Chapter 5

THE DECLINE.

For a while after the reorganization of the Klan, those concerned for its welfare and right conduct congratulated themselves that all was now well. Closer organization and stricter official supervision had a restraining influence upon the members. Many things seemed to indicate that the future work of the Klan would be wholly good.

These hopes were rudely shattered. Ere long official supervision grew less rigid or was less regarded. The membership was steadily increasing. Among the new material added were some bad men who could not be--at least were not--controlled.

In the winter and spring of 1867 and 1868 many things were done by members, or professed members, of the Klan, which were the subject of universal regret and condemnation. In many ways the grave censure of those who had hitherto been friendly to it was evoked against the Klan, and occasion, long sought for, was given its enemies to petition the intervention of the government to suppress it. The end came rapidly. We must now trace the causes which wrought the decay and downfall of the "Invisible Empire."

In regard to the doings of the Ku Klux two extreme positions have been advocated. On the one hand, it is asserted that the Ku Klux committed no outrages. On the other, that they were the authors of all the depredations committed by masked and disguised men in the Southern States from 1865 to 1869. The truth lies between these two extremes. Great outrages were committed by bands of disguised men during those years of lawlessness and oppression. And the fact must be admitted that some of these outrages were committed, if not by the order and approbation of the Klan, at least by men who were members of it.[47]

The thoughtful reader will readily understand how this came about.

There was a cause which naturally and almost necessarily produced the result. Men of the character of the majority of those who composed the Klan do not disregard their own professed principles and violate self-assumed obligations without cause. We have seen that the Klan was in the main composed of the very best men in the country--peaceable, law-loving and law-abiding men--men of good habits and character--men of property and intelligence.

We have seen that the organization had no political significance; they expressly and in solemn secret compact declared their allegiance to the constitution and all constitutional laws, and pledged themselves to aid in the administration of all such laws. To see such men defying law and creating disorder, is a sight singular enough to awake inquiry as to the causes which had been at work upon them. The transformation of the Ku Klux Klan, from a band of regulators, honestly trying to preserve peace and order, into the body of desperate men who, in 1869, convulsed the country and set at defiance the mandates of both State and Federal governments, is greater than the transformation which we have already traced.

In both cases there were causes at work adequate to the results produced; causes from which, as remarked before, the results followed naturally and necessarily.

These have never been fully and fairly stated. They may be classed under three general heads: (1). Unjust charges. (2). Misapprehension of the nature and objects of the order on the part of those not members of it. (3). Unwise and over-severe legislation.

As has already been pointed out, the order contained within itself, by reason of the methods practiced, sources of weakness. The devices and disguises by which the Klan deceived outsiders enabled all who were so disposed, even its own members, to practice deception on the Klan itself. It placed in the hands of its own members the facility to do deeds of violence for the gratification of personal feeling, and have them credited to the Klan. To evilly-disposed men membership in the Klan was an inducement to wrongdoing. It presented to all men a dangerous temptation, which, in certain contingencies at any time likely to arise, it required a considerable amount of moral robustness to resist. Many did not withstand it. And deeds of violence were done by men who were Ku Klux, but who, while acting under cover of their connection with the Klan, were not under its orders. But because these men were Ku Klux, the Klan had to bear the odium of wrongdoing.[48]

In addition to this, the very class which the Klan proposed to hold in check and awe into good behavior, soon became wholly unmanageable. Those who had formerly committed depredations to be laid to the charge of the negroes, after a brief interval of good behavior, assumed the guise of Ku Klux and returned to their old ways, but with less boldness and more caution, showing the salutary impression which the Klan had made upon them. In some cases the negroes played Ku Klux. Outrages were committed by masked men in regions far remote from any Ku Klux organizations. The parties engaged took pains to assert that they were Ku Klux, _which the members of the Klan never did_. This was evidence that these parties were simply aping Ku Klux disguises. The proof on this point is ample and clear. After the passage of the Anti Ku Klux Statute by the State of Tennessee, several instances occurred of parties being arrested in Ku Klux disguises; but in every instance they proved to be either negroes or "radical" Brownlow Republicans. This occurred so often that the statute was allowed by the party in power to become a dead letter before its repeal. It bore too hard on "loyal" men when enforced.

The same thing occurred in Georgia and other States. (See testimony of General Gordon and others before the Investigating Committee.)

