The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1888-06-01

lection it afforded them in the most trying
and perilous period of their existence,
when there was no other earthly source TO
which TO appeal.
One or two illustrations may he here
given of the methods rcsored TO TO play
upon the superstitious fears of the ne
groes and others. At the parade in Pu-
/ laSli, while the procession was passing
| corner on which negro man was stand
1 ing, tall horscman in hideous gUrb turned
aside from the line, dsmountcd and
stretched out his bride rein toward the
negro rs il he desired him to hold his
/ horse. Not daring 10 refuse, the frightened
| African extended his hand to grasp the
| rein, AS he did 40 the kukluN took his
/ own head from his shoulders and offered
/ 20 place that also in the outstretched hand.
/ The negro stood not upon the order OF his
going, but departed with n yell Of terror.
To this day he will tell you, Gle done il,
suah, boss, | seed him do it," The gown
/ was fastened by n daw-string; over this
was worn skull. This, with the hat,
could be readily removed, and the man
would appear 10 bc hcadlcss. This and
many other tricks Including specially im-
| ported iircWorks) gave rise TO the belief
| among the negroes still prevalent among
them that the kuklux could take them
/ selves all to pieces whenever they want
| cd 10.
HUKLUN TACTICS.
Some Of the kullux carried skeleton
! hands, with what effect when grippod can
! be- readily imagined. trick OF frequent
! preparation was for u horscmau, spectral
and ghastly looking, 10 stop before the
| cabin of some turbulent negro and call for
a bucket Of water. The dippcr was de.
clincd and the whole bucket demanded.
! As il consumed by raging thirst the horse.
man graspcd Il and pressed Il TO his lips.
lie held il there I'LL every d;op of water
was poured into an oil bag contained be-
meath the kukluN robe. Then the empty
bucket was returned To the amazed negro
| with the remark, "Thut is good. II is the
| iirst drink OF water have had since | was
! killed at SHILOH Then few words Of
counsel as to future behavior made an i'm
preston not easily forgotten or likely TO be
| disrcgardcd.
In the winter and spring OF lSG7anl 1868
many things were done 10y members or
| proicsscd members OF the klan which were
the subjects Of universal regret aud CON
demnation; and occasion, long sought for,
was given It, enemies tn petition the inter
vcniion Of the government TO suppress 1t.
The end came rapidly.
THE DOWNFALL.
| We must now try and trace the causes
which wrought the decay aud downfall OF
the Invisible Empire"
The order contained within ITSELF by
reason Of the methods pmcticcd. sources
Of weakness The devices and dcviscs by
which the klan mystihcd outsiders, cna.
blyd ali who wcrc N disposed 10 prncl &c
deception on the khan itself. II placed in
the hands oi it, own members the facility
a. do deeds oi violence for the qualification
OF personal feeling, AMI have them credited
to the kau, aud deeds OF violence were
done 10y men who were kukluN, but who,
acting under cover Of their connections
with thc Khan, were not under IT, orders.
| hut because these men were kukluN, the
Khan had Ia bear the odium Of their wrong
doing. Ia addition To this, the ycry class
which the Khan proposed In hold In check
and awe into good behavior, soon became
wholly unmanngcablc.
Those base white mon who had formerly
committed doprcdntions 10 bo laid TO the
charge Of the turbulent negroes, after a
brici interval Of good behavior, assumed
the guisc Of kukluN and returned 10 their
old ways, but with less boldncss aud more
caution, showing the sllutnry expression
which the khan had made upon them. In
some eases the negroes played kuklux.
OuiugCs were committed by masked men
in regions far remote from any kukluX
organization. The parties engaged took
pains To assert that they were kuklnx,
which the members Vi the khan never did.
TnE REACTION.
Al. Il L.. Il 4
terror which the Kan had inspired 10 some
extent wore oil feeling II intense hos
| iilty towards the kukluN followed. This
feeling was the more bitter because
founded. no, on overt acts which the ku
klux had done but on vague fcan aud sur
misses ~ to what they intended Ia de-.
Those who entertained such fears were in
some cases impcllcd by them Ia become
the aggrcsor. They attacked the ku.
klux before receiving from them any
proyocaiion. The negroes formed bands
Of military character. with the ayowcd
purpose 'oi making war upon aud cx-
terminating the kukluS Khan" In some
places tho state Of ihngs was little short oi
open warfare Zach party felt that IL
cause was n Just one. Zach justified its
deeds by the proyocniion.
Matters grew Wonc and worse, iill II
was imperative that there should be- inter.
ference ON the part VI thC government Of
the United States.
IN September, 1868 the Legislature oi
Tennessee. IN obedience 10 the call Ol Gov.
Bfownsl1w assembled In extra session and
passed most stringent and anti.kuklnN
statute, aud the other States Of the late
Conicdcmcy followed suit with cnactmont-
Of similar severity.
Ia some States perfect reign Of terror
followed these anti.kuklux statutes. The
members Of the kuklux were now IN the
attitude Of men fighting for life and lib.
crty. Thousands Of them were not law.
breakers and did not desire a. be-, but they
were placed In position that gave them
no hope cxccp. on terms which, 10 men ui
honor and right principle, were more
odious than death.
TuE DisnANbNENr.
On the 20ih day Of February, 1869, Gov.
Brownlow resigned his position M Gov.
crnor oi the State IT Tennessee 10 take his
scat In the United States Senate In a
short while his resignation was followed
by proclamation from "Ihe Grand Wiz.
ard Of the Invisible Empire 10 his sub
jcCts
This proclamation fccitcd the logisla.
ton directed against the Khan and stated
that the order had now In large meas
urc accomplished the 0biJcts 81 its Cx'
. istence. A. time when the civil law ~
iordcd inadequate protection 10 life and
property throughout the south, when rob
. berry aud lawlcHsnc-s were unrrbukcd,
, when all the better elements OF society