Year: 1870

We invite particular attention to the Card
below of James E. Boyd, Esq. Mr. Boyd is a
young lawyer of standing and character in Ala
nance County, and his statements may be
relied on:


GRAHAM, N. c., July Doth, 1870.


To the People of North Carolina:


As matter Of selfdefence, and in conse-
quence of reports and publications which have
been circulated within the last few DAYS, have
felt it my duty to take this method of explain
ing the position which l have occupied and do
now occupy in regard to matters now directly
before the people of this State As has been
heretofore made known through the public press,
l was on Friday, the 18th instant, arrested by
Lieut.. Col. Burgen, Of Col. Kinks regiment of
North Carolina State Troops, by order of the
Governor of the State. l was detained in Gus
tody from the time of my arrest until the
Wednesday following, when owing to the condi-
tion of my family, my wife being at the time
quite unwell and her condition rendered pre-
carious on account of her distress of mind occa-
stoned by my arrest, and through the influence
of prominent Republican, was brought before
the Governor at Raleigh, and permitted to give
surety for my appearance when required After
my release, Ireturned to my county, (Alamance J
intending to continue my canvass as the Demo-
cratic candidate for the House of Representatives
l found, upon my return there as such candidate,
would have to carry the Ku Klux Klan upon
my shoulders. This l had not the impudence
or disposition to attempt to do, and at the first
gathering after my return, several prominent
citizens, members of the Conservative party,
came out openly and avowed that they were
membe,s of this organization, and called aloud
for its dissolution then took the opportunity
to confess that had been a member of this
same organization. 1 hailed with delight an
opportunity to publicly dissolve my connection
with an organization which 1 had Joined under
a total misapprehension of its designs, and from
which had privately cut loose shortly after
was initiated was initiated into the organi-
zation known to the members thereof as the
"White Brotherhood" in the month of Novem-
ber, 1868. At the time was informed that this
organization was in the interests of the Conser-
vative party, and intended to defeat entirely the
reconstruction acts, and to deprive the negro of
all privileges as citizen in this country, and in
the obligation was section which bound the
members thereof never to support any man for
office who was in favor of the civil or political
advancement of the colored race. Twas also in
formed at the time that Andrew johnson of
Tennessee, then President of the United States,
was the grand head centre Of the organization
in the United States. There had been no out
RACES committed in my county by this organiza-
ton prsvious to the time l became a member
shortly afterwards some whipping was done and
other demonstrations made by the organization,
which did not agree with my feelings. imme-
diately put my foot upon it as far as possibly
could. occupying the position which did. 1
made no public exposition of it at that time for
the reason that my life would not have been safe
for one moment, if l had l made it my bust
ness to know nothing of its operations and pro-