The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1916-11-24
The Ku-Klux Klan
By S. S. LNDER, Memb of William
Union S C,
Ouo0oooooC

The Ku-kux Klan was the title of
secret organization, which existed
after the close of the War Between the
States, from 1866 to 1872.
1t first became known as an active
organization in Tennessee in 1867
when Gen. n. B. Forrest was the
originator, and they had used the ku-
kluX to suppress the impudent and
obStreperouS negroes who had begun
to be abusive to the white people and
committing crimes and depredations;
the governor of the State, VIM. G..
Brownlow, called upon the United
States military authorities to suppress
violence and public disturbance in the
State, which were traced to this or
ganization.
At the close of the war various So
cieties of a political character were
formed in the States of Alabama, Mis-
sissippi, Arkansas, Georgia, Kentucky,
North and South Carolina, Tennessee
and Texas, under the names of the
Knights of the White Camelia, White
Brotherhood, Constitutional Union
Guards, Pale Faces, Invisible Empires,
Invisible Circle, etc, all Of which were
eventually lost in the broader scope
and more powerful and permanent in
tluence of the ku-KluX klan.
The Southern people had to have
some form of secret society to COM
bat the aggressive influence through
the efforts of the carpet-baggers and
scalaways, socalled radical leaders, in
triguing in the interest sof the per-
petuation of the power of the Repub-
lcan party in the Southern States, and
throughout the action of the 14th and
18th amendments to the constitution
of the United States the Southern
white people were endangered in their
homes and its social relations, the
emancipated blacks being considered
in the light of a race angered by long
and bitter servitude, now armed and
equipped by law and public sentimen,
OF the carpetbaggers. and only wait
ing opportunity for an uprising and
to grasp the balance of power among
the high spirited people to whom they
had been slaves for more than two
centuries, but in justice to some of the
colored people many of them were
trusty and faithful to their old mas
terS and miStreSSeS.
The oath taken by member of the
Ku-Klux is as follows: 81, (name)
before the great immaculate Judge of
Heaven and Earth, and upon the holy
evangelists of Almighty God, do, of
my own free will and accord, sub
scribe to the following sacred, bind
ing obligations: 1st. | am on the
side of justice and humanity and con-
stitutional liberty, as bequeathed to
us by our forefathers. 2nd. re iect
and oppose the principles of the Rad
ical party. Sd. / pledge aid to a
brother of the Ku-kluX Klan in sick
ness, distress or pecuniary cmbarrass-
ment. Females, friends, widows and
their households shall he the special
object of my care and protection.
4th. Should | ever divulge, or cause
to be divulged, any Of the secrets of
this order, or any of the foregoing OBJ
legations, / must meet with the fear
full punishment Of death. and traitors
doom, which is death, death, death at
the hands of the brethren" These ob-
legations were faithfully carried out
ard disobediencc of the orders of the
chiefs of the Klan was actually Wis
tied with death. The members of the
order were obliged to deny their mem
bership, even when answering as wit
nesses in a court of law, and were
obligated to clear each other by their
testimony in such cases or when act
ing as Jurors.
Tis said that at one time there wcro
i5O 600 membors of thc Ku-Klpv Klan
in the Southern States Of which num-
ber 40 600 are said 70 have been in
Tennessee