Year: 1868




WASHINGTON, Sept. 11.-Messrs. William H.
Weisner Thomas A. Hamilton, and j. II. Agee, the
Tennessee Legislative Committee, waited upon the
President by appointment, this morning, aud pre-
sented the annexed address:


We have been appointed a Committee by the Legsla-
ture of Tennessee to wait upon you and place u before
you the present condition Of affairs in that state, and
urge upon you to take steps TO protection TO the law
abiding citizens the State under the provision OF the
Constitution OF the United States We address you
in the discharge Of the duty imposed us by the action
the Legislature of that State The first thing required
TO be done by place before yOu fully the present
condition OF affairs in Tennessee. To do this MI Presl-
dent, would take more time and space than consistent
with written communication prepared as this nee
essarily has been. We only touch upon
the more prominent affairs of State. First,
Mr.. President you aware that the Legislature Of
Tennessee has been called together in extra session. and
has not yet adjourned The main object In calling them
together by the Governor indicated In his message
that it might laws calling out troops for the pro
lection of the people against the secret organization
known as the "KuKlux Klan," which were deemed
necessary by his Exceency to suppress such Illegal asso
Citations That there is necessity for military protection
in portions OF that state the Legislature and Com
mtee fully concur That there is such organization
the KKluX Klan" is now beyond question by recent
public attention made by authority with the assent OF
distinguished general officer Lleut.Gen. Is. N Forrest
sOcaled Confederate states stated there
900 members OF this association in Tennessee As
the objects and purposes OF the organization they
only be by their acts and sayings while in their
their masks and ghosty uniforms they take out citizens
and kill them, by hanging, some by shooting, and
some by the and certain plan OF whipping.
and dsqaceully. IN parts Of the state they are
travelling at night as often as twice week, ana visiting
the houses OF Union and Federals, some OF whom
they kill Others they whip aud order from the country on
pain OF being killed II they do not leave while Others are





after thus being ordered to depart THIS IS carried on by
greater or less numbers according as me Objects 10 Dc
effected the particular night are OF greater or less
magnitude They rarely appear IN ther masks ana uni
forms in daylight II Is Ia the night when they mostly
shed. The most peaceable orderly, quiet, and we may
say the exemplary members OF the church. are not
exempt from their midnight visits aud are objects OF their
personal violence Instances are known where the most
orderly and pious men OF a neighborhoOd have been
waied from their slumbers and beaten by them for no
other reason than their political sentiments Muiuers
common. particularly among the eolored people,
against whom the Kan to have peculiar and mortal
hatred Many colored people have been whipped; some
Of them badly aud some until they have died from us
effects aud many OF them have been murdered for NO
other Oiense than their political opinions ana
sentiments Many people had hired or the year
engaged work for portion Of the crop, have been
compelled 10 leave their homes for their personal safety
and fly for their lives leaving their employers or their
crops and unless something done for their relief they
cannot go home and VIII Of course lose
future OF themselves and families In the class OF eases
shown there IS an excuse OF n bs oa ans SrGng
of cases where the kau take the case into their own





circumstances OF alleged pallaiion These are when
murder has been committed under circumstances OF ag
grayaon as IN the case OF young Bckwen in the County
OF Maury. He foully murdered. The guilty agent
arrested by the civil authorities lodged IN jail and
TO have been doubt to his guilt, but there
was no justification to those who hung him without trial
There some other cases where they have hung men
for an alleged crime These cases were mentioned for
the reason that We are sent mere TO place before your
These parties should be tried and punished according
the law IL s true in some Of these cases il is said aud
5 DcyOud
or doubt Assume this to be So as We cOncede 1t TO
be Ia some cases where they have hung the
ofenders 10 is the certain they Will be convicted
and punished These OF punishment for crimes
referred To by the friends Of the Order 10 justify Its
isence when they are assaed In newspapers or other
wise. We will further add that most, II not all the per
sons engaged IN these violations OF law and who belong
TO the kan far known enemies OF the Govern
mont during the late civil war; but able to state,
and do so with pleasure that many Of the Confederate
soldiers and officers, who fought CALAMITY during the
dsapproye of and condemn the Kan and its of
unproyoked violence We have thus far spoken Of the
acts Of this organization Their object they say. is to
overthrow the State Government Of the state OF Tennes
see. aud many o them declare ey are now as willing TO
fight the Government Of the United States as they
were at the commencement OF the Rebellion.
The more discreet ones OF them. however, do not
say " Government IN this connection but say " the
Yankees. Many Of them declare that the state govern
nent OF tennessee Is liesa' ana tne! nave legally
ght % resist, and even 90 Oyerturn IT, This Is not con
meu, hghin the estimation of those forming theate
called Confederate States Government Resistance To
the Government OF Tennessee and the laws passed by
her Legislature since the war; Is III the opinion OF the
Committee as criminal as to attempt TO overthrow or
resist the Government ana laws OF the state OF New York.
or any other state in the Union But il may be said the
Courts can punish these offenders and therefore 10
military force necessary. To this reply fact
No in Of the Counties IN Tennessee, rs far a We
have been able to ascertain has over been tried or pun
mentioned above, and 50 long as public opinion
remains IL is Will be, especially In those counties
where e order Ia numerous No person dare prosecute
for II he should his life would be endangered thereby
wonld bc murdered by the Klan" Indeed they tell pc6.
pie upon whom they nict violence that If they sGonld
know any of them and disclose, they VIII be killed with





prosecuted Hence the civ authorities are poweress
Again, should any have the courage and rmness 10
appear before the Grand Jures there
would be found. But few Of the Grand
Juries II is apprehended have none OF the kan' on
them Enough at least generally there 10 defeat an
Indictment As they 40 in masks, II Is not known who i
and defeat the laws. The committee will in this o0nuec
ton, state fact that when the present Legislature
met In regular session, IN October last hey were disposed
to be liberal eir ana enesssa S SroddSassor! %ary
the hope aud expectation that the promises male by
those who opposed TO them politically that soldiers
and say they were disappointed Tor no sooner was te
law repealed and the soldiers discharged, than tho
iSeT midnight travels and depredaons The present
condition OF affairs gwen above Is sustained by sworn
The Legislature of Tennessee of witnesses from various
counties that state and is corroborated by the per
history OF tho Tennessee troubles. We regret Mr. Presi
dent not being able TO furnish you with printed COPY OF
We left Nashville they were III the hahds OF
the printer aud we Tero unable @ 10 tTcGrrc one
which ia urge upon you 10 take steps to give protec-
ion 10 the awabidng citizens OF the State Of Tennessee
under the provisions OF the Constitution OF the United
states THIS respectfully do not because we be
rve as the Legislature and the Governor believe that
state unable to overcome by military force the OPP
position to State Government there and the kuknN
Ian punish the offenders, but because they (the
egsature and deem it better have Federal troops
aid In the enforcement OF the laws and suppress
INV riots nsuTecton that might be attempted or oe
,ur Federal troops preferred on another ground
hey have local personal likes dislkcs TO influence
hem 10 commit wrongs on peaceful citizens nor De SUD
ect themselves after discharge from service to wronGs
md outrages for being known IN the state military service
FnrIhcr Klhn" threaten TINT no more clettlOls