_No single instance occurred of the arrest of a masked man who proved to be--when stripped of his disguises--a Ku Klux._

But it came to pass that all the disorder done in the country was charged upon the Ku Klux, because done under disguises which they had invented and used. The Klan had no way in which to disprove or refute the charges. They felt that it was hard to be charged with violence of which they were innocent. At the same time they felt that it was natural, and, under the circumstances, not wholly unjust that this should be the case. They had assumed the office of Regulators. It was therefore due society, due themselves, and due the Government, which, so far, had not molested them, that they should, at least, not afford the lawless classes facilities for the commission of excesses greater than any they had hitherto indulged in, and above all, that they should restrain their own members from lawlessness.

The Klan felt all this; and in its efforts to relieve itself of the stigma thus incurred, it acted in some cases against the offending parties with a severity well merited, no doubt, but unjustifiable.[49] As is frequently the case they were carried beyond the limits of prudence and right by a hot zeal for self-vindication against unjust aspersions.

They felt that the charge of wrong was unfairly brought against them. To clear themselves of the charge they did worse wrong than that alleged against them.

The Klan from the first shrouded itself in deepest mystery; out of this fact grew trouble not at first apprehended. They wished people not to understand. They tried to keep them profoundly ignorant. The result was that the Klan and its objects were wholly misunderstood and misinterpreted. Many who joined the Klan and many who did not, were certain it contemplated something far more important than its overt acts gave evidence of. Some were sure it meant treason and revolution. The negroes and the whites whose consciences made them the subjects of guilty fears, were sure it boded no good to them.

When the first impressions of awe and terror which the Klan had inspired, to some extent, wore off, a feeling of intense hostility towards the Ku Klux followed. This feeling was the more bitter because founded, not on overt acts which the Ku Klux had done, but on vague fears and surmises as to what they intended to do. Those who entertained such fears were in some cases impelled by them to become the aggressors. They attacked the Ku Klux before receiving from them any provocation. The negroes formed organizations of a military character and drilled by night, and even appeared in the day armed and threatening. The avowed purpose of these organizations was "to make war upon and exterminate the Ku Klux." On several occasions the Klan was fired into. The effect of such attacks was to provoke counter hostility from the Klan, and so there was irritation and counter-irritation, till, in some places, the state of things was little short of open warfare. In some respects it was worse; the parties wholly misunderstood each other. Each party felt that its cause was the just one. Each justified its deed by the provocation.

The Ku Klux, intending wrong, as they believed, to no one, were aggrieved that acts which they had not done should be charged to them; and motives which they did not entertain imputed to them and outraged that they should be molested and assaulted. The other party satisfied that they were acting in self-defense felt fully justified in assaulting them, and so each goaded the other on from one degree of exasperation to another.

The following extracts from a general order of the Grand Dragon of the Realm of Tennessee will illustrate the operation of both these causes. It was issued in the fall of the year 1868. It shows what were the principles and objects which the Klan still professed, and it also shows how it was being forced away from them:

HEADQUARTERS REALM NO. 1,} DREADFUL ERA, BLACK EPOCH,}

DREADFUL HOUR.}

_General Order No. 1._

WHEREAS, Information of an authentic character has reached these headquarters that the blacks in the counties of Marshall, Maury, Giles and Lawrence are organized into military companies, with the avowed purpose to make war upon and exterminate the Ku Klux Klan, said blacks are hereby solemnly warned and ordered to desist from further action in such organizations, if they exist.

The G. D. [Grand Dragon] regrets the necessity of such an order. But this Klan shall not be outraged and interfered with by lawless negroes and meaner white men, who do not and never have understood our purposes.

In the first place this Klan is not an institution of violence, lawlessness and cruelty; it is not lawless; it is not aggressive; it is not military; it is not revolutionary.

It is, essentially, originally and inherently a protective organization. It proposes to execute law instead of resisting it; and to protect all good men, whether white or black, from the outrages and atrocities of bad men of both colors, who have been for the past three years a terror to society, and an injury to us all.

The blacks seem to be impressed with the belief that this Klan is especially their enemy. We are not the enemy of the blacks, as long as they behave themselves, make no threats upon us, and do not attack or interfere with us.

But if they make war upon us they must abide the awful retribution that will follow.

This Klan, while in its peaceful movements, and disturbing no one, has been fired into three times. This will not be endured any longer; and if it occurs again, and the parties be discovered, a remorseless vengeance will be wreaked upon them.

We reiterate that we are for peace and law and order. No man, white or black, shall be molested for his political sentiments. This Klan is not a political party; it is not a military party; it is a protective organization, and will never use violence except in resisting violence.

