the sequel of appomattox-第34节

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ting　the　odd　Ku　Klux　orders。

The　general　objects　of　the　order　were　thus　set　forth　in　the　revised　Prescript：　first；　to　protect　the　weak；　the　innocent；　and　the　defenseless　from　the　indignities；　wrongs；　and　outrages　of　the　lawless；　the　violent；　and　the　brutal；　to　relieve　the　injured　and　oppressed；　to　succor　the　suffering　and　unfortunate；　and　especially　the　widows　and　orphans　of　Confederate　soldiers；　second；　to　protect　and　defend　the　Constitution　of　the　United　States　and　all　laws　passed　in　conformity　thereto；　and　to　protect　the　States　and　people　thereof　from　all　invasion　from　any　source　whatever；　third；　to　aid　and　assist　in　the　execution　of　all　〃constitutional〃　laws；　and　to　protect　the　people　from　unlawful　arrest；　and　from　trial　except　by　their　peers　according　to　the　laws　of　the　land。　But　the　tests　for　admission　gave　further　indication　of　the　objects　of　the　order。　No　Republican；　no　Union　Leaguer；　and　no　member　of　the　G。　A。　R。　might　become　a　member。　The　members　were　pledged　to　oppose　Negro　equality　of　any　kind；　to　favor　emancipation　of　the　Southern　whites　and　the　restoration　of　their　rights；　and　to　maintain　constitutional　government　and　equitable　laws。

Prominent　men　testified　that　the　order　became　popular　because　the　whites　felt　that　they　were　persecuted　and　that　there　was　no　legal　protection；　no　respectable　government。　General　（later　Senator）　Pettus　said　that　through　all　the　workings　of　the　Federal　Government　ran　the　principle　that　〃we　are　an　inferior；　degraded　people　and　not　fit　to　be　trusted。〃　General　Clanton　of　Alabama　further　explained　that　〃there　is　not　a　respectable　white　woman　in　the　Negro　Belt　of　Alabama　who　will　trust　herself　outside　of　her　house　without　some　protector　。　。　。　。　So　far　as　our　State　Government　is　concerned；　we　are　in　the　hands　of　camp…followers；　horse…holders；　cooks；　bottle…washers；　and　thieves　。　。　。　。　We　have　passed　out　from　the　hands　of　the　brave　soldiers　who　overcame　us；　and　are　turned　over　to　the　tender　mercies　of　squaws　for　torture。　。　。　。　I　see　Negro　policegreat　black　fellowsleading　white　girls　around　the　streets　of　Montgomery；　and　locking　them　up　in　jails。〃

The　Klan　first　came　into　general　prominence　in　1868　with　the　report　of　the　Federal　commanders　in　the　South　concerning　its　activities。　Soon　after　that　date　the　order　spread　through　the　white　counties　of　the　South；　in　many　places　absorbing　the　White　Brotherhood；　the　Pale　Faces；　and　some　other　local　organizations　which　had　been　formed　in　the　upper　part　of　the　Black　Belt。　But　it　was　not　alone　in　the　field。　The　order　known　as　the　Knights　of　the　White　Camelia；　founded　in　Louisiana　in　1867　and　formally　organized　in　1868；　spread　rapidly　over　the　lower　South　until　it　reached　the　territory　occupied　by　the　Ku　Klux　Klan。　It　was　mainly　a　Black　Belt　order；　and　on　the　whole　had　a　more　substantial　and　more　conservative　membership　than　the　other　large　secret　bodies。　Like　the　Ku　Klux　Klan；　it　also　absorbed　several　minor　local　societies。

The　White　Camelia　had　a　national　organization　with　headquarters　in　New　Orleans。　Its　business　was　conducted　by　a　Supreme　Council　of　the　United　States；　with　Grand；　Central；　and　Subordinate　Councils　for　each　state；　county；　and　community。　All　communication　within　the　order　took　place　by　passwords　and　cipher；　the　organization　and　the　officers　were　similar　to　those　of　the　Ku　Klux　Klan；　and　all　officers　were　designated　by　initials。　An　ex…member　states　that　〃during　the　three　years　of　its　existence　here　＇Perry　County；　Alabama＇　I　believe　its　organization　and　discipline　were　as　perfect　as　human　ingenuity　could　have　made　it。〃　The　fundamental　object　of　the　White　Camelia　was　the　〃maintenance　of　the　supremacy　of　the　white　race；〃　and　to　this　end　the　members　were　constrained　〃to　observe　a　marked　distinction　between　the　races〃　and　to　restrain　the　〃African　race　to　that　condition　of　social　and　political　inferiority　for　which　God　has　destined　it。〃　The　members　were　pledged　to　vote　only　for　whites；　to　oppose　Negro　equality　in　all　things；　but　to　respect　the　legitimate　rights　of　Negroes。

The　smaller　orders　were　similar　in　purpose　and　organization　to　the　Ku　Klux　Klan　and　the　White　Camelia。　Most　of　them　joined　or　were　affiliated　with　the　large　societies。　Probably　a　majority　of　the　men　of　the　South　were　associated　at　some　time　during　this　period　with　these　revolutionary　bodies。　As　a　rule　the　politicians；　though　approving；　held　aloof。　Public　opinion　generally　supported　the　movement　so　long　as　the　radicals　made　serious　attempts　to　carry　out　the　reconstruction　policies。

