Rensselaer Union, Volume 3, Number 26, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 23 March 1871 — The Ku-Klux Outrages at the South. [ARTICLE]

The Ku-Klux Outrages at the South.

Tbe following la a synopsis- of the report Koently submitted to the Senate at Washington by the majority of the committee appointed to inquire into tiie alleged outrages at U» South. The committee state that they were directed by the resolution to ascertain whether the alleged crimes were committed by bands of a political character, anti whether and property arc tltheru States. The committee Siava •odnufd their labors principally to the State of North Carolina, from which they have examined S 3 witnesses 29 Republicans, 21 Democrats, two of no n, six members of the Ku-Klux, long some of the most prominent members of either party. The r< port gives the full history or the origin sml growth ol this organization which drat appeared iu Rome counties of the State rs early as 18r>7, and continues • It is not necessary to cite from the evidence to show that an organization itself secret, which, by the term 9 of its oath, excludes all members of other secret soclbtlej’ vrbose objects were to protect and preserve the Government of the Uuitcd States, is of a political character. What is that political character* The testimony is uniform that none but m< inhere of the Democratic or conservative party in the Statu of North Carolina join iu This being the case, the members and press of Ihe political party which, according to the testimony quoted, had forty thousand of its ad Inn nts enrolled in their j camps, would be, to say the least of it,

under great temptation to palliate their offenses or to withhold denunciations when crimes were charged against them The committee gave the names of ninety blacks, and forty-four whites in the comities of Lincoln, Alamance. Catawba, Craven, Caswell, Chatham, Jones, Orange, Rockingham, Rutherford, -Wake,and other ! counties, nearly all of whom were whipped, j and the remainder shot, disabled, hang< d, or driven from their homes. Besides these j specified cases of outrages, the testimony reicrs in gvncral terms to others committed fn other counties. It is stated that there is enough in a general confession to authoriz’ the belief that this organization, by whatever pretence men are induced to enter it, stopped at no me* ns however criminal to accomplish its purpose. The testimony quoted, almost without exception, estate* lishos that outrages perpetrated by these bands in disguise were inflicted upon members of the Republican party, white and colored, and in some instances the fact that they were of that party was given as a reason for punishment; in others, the alleged crime was a pretext; while in- some, such acts as keeping Sunday Schools for colored children were given as sufficient reason. In one instance negroes assumed the disguise of the Ku Klux to cover their crimes, but they were detected, convicted, and arc now in the penitentiary. Some witnesses also say that they have no doubt that the disguise was assumed iu other cases by bad men, nearly all of whom webe whipped, and the remainder shot, robbed, hanged-, or driven from their homes. Besides these specific cases of outrages, the testimony refers in general terms to others committed in other counties. This list of crimes suggests the question whether they were committed by : membersof the Ku Klux organization by j its direction or w ith its countenance. The testimony already quoted and referred to shows that in many instances of murders and whippings men were expressly voted upon in their meetings and executed by the. members. When it is remembered that a disclosure of their'secret proceedings incurs the penalty of death, and that all other secrets such "as involve the members in the guilt of assassination, murder and violence would be most sacredly guarded, it is remarkable, not that so little evidence has been procured bearing upon particular cases, but rather that any should have been elicited. The inquiry whether

persons and property are secure in the Slate, is considered in two aspects: One, Is the evil law adequate to protect those w rouged, and punish those who are guilty of these crunest- Second, To what extent does Ihisbrganization still exist and commit acts of violence ? Many persons, and eosne of those whose testimony is quoted, have stated that they believe that persons and property are as secure under the laws of North Carolina as under those of Massachusetts or Pennsylvania, with the exception of the outrages committed by the secret armed bauds of the Ku-Klux. The statement is true. To what extent that opinion is ’sustained as to these offenses, when it is shown that over one hundred crimes, Binging from murder to petty larceny, have been committed by members of an organization made up of the adherents of ope political party; and that in no one instance has there been conviction or punishment, must be left to the reader of the testimony herewith submitted. Under this state of facts, it is idle to say that in the past the victims of violence have been protected or the public safety assured by the vindication of law and the punishment of the guiity. The policy pursued by Gov. Holden in the exercise of power conferred on hint by law to secure the better protection of life and -property,’ and tlje conduct and character of the troops employed, and their officers, have been freely commented maiW'WUnett<.s;-nuJ while condemn td without exception by conserva trees, seems also to have created some division of sentiment among his political friends. Cruelties upon persons arc testiflad to as having beta inflicted by the officers, whieh, if true, cannot be too strongly reprobated. The officers deny them, and it Is to be observed that the witnesses w ho prove the most aggravated cases admit that they are members of the Ku-Klux organization.