Outrages have been perpetrated by irresponsible parties in the name of this Klan. Should such parties be apprehended, they will be dealt with in a manner to insure us future exemption from such imposition. These impostors have, in some instances, whipped negroes. This is wrong! wrong! It is denounced by this Klan as it must be by all good and humane men.

The Klan now, as in the past, is prohibited from doing such things. We are striving to protect all good, peaceful, well-disposed and law-abiding men, whether white or black.

The G. D. deems this order due to the public, due to the Klan, and due to those who are misguided and misinformed. We, therefore, request that all newspapers who are friendly to law, and peace, and the public welfare, will publish the same.

By order of the G. D., Realm No. 1. By the Grand Scribe.

This order doubtless expresses the principles which the Klan, as a body, was honestly trying to maintain. It also illustrates how they were driven to violate them by the very earnestness and vehemence with which they attempted to maintain them.

The question naturally arises, Why, under the embarrassing circumstances, did not the Klan disband and close its operations?[50] The answer is, that the members felt that there was now more reasons than ever for the Klan's existence. They felt that they ought not to abandon their important and needful work because they encountered unforeseen difficulties in accomplishing it. It is an illustration of the fatuity which sometimes marks the lives of men that they did not perceive what seems perfectly clear and plain to others. Nothing is more certain than that a part of the evils which the Klan was combating at this period of its history grew out of their own methods, and might be expected to continue as long as the Klan existed. Men are not always wise. But even in cases where their conduct does not permit of vindication and excuse, justice requires that a fair and truthful statement be made of the temptations and embarrassments which surrounded them. Placing all the circumstances before us fully, who of us is prepared to say that we would have acted with more wisdom and discretion than these men?

Matters grew worse and worse, till it was imperatively necessary that there should be interference on the part of the Government. In September, 1868, the Legislature of Tennessee, in obedience to the call of Governor Brownlow, assembled in extra session and passed a most stringent and bloody anti-Ku Klux statute.[51] This was the culmination of a long series of the most infamous legislations which ever disgraced a statute book.

It began in 1865, as we have seen, in the passage of the alien and sedition act, and grew worse and worse till the passage of the anti-Ku Klux statute in 1868. Sixteen years have passed since then, and many into whose hands this book will come have never seen the "Anti-Ku Klux Law." We quote it entire, to show the character of the legislation of those times as well as for the sake of its bearing on the matter in hand:

SEC. 1. _Be it enacted, by the General Assembly of Tennessee_, That if any person or persons shall unite with, associate with, promote or encourage any secret organization of persons who shall prowl through the country or towns of this State, by day or by night, disguised or otherwise, for the purpose of disturbing the peace, or alarming the peaceable citizens of any portion of this State, on conviction by any tribunal of this State, shall be fined not less than five hundred dollars, imprisoned in the penitentiary not less than five years, and shall be rendered infamous.

SEC. 2. _Be it further enacted_, That it shall be the duty of all the courts in this State, before the impaneling of any grand jury or petit jury in any cause whatever, to inquire of the juror, on oath, whether he shall be associated in any way obnoxious to the first section of this act; and if such juror shall decline to give a voluntary answer, or shall answer affirmatively, such persons shall be disqualified as a juror in any case in any court in this State.

SEC. 3. _Be it further enacted_, That, for the purpose of facilitating the execution of the provisions of this act, it shall be the duty of the Prosecuting Attorneys of this State or grand jurors, or either of them, to summons or cause to be summoned, any persons he shall have a well-grounded belief has any knowledge of such organization as described by the first section of this act, and if any person shall fail or refuse to obey such summons, or shall appear and refuse to testify, such persons so summoned shall suffer the penalty imposed by the first section of this act; and if such witness shall avoid the service of said subpoena or summons, the sheriff, or other officer, shall return such fact on said process, when the court shall order a copy of said process to be left at the last place of residence of such persons sought to be summoned; and if such person shall fail to appear according to the command of said process, said court shall enter a judgment _nisi_ against such person for the sum of five hundred dollars, for which _sci. fa._ shall issue, as in other cases of forfeiture of subpoena.

SEC. 4. _Be it further enacted_, That no prosecutor shall be required on any indictment under the provisions of this act; and all the courts of the State shall give a remedial construction to the same; and that no presentment or indictment shall be quashed, or declared insufficient for want of form.

