The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1905-09-15

law, he was arrested and put in
Jail. He really had had no con-
nectlon with any outrages, and
there was nothing against him
but his own boaStful declarations,
and he was released upon the
filing of affidavits by his family
and friends that he was such a
liar that he could not be believed!
This case illustrates the effect
produced upon the more foolish
part of the community. The more
Judlcious looked with grave ap-
prehension upon the unloosening
OF monster which threatened
the very existence of organized
society. There is reason to be-
lleve that in the beginning the
klan was under the control of
men of good standing, who be-
lieved that they could direct it's
energies towards the accomplish
ment of public purposes bcne-
ticial to the community. Suisse
quent developments disclosed the
names of those who were at the
head of the Klans that were
broken up, but | do not think
that there were any that could
be fairly called leaders in the
State.
If they had been men of real
ability and foresight they would
have foreseen that it is in the
very nature of secret societies.
engaged in lawless operations, to
fall under the control of the most
violent and most reckless, and
that in fashioning an instrument
of such tremendous potentialities
for mischief, there was danger
of great abuses.
What might naturally be eX-
pected to happen did happen
for some months there was pam
demonium. Bands of ruffians in
disguise rode about the country
at night committing nameless
crimes. To what extent the
regularly organized ku KluX
klans were engaged in this work
of murder and terrorism it is i'm
possible to say, for it was easy
to assume the name and disguise
for the purpose of wreaking pri-
vate vengeances or for other
vicious objects.
Mr.. Reverdy Johnson, who de-
Tended the Ku Klux prisoners
that were brought to trial in the
following December, thus refers
to these outrages:
but Mr.. Attorney General has
remarked, and would have you
suppose, that my friend and
myself are here to defend, justify
or to palliate the outrages that
have been perpetrated in your
State by this association of Ku
KluX. He makes a great mistake
as to both of us. | have listened
with unmixed horror to some of
the testimony which has been
brought before you. The out
RACES proved are shocking to hu-
manity; they admit of no excuse
or justification; they violate every
obligation which law and nature
imposes upon men; they show
that the parties engaged were
brutes, insensible to the obliga-
tiOnS of humanity. The daV will
come, however, if it has not al
ready arrived, when they will
deeply lament it. Even if justice
shall not overtake them, there is
one tribunal from which there is
no escape. 1t is their own judg-
ment, that tribunal which sits in
the breast of every living man
that small, still voice that thrills
through the heart, the soul of
the mind, and as it speaks, gives
happiness or torture-the voice
of conscience, the voice of God.
If it has not already spoken tc
them in tones which have startled
them to the enormity of theil
conduct, / trust in the mercy OF
Heaven that that voice will speak
before they shall be called above
to account for the transactions
of this world; that it will so speal
as to make them penitent; ano
that, trusting in the dispense.
tions of Heaven, whose justice
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