Frederick X. Strudwick is a member.of the House of Representatives, whose name is invariably connected in the testimony with an alleged arrangement of a member of thiß order to assassinate Senator ShafFner, who introduced the resolutions of impeachment against Gov. Holden, and he is uow upon his trial before the Senate. With what feelings of apprehension the class of persons who have heretofore been the victims of lawless outrages in Alamance County look to the result of these proceedings will be better understood by giving the words of the citizens of the county than from any inferences of the committee. Mr. Strudwick says: To the question, to what do you attribute the occasion of these outrages ? Answer: Well, I attribute it to this, just waiting for an opportunity. The feeling there against loyal men has not abated. Question: Upon what do you base that statement? Answer: Upon statements made by parties who say that when certain things have transpired then they wili bring certain men to account. Question: What things? Answer: Whenever they have impeached the Governor of the State, and have convicted him and turned him out of office, and also the ' judiciary of the State, as they propose to | do, then they will take charge of men in ! my county. Question: Does that refer to the impeachment proceedings now pending ? Answer: Yes. sir. •* Question: Are the men who have made statements of this kind members of the, Ku Klux organisation? Answer : I do not know, or. rather I will modify that statement by saying that the men have told me that belong to it. The testimony taken on cross-examina-tion shows the existence of the Ku-Klux organization in Lenoir and Greene counties In April, 1809; that the death of IJJMritfOolgrovtj was yoted ia one of their

meetings, because he assisted to arrest otfk Hires, a member of that order, lie was murdered in pursuance of th.f decree, iu April, 1809. That Hines, with another meml cr of the order who was confined in the jail with him, were forcibly released from jail at Kinston by his fellow-mem-bers.

That such feeling* should l»e entertained will not l»e considered surprising when it is remembered that so far as the testimony taken .-hows the condition of the State, it is clearly established: Firs', that the Ku Klux organization does exist, has a political purpose, and is composed of the numbers of the Democratic or conservative party : that it has sought to carry out its purpose by murders, whipping, intimidations and violcnc; aginst its opponents. Second, that it not only blihas its members to carry out the decreed crimes, but protects them against conviction and punishment, lir-t by disguises and secrecy, and secondly by perjury if necessary upon the witness stun l and in the jury box. Third, tliat of all the offenders against the law in this order, and they must tie many hundreds, if not thousands, because their crimes are show n to be committed by organized bauds ranging from U n to seventytive—not one lias yet been convicted in the whole Blate. Such being the state < f affairs, it is surely not necessary that the committee should argue the insufficiency of the reason given for establishing an order which has led to such results. Whatever may luve been the original purpose"of the Ku-Klux, or of the offenses to counteract which thev allege that the order was established, it has now gone so far as to present issue between the government and anarchy, and if it has not reached, it is fast approaching, the" point where in that issue there can be no neutrals. With such an army of ciiminals at large, with no power in the State tribunals to bring them to justice, witli an organization, oaths and secrecy, baffling and defying all appliances of law, and bringing them to each other’s aid with the consciousness that they number enough to turn the scale of political power jp favor of the party with which they act, so long as their violence and intimidation arc succ 'ssfitl against those whom they oppose. With’ these faots in view he must have a credulous nature who believes timt any temporary lull in the activity of such an agency, at once a crime and a power, imparts continued security to those who must become either the victims of their crime or submissive suppliants to their power. The testimony taken covers a 1 irge number of counties of the State, but not all. The time intervening between the appointment of the committee and the close of the session has not enabled us to examine all the witnesses we have sum-moned,-and who were in attendance. The pendency of the impeachment trial at Raleigh has rendered it impossible to bring from there the Chief Justice and other witness whom we deemed it important to have before us, but the testimony of 60 many judicial officers of the State as we have taken can leave no doubt that, as against the violence of this Ku-K!ux organization, the authorities of the State cannot secure to its citizens life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