SEC. 5. _Be it further enacted_, That it shall be the duty of all the courts of this State, at every term, for two years from and after the passage of this act, to call before it all the officers thereof, who shall be sworn, and have this act read or explained to them; and the court shall ask said officers if they shall have any knowledge of any person of the State, or out of it, that shall be guilty of any of the offenses contained in this act, and that, if at any time they shall come to such knowledge, or shall have a well-grounded belief that any person or persons shall be guilty of a violation of this act or any of its provisions, that they will immediately, inform the Prosecuting Attorney for the State thereof; and if such Prosecuting Attorney, upon being so informed, shall fail, refuse, or neglect to prosecute such person or persons so informed on, he shall be subject to the same penalties imposed by the first section of this act, and shall be stricken from the roll of attorneys in said court.

SEC. 6. _Be it further enacted_, That if any officer, or other person, shall inform any other person that he or she is to be summoned as a witness under any of the provisions of this act, or any other statute or law of this State, with the intent and for the purpose of defeating any of the provisions of this act, or any criminal law of this State; or if any officer, clerk, sheriff or constable shall refuse or fail to perform any of the duties imposed by this act, upon conviction, shall suffer the penalties by the first section of this act, and shall be disqualified from holding office in this State for two years.

SEC. 7. _Be it further enacted_, That if any person shall voluntarily inform on any person guilty of any of the provisions of this act, upon conviction such informant shall be entitled and receive one-half of the fine imposed; and if any officer, three-fourths.

SEC. 8. _Be it further enacted_, That if any person, guilty of any of the provisions or offenses enumerated in this act, that shall appear before any jury or prosecuting officer of the State, and shall inform him or them of any offense committed by any person or persons against the criminal laws of this State, such person or witness shall not be bound to answer to any charge for the violation of any provisions of any law about which such person or witness shall be examined; and the court shall protect such witness from any prosecution whatever.

SEC. 9. _Be it further enacted_, That where any process shall be issued against the person of any citizen in any county of this State, for any violation of the provisions of this act, and such shall be returned not executed, for any cause whatever, by the sheriff or other officer, to the court from which it was issued, with an affidavit appended thereto, plainly setting forth the reason for the non-execution of such process, then it shall be the duty of the clerk, without delay, to issue an _alias capias_ to the same county, if the home of the defendant shall be in said county, either in part or in whole, when said sheriff or other officer shall give notice to the inhabitants of said county by posting such notice at the court-house of said county, of the existence of said capias; and if the inhabitants of such county shall permit such defendant to be or to live in said county, in part or in whole, the inhabitants shall be subject to an assessment of not less than five hundred dollars, nor more than five thousand dollars, at the discretion of the court, which said assessment shall be made in the following manner, to-wit: When the sheriff or other officer shall return his _alias capias_, showing that said defendant is an inhabitant of said county, in part or in whole, and that the citizens thereof have failed or refused to arrest said defendant, which every citizen is hereby authorized to do or perform. Said court shall order _sci. fa._ to issue to the proper officer to make known to the chairman, judge, or other presiding officer of the County Court, to appear and show cause why final judgment should not have been entered up accordingly; which, if any County Court fails or refuses to do and perform, any judge, in vacation, shall grant a _mandamus_ to compel said County Court to assess and collect said assessment, to be paid into the State treasury for the benefit of the school fund; provided, said assessment shall not be made of the sheriff or other officer, upon the return of the original, or _alias_ writs, show cause why the same cannot be executed, which may be done by his affidavit and two respectable witnesses known to the court as such.

SEC. 10. _Be it further enacted_, That all the inhabitants in this State shall be authorized to arrest any person defendant, under the provisions of this act, in any county in this State without process.

SEC. 11. _Be it further enacted_, That if any person or persons shall write, publish, advise, entreat or persuade, privately or publicly, any class of persons, or any individual, to resist any of the laws of this State calculated to molest or disturb the good people and peaceable citizens of the State, such persons shall be subject to the penalties of the first section of this act; and if an attorney at law, he shall be stricken from the roll of attorneys and be prevented from practicing in any court in this State.

SEC. 12. _Be it further enacted_, That if any person shall make threats against any elector or person authorized to exercise the elective franchise, with the intention of intimidating or preventing such person or persons from attending any election in this State, they shall be subject to the penalties inflicted by the first section of this act.

