church. He not only published letter
after letter in the Picayune, demanding
their punishment, bnt also publicly and
from his pulpit demanded their execu.
ton His life was frequently threatened
by members of the ring, but he perse-
vered and won. Had those men been
peraoned they would have been lynched
within twenty. four hours. So determined
wealthiest in New Orleans, TO rid the
organized secretly for the purpose OF
members of this band were numbered
some OF tho most respected citizens of
New Orleans, and their counsel was their
pastor. In many respects the R9V, II.
A. Holland is remarkable man. He is
a Kentuckian by birth, and although of
small physique, is all pluck, and does
not hesitate to raise his voice in denun-
citation of wropg-doing and in favor of q
higher civilization. From his pulpit he
fought the fraud in the exposition man
aGement, and alone was the meaps of
stopping the bull fighting on the exposi-
, tion orrounda. You NAV know how de-
voted he is to principle when tell you
tho men he fought in the exposition
were among the wealthiest members OF
his church. He ie strongly intellectual,
! end has most pronounced views, which
he meyer hesitates to express.
: s.--A cooper in Exeter, Capada, built d
large tank in the shop and then had TO
, tear down the whole front of the shop
, tefore he could get It out.