The resolutions do not charge the committee with the duty of examining into the power of the Congress to afford a rem- ! edy for so great a deprivation of their rights, suffered by 'the citizens of the United States under the government of a State; they have discharged their duty in reporting the facts, so far as their investigations have enabled them to do so; and, in the light of these facts, whether any and what remedy can be applied, must be left to the deliberation of the Congress to determine. In closing this report of the investigation thus far made, as to the outrages in North Carolina, it is proper to say that the largest latitude was allowed in the examination of the witnesses; that they were not confined in their statements by any technical laws of evidence; that no objection was made to any member of the committee examining upon any question that he had considered had any relation to the subject of inquiry-; and that consequently much testimony elicited may seem to be foreign to the question whether outrages were committed, and whether persons and properly are secure in the State. Of this class, particularly, is that relating | to the management of the railroads, ana the disposition of the State securities by ! railroad presidents. Where public men of ! either party have been reflected upon by ; the testimony, in this incidental way, it | was the design of the committee to call ; them, that they might have the benefit of ! their own statements in answer; but the | want of time, and other reasons already I stated have prevented our doing it. While engaged in prosecuting the inquiry as to North Carolina, many communications have been received calling for examination into outrages of a similar character to those complained of in that State which have been committed before and since the committee was organized, by bands of men in disguise iu other States. Complaint is made that within the last two weeks the capital of Kentucky was entered in the night by a body of men, armed and masked,’ who proceeded to the jail, took possession of it, set at liberty a man charged with murder, and then rode away unmolested. Shortly before that the jail at Union, South Carolina, was entered, and ten prisoners taken out and killed. Like complaints of murder, scourging and violence, without redress, and demands for investigations and the protection of the arm of the government against these lawless marauders have been forwarded from the States of South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, .Mississippi, Louisiana, Virginia, Kentucky, Texas and Tennessee. Into no'ne of these could the committee examine, considering it better to pursue our inquiry to completion if possible in one State, rather then take partial aud disjointed statements as to all, and leaving to (he Senate the determination whether the public interests require this investigation to be pursued further. Respectfully sub mit'.ed. [Signed]. Jno. Scott. Z. Chandler. Henry Wilson. Benj. F. Rice. Jas. W. Nye.

They have in Jackson, Tenn., a society of young men called the “Broom-corn Serenade rs.” They array themselves in a calico or homespun dress, and by moonlight call upon such young ladies as are known to be averse to domestic work, quietly sweep out the porch, gallery, hall, etc., to appropriate music, and then retire, carrying their brooms proudly in the air, waving like the banners of a victorious army. When a young lady so visited acknowledges the error of her ways, the serenaders return in a procession headed by music, each one dressed as before, bearing a home-made broom, and in the centre a large, highly-ornamented broom, with a suitable motto carved upon it, s and after marching around the house they array themselves before the front door, ana, with great ceremony and a suitable poem, present said young lady with the ornamented broom. And then, amid cheers, < congratulatory sentiments, songs, and music, they retire, waving their brooms and shouting hosannas. ' A New Orleans merchant, who failed to receive a case of dress patterns consigned to him, made diligent inquiry, and finally, by means of the receipts given by an undertaker, ascertained that it had been received by him, and carefully buried with funeral honors, lie supposing the,box contained the mortal remains of a man who had died in another State, and which he wa* notified would come by the same train.