SEC. 13. _Be it further enacted_, That if any person or persons shall attempt to break up any election in this State, or advise the same to be done, with a view of preventing the lawful or qualified citizens of this State from voting, they shall be subject to the penalties prescribed by the first section of this act; and the attorney of the State in all convictions under the provisions of this act, shall be entitled to a tax fee of one hundred dollars, to be taxed in the bill of costs, and to be paid by the defendant. And the attorney prosecuting for the State shall keep all information given him a secret, unless it shall be necessary, in the opinion of the court, that the same should be made public.

SEC. 14. _Be it further enacted_, That it shall be the duty of all the judges in this State to read this act to the grand juries, and give it especially in charge to said juries.

SEC. 15. _Be it further enacted_, That the treasurer of this State shall not be authorized to pay any judge in this State any salary, or to any clerk, sheriff, or attorney, any fee or bill of costs that may accrue to such parties under the provisions of this act, until such judge or other officer shall have filed with the comptroller or treasurer an affidavit plainly setting forth that he has fully complied with the provisions of this act.

SEC. 16. _Be it further enacted_, That if any person or citizen of this State shall voluntarily feed, or lodge, or entertain, or conceal in the woods, or elsewhere, any offender known to such person to be charged with any criminal offense under this act, such person shall suffer the penalty prescribed by the first section of this act; provided, that this section shall not apply to persons who, under the ancient law, might feed or conceal the party charged.

SEC. 17. _Be it further enacted_, That if any person, guilty of any of the offenses enumerated in this act, shall have, own or possess any real estate held by deed, or grant, or entry, or by fee, or entail in law, or equity, the same shall be bound for costs, fines or penalties imposed by any of the provisions of this act; and a lien is hereby declared to attach to all estates in law or equity, as above, dating from the day or night of the commission of the offense, which fact may be found by the jury trying the cause, or any other jury impaneled for that purpose; and if in the opinion of the court the defendant has evaded the law, the jury shall find such fact, and the estate of the defendant shall be made liable for the costs of the State; and there shall be no limitation to the recovery of the same.

SEC. 18. _Be it further enacted_, That if any person or persons shall be guilty of a violation of any of the provisions of this act, to the prejudice or injury of any individual, the jury trying the defendant shall, or may find such fact with the amount of injury sustained, which shall be paid to the injured party or person entitled to the same, by the laws of descent of this State, with all costs, and who shall have the same lien on the property of the defendant that is possessed or given to the State by this act.

SEC. 19. _Be it further enacted_, That if any person shall knowingly make or cause to be made, any uniform or regalia, in part or in whole, by day or night, or shall be found in possession of the same, he, she or they shall be fined at the discretion of the court, and shall be rendered infamous.

SEC. 20. _Be it further enacted_, That in addition to the oath prescribed by the constitution and oath of office, every public officer shall swear that he has never been a member of the organization known as the Ku Klux Klan, or other disguised body of men contrary to the laws of the State, and that he has neither directly nor indirectly aided, encouraged, supported, or in any manner countenanced said organization.

SEC. 21. _Be it further enacted_, That the attorneys or prosecuting officers for the State, shall be entitled to and receive five per cent, on all forfeitures or assessments made by this act, on compensations to be paid by the defendant.

SEC. 22. _Be it further enacted_, That the standard of damages for injuries to individuals shall be as follows: For disturbing any of the officers of the State or other person, by entering the house or houses, or place of residence of any such individual in the night, in a hostile manner, or against his will, the sum of ten thousand dollars; and it shall be lawful for the person so assailed to kill the assailant. For killing any individual in the night twenty thousand dollars; provided, such person killed was peaceable at that time. That all other injuries shall be assessed by the court and jury in proportion; and the court trying said causes may grant as many new trials as may, in his opinion, be necessary to attain the end of justice.

SEC. 23. _Be it further enacted_, That all persons present, and not giving immediate information on the offenders, shall be regarded as guilty of a misdemeanor against the law, and shall be punished accordingly.

SEC. 24. _Be it further enacted_, That it shall not be lawful for any persons to publish any proffered or pretended order of said secret, unlawful clans; and any person convicted under any of the provisions of this act, shall not claim, hold, or possess any property, real or personal, exempt from execution, fine, penalty or costs, under this act; provided, that nothing herein contained shall be so construed as to prevent or exempt any person heretofore guilty of any of the offenses herein contained from prosecution under the law as it now stands. This act to take effect from after its passage.[52]

The same legislature passed a bill authorizing the Governor to organize, equip and call into active service, at his discretion, a volunteer force, to be known as the Tennessee State Guards; to be composed of one or more regiments from each congressional district of the State; provided always that said Tennessee State Guards shall be composed of loyal men.

