The preceding stories of wrongs and outrages committed by the Ku Klux
Klan, and those that follow, serve in a degree to show the extent to which
persecutions for opinion's sake were carried. It was the intention of the
leaders to intimidate the masses, that further opposition to the
principles promulgated by the Ku Klux Klan, or Southern Democracy, should
cease altogether. They were wiley enough to see, however, that silence,
while it may often give assent, can rarely be construed as an endorsement
of that which is utterly repugnant to the human heart.
Hence, plans were adopted for the dissemination of principles in violent
antagonism to the Government and the Administration. It was not only
hinted at that a change of Administration would effect the ends desired by
the Ku Klux Orders; but it was openly declared by the bolder ones that
such an event would give the South more than it had ever hoped to obtain,
even had the war been a success to them instead of to the nation at large.
As an illustration of the feeling of some of these leaders, who were men
of property and influence, and owned plantations in the interior, the
following conversation is given. This conversation actually occurred upon
the Moore plantation, situated upon the Tuscaloosa and Lexington Turnpike.
Moore had been a most uncompromising rebel, and was one of the first to
join the Ku Klux Camp in his vicinity. He was continually haranguing his
laborers in the interest of Ku Kluxism and democracy, cursing the
Government and the Administration, and swearing death to all who upheld
them. One of his hands, whom he had but recently employed (September,
1871), said to him:
"What shall we do to break up this cursed Government, and have things as
we want them?"
Moore replied: "There is a movement on foot all over the South that will
drive every d----d Yankee out of it before long, and give us things all
our own way."
"Good," said the laborer, "I'd like to know the programme, and get posted
in that thing; I'd take a big hand in it!"
Moore being now convinced that he had the right kind of a tool for the
intended work, then said:
"We've got the right thing now to fix all the niggers and Yankees with
that don't go as we want them to; we don't care a d---- for the general
government. It can go to ----, where it ought to. They may pass an hundred
more Ku Klux bills, and it won't do them a bit of good. The Ku Klux are
resting just now; but they are not asleep. They have got the niggers and
radicals in pretty good train, so they don't dare say anything. All we
want is a Democratic President, and that must come sure the next election,
and then we can run things to suit ourselves."
If Mr. Moore ever sees this faithful transcript of his disloyal speech,
delivered upon his own plantation, on the 12th of September, 1871, he may
begin to get some idea that the farm hands by whom he was surrounded were
not all as badly poisoned with hatred to the radicals as he was, and that
one of them at least had the temerity to treasure up and repeat the above
conversation. It is here produced as an evidence of the sentiments that
pervaded the minds of the leaders; and to set all doubt at rest as to its
authenticity, it may be added that it is a matter of record, to be seen
and read of all men.