Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1905-12-22

AS the young German patriots of
1912 had organized the great struggle
for their liberties under the noses of
the garrisons of Napoleon, so Ben
Cameron had met the leaders Of his
race in Nashville. Tennessee, within
the picket lines of thirty-five thousand
hostile troops, and in the ruins Of an
old homestead discussed and adopted
the ritual of the Invisible Empire.
Within a few months this Empire
overspread a territory larger than
modern Europe. In the approaching
election it was reaching out its daring
white hands to tear the fruits of vic
tory from twenty million victorious
conquerors.
The triumph at which they aimed
was one of incredible grandeur. They
had risen to snatch power out of de-
feat and death. Under their clan-lead-
ership the southern people had sud-
denly developed the courage of the
lion, the cunning of the fox, and the
deathless faith Of religious enthusiasts.
Society was fused in the white heat
of one sublime thought and beat with
the pulse of the single will Of the
Grand Wizard of the Klan at Mem
phis.
Women and children had eyes and
saw not, ears and heard not. Over
four hundred thousand disguises for
men and horses were made by the wo-
men Of the south, and not one secret
ever passed their lips!
With magnificent audacity, infinite
patience, and remorseless zeal, con-
quered people were struggling TO turn
his own weapon against their conquer
or and beat his brains out with the
bludgeon he had placed in the hands of
their former slaves.
Behind the tragedy of Reconstruction
stood the remarkable man whose iron
will alone had driven these terrible
measures through the chaos Of passion.
corruption, and bewilderment which
followed the first assassination of an
American president. AS he learned from
his window in this village of the south
and watched in speechless rage the
struggle at that negro armory, he felt
for the first time the foundations sink
| ing beneath his feet. AS he saw the
black towards surrender in terror,
noted the indifference and cool def
ance with which those white horsemen
rode and shot, he knew that he had
collided with the ultimate force which
his whole scheme had overlooked,
He turned on his big club foot from
the window, clinched his fist, and NUT
tered:
But I'll hang that man for this deed
if it's the last act of my life!"
The morning brought dismay to the
negro. the carpet Dagger, and the seal
awag of Ulster. A peculiar freak of
weather in the early morning added to
their terror The sun rose clear and
bright except for a slight fog that
fioated from the river valley, increas-
ing the roar of the falls. About nine
o'clock, a huge black shadow suddenly
rushed over Piedmont from the west
and in a moment the town was shroud-
ed in twilight. The cries of birds
were hushed, and chickens went tc
roost as in a total eclipse Of the sun
Knots of people gathered on the streets
and gazed uneasily at the threatening
skies Hundreds of negroes began tc
sing and shout and pray, while sensi-
BILE people feared a cyclone or cloud
burst. A furious downpour of rair
was swiftly followed by sunshine, anc
the negroes rose from their knees
shouting with joy to find the end o
the world had after all been postponed
But that the end of their brief reig1
in a white mans land had come, bu
few of them doubted. The events o
the night were sufficiently eloquent