And it was further provided by the "Militia Law," that upon the representation of "ten Union men, or three Justices of the Peace in any county in the State," that the presence of these troops were needed, that the Governor might declare martial law in such counties, and send thither troops in such numbers as, in his judgment, were necessary for the preservation of peace and order. And it was provided that the expense of these troops to the State should be collected from the counties where they were quartered.

The reader has now some insight into the character of the legislation direct against the Ku Klux. He will not only note the general severity and harshness of it, but the following features in particular:

(1). The anti-Ku Klux statute was _ex post facto_, as expressly declared by Section 24 of it. (2). It presented no way in which a man could relieve himself from liability to it, except by turning informer, and as an inducement to do this a large bribe was offered. (3). It encouraged strife, by making every inhabitant of the State an officer extraordinary with power "to arrest without process" when he had ground to suspect. (4). It must be remembered that in those days in Tennessee "to be loyal" had a very limited meaning. It meant simply to be a subservient tool and supporter of Governor Brownlow. If a man was not that, no matter what his past record, or what his political opinion, he was not "loyal." (5). While the law professed to be aimed at the suppression of all lawlessness, it was not so construed and enforced by the party in power. The "Union" or "Loyal" League was never molested, though this organization met frequently, and its members appeared by day and by night, armed, threatening and molesting the life and property of as peaceable and quiet citizens as any in the State. No attempt was ever made to arrest men except in Ku Klux disguises. But as before remarked there is no instance on record of a Ku Klux being arrested, tried and convicted. Invariably the party arrested while depredating as Ku Klux turned out to be, when stripped of their disguises, "loyal" men.

In some sections of the State a perfect reign of terror followed this anti-Ku Klux statute. The members of the Klan were now in the attitude of men fighting for life and liberty. Hundreds, perhaps thousands, of them were not lawbreakers, and did not desire to be. There had been no law against association with the Klan; they had conceived and done no wrong during their connection with it. They had had no participation in or knowledge of the excesses in which some of the Klan had indulged or were charged with having indulged in. But now their previous connection with the Klan was made a penal offense; and they had no hope except on terms which to men of honor and right principle were more odious than death.

These men were made infamous, made liable to fine and imprisonment, exposed to arrest without process by any malicious negro or mean white man; and even their wives and children were outlawed and exposed to the same indignities; and it is no strange thing if they were driven to the very verge of desperation. It is not denied that they did many things for which the world has been exceedingly slow to accept apology or excuse. But history is challenged to furnish an instance of a people bearing gross wrong and brutal outrage perpetrated in the name of law and loyalty with patience, forbearance or forgiveness, comparable to that exhibited by the people of the Southern States, and especially of Tennessee, during what is called the "Reconstruction period," and since.

There may be in their conduct some things to regret, and some to condemn; but he who gets a full understanding of their surroundings, social, civil and political, if he is not incapable of noble sentiment, will also find many things to awaken his sympathy and call forth his admiration.

FOOTNOTES:

[47] See Major Crowe's statement on p. 22.

[48] "At this late day (1901) I am gratified to be able to say that my company did much good service to Tuscaloosa county. Had these organizations confined their operations to their legitimate object, viz: Punishing impudent negroes and negro-loving whites, then their performances would have effected only good. Unfortunately, the Klan began to degenerate into a vile means of wreaking revenge for personal dislikes or personal animosities, and in this way many outrages were perpetrated, ultimately resulting in casting so much well-deserved odium on the whole concern that about the year 1870 there was almost a universal collapse; all the good and brave men abandoning it in disgust. Many outrages were committed in the name of Ku Klux that really were done by irresponsible parties who never belonged to the Klan."--_Ryland Randolph._

[49] I have been told that in Tennessee several members of the Klan were executed by its orders for committing evil deeds under name of the Klan.--_Editor._

[50] Some of the "Dens" disbanded in 1868. "As soon as our object was effected, viz., got the negroes to behave themselves, we disbanded."--_Ryland Randolph._

[51] Most of the carpetbag and negro legislatures of the other Southern States passed similar laws, and Congress enacted a series of three "Force Laws" in 1870-1871. See Burgess' "Reconstruction and the Constitution," pp. 253, 262; Fleming's "Civil War and Reconstruction in Alabama," p. 695.--_Editor._

[52] This is a good specimen of the "Force Laws" which were meant to uphold the Radical governments in the South against popular disaffection.--_Editor._