Year: 1870

= SALISBURY, July 10, 1S70.-The ex-
element among the people of North
Carolina at this time over the mill
tary movement of Governor Holden
is quite alarming. The movement
has been inaugurated by the Gov
ernor without the shadow of authori-
ty and without the slightest necessity.
The movement is justified, however,
on the part of the Governor, on the
ground that it is necessary ia order to
arrest and punish Ku-Klux and stop
laWIessness, etc. Yet there is no re-
sistance to the officers of the law in
any county in the State. Our courts
are open and untrammeled in their
adjudication of all matters coming
under their jurisdiction There IS
not a sheriff in the State who may
not arrest and commit or secure any
known criminal in their respective
counties; so that the Governors ex-
cuse for aTming the militia is believed
to be, by the best, most prudent and
laW-abiding citizens, utterly untena-
bic, if not the merest subterfuge.


The body Of troops he has thus far
succeeded in getting together is com
posed of the worst class of our pOpu.
latiOn. The vagrants, the vagabOnds,
the cut-thrOats and rOWdies of the
mountain districts have been col
lected and placed under command of
one Col. Kirk, a man of notorious
character. On last Friday evening
Kinks battalion arrived in this place
from the mountains en- route for Ra-
leigh. We hear of many Outrages
committed by them on peaceful and
unOffending citizens while on their
way to this point; but an outrage
committed by them here, and the
language of their commander, will
give you some idea of their animus
and character. While supper was
being served at the Mansion Hotel, a
number of this command, who were
promenading the pavement in front
of the dining room, began to fire off
their pistols and carbines, eXclaim-
ing, as they did it, "They are firing
into us! that shot came from the
dining rOomw and Immediately they
rushed to the doors and windows of
the dining room, with their guns and
pistols cooked, sabres drawn and
leveled upon the unoffending and
unarmed ladies and gentlemen
sitting around the table. A general
stampede ensued, of course, and the
dining-rOom was soon cleared. In the
crowd who INDUCED in this pastime
was a lieutenant colonel. Kirk soon
made his appearance, and although
not citizen had fired a gun or offered
the least resistance to a single one of
the militia, they insisted that they
had been fired upon, and it was with
officially that a number of respectable
and intelligent citizens who had wit
messed the whole affair were enabled
to satisfy Kirk that not gun had
been fred except by his own men;
yet he did not rebuke them for this
disgraceful and unsOldierly act, but
drew himself up and haughtily ex-
claimed: 4" If a gun is fred into my
men tonight l viii not leave q house
in this town; / will burn every one
TO the groundW This is the character
of the men Holden has got together
to keep the peace and to protect the
lives and property Of the people of
North Carolina against the Ku-kluX.
Further comment is not necessary.


With such a man as Holden for
Governor, and such militia under him
to do his bidding, the more quiet pOr-
ton of our people are greatly alarmed
lest fearful conflicts will be precipi-
tated upon the State, if it does not,
indeed, assume the character of that
most to be dreaded of all evils, civil
war. The excitement in some places
is already too great, and the conduct
Of the troops is intended to increase
it. Our people would much rather
have Federal troops if they must have
them at all. But there is really no
earthly need of troops. Our people
are quiet and law-abiding. In some
localities Outrages have been perpe-
trated; these are denounced by all
good men; but they have not been
confined to any particular party, and
are, in fact, not more common than
in other States.