The　task　before　the　secret　orders　was　to　regulate　the　conduct　of　the　blacks　and　their　leaders　in　order　that　honor；　life；　and　property　might　be　secure。　They　planned　to　accomplish　this　aim　by　playing　upon　the　fears；　superstitions；　and　cowardice　of　the　black　racein　a　word；　by　creating　a　white　terror　to　counteract　the　black　one。　To　this　end　they　made　use　of　strange　disguises；　mysterious　and　fearful　conversation；　midnight　rides　and　drills；　and　silent　parades。　As　long　as　secrecy　and　mystery　were　to　be　effective　in　dealing　with　the　Negroes；　costume　was　an　important　matter。　These　disguises　varied　with　the　locality　and　often　with　the　individual。　High　cardboard　hats；　covered　with　white　cloth　often　decorated　with　stars　or　pictures　of　animals；　white　masks　with　holes　cut　for　eyes；　nose　and　mouth　bound　with　red　braid　to　give　a　horrible　appearance；　and　frequently　a　long　tongue　of　red　flannel　so　fixed　that　it　could　be　moved　with　the　wearer's　tongue；　and　a　long　white　robethese　made　up　a　costume　which　served　at　the　same　time　as　a　disguise　and　as　a　means　of　impressing　the　impressionable　Negro。　Horses　were　covered　with　sheets　or　white　cloth　held　on　by　the　saddle　and　by　belts；　and　sometimes　the　animals　were　even　painted。　Skulls　of　sheep　and　cattle；　and　even　of　human　beings　were　often　carried　on　the　saddlebows　to　add　another　element　of　terror。　A　framework　was　sometimes　made　to　fit　the　shoulders　of　a　Ghoul　which　caused　him　to　appear　twelve　feet　high。　A　skeleton　wooden　hand　at　the　end　of　a　stick　served　to　greet　terrified　Negroes　at　midnight。　For　safety　every　man　carried　a　small　whistle　and　a　brace　of　pistols。

The　trembling　Negro　who　ran　into　a　gathering　of　the　Ku　Klux　on　his　return　from　a　Loyal　League　meeting　was　informed　that　the　white…robed　figures　he　saw　were　the　spirits　of　the　Confederate　dead　killed　at　Chickamauga　or　Shiloh；　now　unable　to　rest　in　their　graves　because　of　the　conduct　of　the　Negroes。　He　was　told　in　a　sepulchral　voice　of　the　necessity　for　his　remaining　more　at　home　and　taking　a　less　active　part　in　predatory　excursions　abroad。　In　the　middle　of　the　night；　a　sleeping　Negro　might　wake　to　find　his　house　surrounded　by　a　ghostly　company；　or　to　see　several　terrifying　figures　standing　by　his　bedside。　They　were；　they　said；　the　ghosts　of　men　whom　he　had　formerly　known。　They　had　scratched　through　from　Hell　to　warn　the　Negroes　of　the　consequences　of　their　misconduct。　Hell　was　a　dry　and　thirsty　land；　and　they　asked　him　for　water。　Bucket　after　bucket　of　water　disappeared　into　a　sack　of　leather；　rawhide；　or　rubber；　concealed　within　the　flowing　robe。　The　story　is　told　of　one　of　these　night　travelers　who　called　at　the　cabin　of　a　radical　Negro　in　Attakapas　County；　Louisiana。　After　drinking　three　buckets　of　water　to　the　great　astonishment　of　the　darky；　the　traveler　thanked　him　and　told　him　that　he　had　traveled　nearly　a　thousand　miles　within　twenty…four　hours；　and　that　that　was　the　best　water　he　had　tasted　since　he　was　killed　at　the　battle　of　Shiloh。　The　Negro　dropped　the　bucket；　overturned　chairs　and　table　in　making　his　escape　through　the　window；　and　was　never　again　seen　or　heard　of　by　residents　of　that　community。　Another　incident　is　told　of　a　parade　in　Pulaski；　Tennessee：　〃While　the　procession　was　passing　a　corner　on　which　a　Negro　man　was　standing；　a　tall　horseman　in　hideous　garb　turned　aside　from　the　line；　dismounted　and　stretched　out　his　bridle　rein　toward　the　Negro；　as　if　he　desired　him　to　hold　his　horse。　Not　daring　to　refuse；　the　frightened　African　extended　his　hand　to　grasp　the　rein。　As　he　did　so；　the　Ku　Klux　took　his　own　head　from　his　shoulders　and　offered　to　place　that　also　in　the　outstretched　hand。　The　Negro　stood　not　upon　the　order　of　his　going；　but　departed　with　a　yell　of　terror。　To　this　day　he　will　tell　you：　'He　done　it；　suah；　boss。　I　seed　him　do　it。'〃

It　was　seldom　necessary　at　this　early　stage　to　use　violence；　for　the　black　population　was　in　an　ecstasy　of　fear。　A　silent　host　of　white…sheeted　horsemen　parading　the　country　roads　at　night　was　sufficient　to　reduce　the　blacks　to　good　behavior　for　weeks　or　months。　One　silent　Ghoul　posted　near　a　meeting　place　of　the　League　would　be　the　cause　of　the　immediate　dissolution　of　that　club。　Cow　bones　in　a　sack　were　rattled　within　earshot　of　the　terrified　Negroes。　A　horrible　being；　fifteen　feet　tall；　walking　through　the　night　toward　a　place　of　congregation；　was　very　likely　to　find　that　every　one　had　vacated　the　place　before　he　arrived。　A　few　figures　wrapped　in　sheets　and　sitting　on　tombstones　in　a　graveyard　near　which　Negroes　were　accustomed　to　pass　would　serve　to　keep　the　immediate　community　quiet　for　weeks　and　give　the　locality　a　reputation　for　〃hants〃　which　lasted　long。

To　prevent　detection　on　parade；　members　of　the　Klan　often　stayed　out　of　the　parade　in　the